2004 Subaru Forester Xs Wagon 4-door 2.5l on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Autoblog Podcast #318

Toyota back on top, Barrett Jackson, Crowdsourcing your Dodge Dart payments, Nissan and Toyota double down on pickups
Episode #318 of the Autoblog Podcast is here, and this week, Dan Roth, Zach Bowman and Michael Harley talk about Toyota regaining the No. 1 sales crown, getting your friends and family to buy you a Dodge Dart, Barrett-Jackson, and Toyota and Nissan remaining committed to their pickup trucs. We wrap with your questions, and for those of you who hung with us live on our UStream channel, thanks for taking the time. Keep reading for our Q&A module for you to scroll through and follow along, too. Thanks for listening!
Autoblog Podcast #318:

Subaru investigates possible mileage data cheating, shares drop

TOKYO — Subaru, already smarting from a vehicle inspection scandal at home, said it was now investigating whether mileage readings may have also been falsified during final checks, driving its shares down as much as 8 percent. Mileage readings, an indicator of fuel efficiency, do not fall under safety requirements. However, any proof of what would be a second instance of misconduct in as many months would taint the image of not only Subaru but also Japan's manufacturing industry, which has been rocked by a slew of scandals recently. Just last year, Mitsubishi Motors saw around 40 percent of its market value, or $3.2 billion, wiped out in three days after it admitted it had overstated the fuel economy of its minivehicles. Subaru on Wednesday said it was checking to see if any possible fabrication could have impacted its official mileage readings and if any exported models may have been affected. "At the moment we are trying to confirm whether data was indeed fabricated, and if so, how this happened and which models are affected," Subaru spokeswoman Miyuki Yasuda said. She added that any evidence of falsified mileage figures was unlikely to result in a recall as it would not constitute a violation of safety requirements. The mileage probe follows Subaru's revelation in October that uncertified staff had been for decades carrying out final checks that the Japanese government requires on new cars sold in the Japanese domestic market. The company this week vowed to improve oversight, but it did not mention any probe into mileage readings at the time. Subaru said reports of falsified mileage readings emerged as external investigators looked into the inspection scandal. Some inspectors told investigators that mileage data had been altered on some sample vehicle models tested during final checks. Subaru said it had not confirmed that any such fabrications had taken place. "Coming on the heels of the certified inspection issue, this could be a sign of a bigger problem of how Subaru manages its manufacturing operations," said Janet Lewis, head of Asia transportation research at Macquarie Securities. Subaru shares fell as much as 8.5 percent to their lowest since July 2016, before ending down 7 percent. The stock has given up almost 10 percent over the past two months amid the inspection scandal.

Toyota and Subaru file patents for performance FR-S and BRZ

People have longed for a more powerful version of the Subaru BRZ, Scion FR-S, and Toyota GT86 since the triplets arrived on the market. So far, neither partner in the deal has launched a model to fully satiate that hunger. However, the Japanese patent office recently approved documents from Toyota for the design of a vehicle that looks just like the Subaru STI Performance Concept (pictured above). According to AutoGuide, the filing also gives Fuji Heavy Industries credit for the design. The STI Performance Concept debuted at this year's New York Auto Show as an early step in STI's attempt to expand its reach here. The BRZ-derived coupe featured a body with a ground-scraping front bumper, tweaked headlights, wider fenders, a massive rear wing, and diffuser with a center-exit exhaust. All of these elements also show up on the patent renderings. The concept was just as exciting under the hood because STI installed a 2.0-liter, turbocharged boxer four-cylinder from its GT300 racer, and upgrades for the chassis, suspension, and brakes came from the Japanese market's BRZ tS. While the coupe made hearts race, the company was clear it didn't necessarily plan to build the model. Patent filings aren't a guarantee for production, and even if this one does arrive in showrooms, it might not come to the US. That's because Subaru and Toyota have a history of creating Japan-exclusive versions like the tS or Style Cb. That being said, spy shots have revealed a camouflaged GT86 testing in Europe, and rumors indicate more power from the engine. Subie's boss has even confirmed the existence of a partnership to create a next-gen model. Related Video: