2006 Subaru Forester X Wagon 4-door 2.5l on 2040-cars

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Subaru says Forester logs 8,000 JDM orders in first month, 4x expectations

The 2014 Subaru Forester is not on sale yet here in the US, but it has been on sale in Japan since the middle of last month. In that time, Subaru says that the 8,149 customer orders it has received have more than quadrupled the original expectation of just 2,000 units.
To go along with these impressive orders so far, Subaru has also provided a breakdown of exactly what initial customers are ordering, and based on the numbers provided, it would appear that early customers are choosing well-equipped models. This includes almost 90 percent of all models being ordered with the new Subaru EyeSight system, and while close to two-thirds of the Forester models are equipped with the base 2.0-liter engine, the turbocharged Forester 2.0XT is the most popular individual trim level accounting for almost 40 percent of the orders out of four available trim levels. It will be interesting to see if this trend continues as more Foresters hit dealers, but this is definitely a good sign for the compact crossover right out of the gate.
There's a brief press release after the jump that gives a full breakdown of customer orders so far in Japan.

2018 Subaru WRX STI Type RA First Drive Review | A taste of Japan

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. — Last year, Subaru set a record for the fastest sedan lap at the 'Ring in a race-spec STI Type RA, which completed nearly 13 miles in less than seven minutes. The new 2018 Subaru WRX STI Type RA is inspired by that record-breaker (and those before it), and it will finally come to the United States as a special edition limited to just 500 units. We traveled out to the California desert to test it on mountain roads, as well as a recently built private race track at the Thermal Club. Record Setting Pedigree Subaru built its first "Record Attempt" (that's what the RA stands for) vehicle in 1988, a Subaru Legacy that drove more than 62,000 miles over 18 days at an FIA track in Phoenix. Since then, Subaru has introduced a number of WRX/STI Type RA models, with several attempts to set record laps at the Nurburgring. While Japanese customers got the opportunity to buy consumer versions of the Type RA, fans in the United States never did. Until now. The nameplate finally comes to the rest of us, improving upon an already potent, all-wheel-drive performance sedan for the everyman. The STI already offers 305 horsepower, a forgiving torque vectoring system, and that big, beautiful wing to set it apart. The Type RA takes this even further, providing more refined performance from a familiar package. The cars are currently being built, and will arrive in dealerships soon. Special Equipment Compared to the standard STI, the Type RA is about 68 pounds lighter thanks to a carbon roof and rear wing, BBS 19-inch forged aluminum alloy wheels, the deletion of the rear armrest and swapping of the spare for a tire repair kit. The lighter roof also helps to lower the center of gravity by a fraction of an inch. Other exterior changes include signature STI Cherry Blossom Red highlights on the grille and rear bumper, a front spoiler, black mirrors and Type RA badging. It only comes in three paint colors: WR Blue Pearl, Crystal Black Silica and Crystal White Pearl. Inside, it gets an ultrasuede steering wheel, short-throw shifter, red push-button ignition and a serialized plate to indicate its rarity. Under the hood, the Type RA benefits from strengthened pistons and sodium-filled exhaust valves that better withstand high temperatures, which is important as the number of laps ticks higher on track day. It gets revised ECU tuning, and lower-restriction air intake and exhaust. Finally, it has a 4.5 percent lower third gear ratio.

Subaru will cap sales, introduce US-only SUV and PHEV

With Subaru's meteoric growth over the past few years, it seems like the company would double down on the success and expand. However, the Japanese brand has announced that it will take the opposite approach. Rather than continually increasing global deliveries, the automaker will instead cap annual volume to between 1.03 million and 1.1 million units, according to Automotive News. While the strategy will keep Subaru's niche status, the brand's lineup certainly won't stagnate. After abundant rumors, a US-only, seven-seat crossover will eventually be assembled in Indiana, and Impreza production will reportedly move there in 2016. In addition, the company will launch a plug-in hybrid around 2018, but it'll only be sold where necessary to meet zero-emissions requirements. While the Japanese brand is widely known for crossovers and wagons, Subaru isn't forgetting its performance fans, either. Fuji Heavy Industries President Yasuyuki Yoshinaga confirmed yet again that a second-gen BRZ is under development. "We have already agreed with Toyota we will do a full model change. We have not decided when it will be introduced," he said to Automotive News. Subaru has been considering whether to grow for years, but the planning eventually favored maximizing the current factories. For example, Subaru decided not to build a plant in China but has chosen to boost capacity at the line in Lafayette, IN. Yoshinaga sees the strategy as a way to maintain the brand's soul. "Many companies try to be bigger or sell more vehicles. If Subaru does the same thing, we will lose our characteristics," he said to Automotive News. Related Video: