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Subaru teases new Viziv Tourer concept ahead of Geneva

Subaru has released a teaser image of the Viziv Tourer concept due to be shown at Geneva next month. The name Viziv, which in Subaru concept car speak means "Vision for Innovation," has been tacked on quite a few concepts in recent years, including the Viziv Performance and Performance STI shown in Tokyo. Those offered a glimpse of what the upcoming new WRX and WRX STI could look like, and the Tourer version could then well prepare us for a new longer-roof WRX (or the next-generation Levorg that other markets get). The current car has been with us from 2016, meaning the next-generation car could hit production in 2020. The structure underpinning the next generation car would be the Subaru Global Platform, which debuted with the current-generation Impreza. The Tourer's design language teased with this shot matches the sharp detailing of the Viziv Performance STI seen at the Tokyo Auto Salon, including the taillights. We would expect the front to be a dead ringer, too. The WRX has been with us for over half of Subaru's 50-year history, and it's definitely a core part of the brand's aesthetic. "Pretty" hasn't always been the word that would best define every single WRX generation, but they have always been distinctly Subaru — the five-door variants included. Here's hoping the Tourer makes for a good-looking production car. Related Video: News Source: Subaru Geneva Motor Show Subaru Wagon Concept Cars Future Vehicles Performance 2018 Geneva Motor Show subaru levorg

Honda, Subaru airlifting parts to bypass port labor diputes

It should be abundantly obvious that a vital element in building cars is actually having the components on hand to assemble them. A labor dispute on the West Coast between the International Longshore and Warehouse Union and management is not making that quite so easy for some Japanese automakers. Work slowdowns at the ports have pushed Honda and Subaru parent Fuji Heavy Industries into flying some parts into the country. The two automakers began shipping by airplane late last month to avoid production delays, according to Bloomberg, but it has been an expensive solution. Subaru's chief financial officer said the decision cost around $60 million more per month than sending components by cargo ship. They aren't the only companies dealing with the problem, either. Toyota reportedly stopped overtime assembly at some of its factories here because of the delays in getting parts, according to Bloomberg. The dockworkers have been negotiating on a new contract since May 2014, and the current offer on the table to them has offered a 3 percent raise, according to Bloomberg. Although, the union is reportedly considering another slowdown at 29 ports along the West Coast in the coming days. News Source: BloombergImage Credit: Nick Ut / AP Photo Auto News UAW/Unions Honda Subaru Toyota shipping port labor dispute

Subaru CEO expects record U.S. sales in 2020 despite market slowdown

TOKYO  - Subaru expects its U.S. vehicle sales to rise to a record high in 2020, as demand for its crossover models helps it buck the trend of slowing car sales in the Japanese automaker's biggest market. The company has been growing rapidly in the United States, the world's No. 2 auto market, roughly doubling the number of vehicles sold over the past six years, thanks in part to a ramp-up in local production capacity and a marketing strategy focused mainly on affluent and liberal-minded consumers. Japan's smallest automaker said that ongoing U.S. demand for its Forester and Outback models would likely boost overall sales in the country to 720,000 to 730,000 units next year, up by as much as 4.3% from the around 700,000 vehicles it expects to sell by the end of this year. "We expect the U.S. market to slow only slightly next year, so we're planning to see more growth in our sales. We think we can achieve this," CEO Tomomi Nakamura told reporters in Tokyo. He added that he saw room for the automaker to expand its share of the SUV market, which stands at around 7% at the moment, given that Subaru's SUV models outsell its Legacy and Impreza sedan models. "If competition in the U.S. SUV market continues, that segment will keep growing even as the overall market slows," he said. U.S. sales account for around 65% of Subaru's total global sales of around 1 million units. By the end of November, sales of the Forester this year had climbed 6.4% from a year ago, while sales of the Outback, its best-selling model in the country, were up 0.9%. However, the rapid growth in the country has coincided with a jump in global quality-related issues which has sapped profitability in the past year or so. (Reporting by Maki Shiraki; writing by Naomi Tajitsu; Editing by Kirsten Donovan) Earnings/Financials Subaru Crossover SUV