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Subaru explains why it chose not to turbocharge the new 2022 BRZ

Enthusiasts hoping the second-generation Subaru BRZ would break cover with a turbocharged engine were sorely disappointed. Unveiled this week, it receives a bigger engine that delivers more horsepower and torque, but it remains naturally aspirated. Subaru explained why its engineers ruled out adopting forced induction. Power for the BRZ comes from a 2.4-liter flat-four that's related to the engine found in the Ascent, but the turbo didn't make the leap from the crossover to the coupe due to weight, packaging, and cost restrictions. Dominick Infante, the head of Subaru's public relations team, told Road & Track that turbocharging the BRZ would have required mounting the engine higher, which would have compromised handling by raising the center of gravity. Going turbo would have made the BRZ heavier, too. Although the actual turbocharger doesn't add a significant amount of weight, the mass of the related components (like the intercooler, various pipes, and so on) piles up. And, inevitably, incorporating these parts would have forced Subaru to increase the model's price. With a turbo, the BRZ would be heavier, more expensive, and not as balanced in the name of extra horsepower, and that's not its calling in life. It's marketed as a reasonably light, fairly affordable, and highly balanced machine. One interesting point few have brought up is that the BRZ's engine will almost certainly power the next Toyota 86, and its horsepower output stands within striking distance of the Toyota Supra's four-cylinder. The 2.4-liter develops 228 horsepower and 184 pound-feet of torque, while the Supra's entry-level 2.0-liter is rated at 255 and 295, respectively. Adding a turbo would risk bumping the BRZ's horsepower figure over the 255 mark, which would look bad, since that's the metric many buyers use to judge a performance car. Alternatively, going through the trouble of turbocharging the engine to cap its output at 245, for example, would be a colossal waste of time. We'd be surprised if the BRZ goes turbo later in the 2020s, but look on the bright side. At least it exists — rumors claimed the first-generation model would retire without a successor, and they were moderately credible. And at least it will be sold in America; Subaru confirmed the coupe will not be available on the European market. Related Video:

The not-Subaru crossover wagon | 2017 Volkswagen Alltrack First Drive

Funnily enough, in light of dieselgate, Volkswagen is one of the few brands (along with Volvo and Subaru) to preserve the notion that you don't need a fuel-sucking SUV to meet your life-carrying needs. And, yes, VW's history of addressing off-road desires with all-wheel-drive dates to the mid-1980s with the Quantum Syncro (a.k.a. Passat) and Golf Country – the latter, sadly, never came stateside. The latest offering toward this effort is the 2017 Volkswagen Alltrack. What's an Alltrack? It's a slightly lifted, cladded, and butched-out version of the Golf Sportwagen (yes, formerly known as a Jetta). Not to steal Alltrack's thunder, but starting in 2017 you can also get the standard Sportwagen with 4Motion AWD, which is basically the same running gear for less money. The Alltrack starts at $26,950; the 4Motion Sportwagen starts at $24,930, both with the dual-clutch automatic available at launch. Any discussion of tall wagons brings Subaru immediately to mind, both with the Outback and the Impreza-based Crosstrek. The Volkswagen Alltrack sits between the two in size at 180.2 inches long – 5 more than the Crosstrek and 9.4 inches shorter than the Outback. The 2017 Subaru Outback starts at $25,645, and VW's comparisons focus on the Outback, which is understandable given the similar starting price. A bare-bones Crosstrek starts at $22,245, but quickly gets into Golf price overlap. The Alltrack and the 4Motion Golf Sportwagen are superior daily drivers to the Subaru, whether you're doing an emergency lane change or just trying to merge onto the interstate. Meanwhile, the Crosstrek doesn't have the refinement of the VW. Can we fault Subaru though? It's set a sales record every year in a row since 2010 and is looking at about triple the sales volume of VW's Golf for 2016. So we'll stick to telling you what we think of the Alltrack and let the dealers fight for your dollars. First thing's first. Yes, you can have the Golf Sportwagen and even the Alltrack with a manual six-speed gearbox. The seven-speed DSG automatic is very good, but it's worth noting that any manual gearbox is a rarity these days, especially when we're not talking about a two-seat sports car. You will have to wait until early 2017 for that option, but it also saves you $1,100 off both models. Second, the Alltrack and 4Motion Sportwagens get identical engines. Whether manual or DSG, VW's EA888 turbocharged 1.8-liter four-cylinder is under the hood.

Driving 2024 Chevy Traverse, BMW X5 M Competition, Fiat 500e | Autoblog Podcast #832

In this episode of the Autoblog Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore is joined by Senior Editor John Beltz Snyder. John's been driving the new Chevy Traverse and the BMW X5 M Competition, and Greg gives his first impressions from behind the wheel of the new Fiat 500e. They discuss Tesla's abandonment of its lower-cost EV, and a report that it did so when the car was almost completed. They also discuss Subaru and Toyota teaming up again for another round of EVs, and discuss the ramifications of Biden's tariffs on China. Finally, they dig through the mailbag to give their opinions on the future of Rivian. Send us your questions for the Mailbag and Spend My Money at: Podcast@Autoblog.com. Autoblog Podcast #832 Get The Podcast Apple Podcasts – Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes Spotify – Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast on Spotify RSS – Add the Autoblog Podcast feed to your RSS aggregator MP3 – Download the MP3 directly Rundown Cars we're driving: 2024 Chevrolet Traverse 2024 BMW X5 M Competition 2024 Fiat 500e Was the Tesla Model 2 almost finished when it was scrapped? The Information says so Subaru to lean on Toyota for three new EVs by 2026 President Biden hikes U.S. tariffs in Chinese chips and cars And why they could have little immediate impact Mailbag: Thoughts on Rivian's future Feedback Email – Podcast@Autoblog.com Review the show on Apple Podcasts Autoblog is now live on your smart speakers and voice assistants with the audio Autoblog Daily Digest. Say “Hey Google, play the news from Autoblog” or "Alexa, open Autoblog" to get your favorite car website in audio form every day. A narrator will take you through the biggest stories or break down one of our comprehensive test drives. Related video: Government/Legal Green Podcasts BMW Chevrolet Fiat Subaru Tesla Crossover Hatchback SUV Electric Luxury Off-Road Vehicles Performance Rivian