2010 Subaru 2.5x Premium on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Next-generation Subaru Forester spotted with minimal camouflage

Though the Subaru Forester received a slight refresh last year, the crossover is due for a full redesign, since its bones date back to the 2014 model year. That redesign is coming soon though, as revealed by these spy shots. The crossover looks relatively similar to the current one, but it's completely new underneath. As for the outside, it's definitely an evolutionary design. The boxy shape and signature grille clearly derive from the current model. But there are changes. The prow doesn't slope back as much as the current one. Instead, it's nearly upright, and the corners are pushed forward, too. It gives the Forester a more truck-like appearance. The headlights also look as though they sit higher and wrap around more. The lower vents that were integrated in bumper creases on the current one appear to have disappeared, as well, perhaps for a more conventional front bumper. Moving to the side and the back, we can just make out some slightly more complicated surfaces on the flanks. They look a bit like the subtle creases found on the Impreza and the Crosstrek. The taillights also appear to be inspired by the new Impreza and Crosstrek. Rather than the small units in the body of the current Forester, the new lights extend into the rear hatch. Not only does this bring the crossover's styling in line with Subaru's other offerings, this may improve the size of the hatch opening, as Subaru says the Impreza's new lights did. Underneath the modest redesign should be Subaru's global architecture, which currently underpins the Impreza and Crosstrek. Our experience with both of those cars showed that the platform has yielded agile handling and solid ride quality. And if the Forester continues to offer a turbocharged engine, it should rectify the power (or rather, lack thereof) in the Impreza pair. The platform will also underpin the upcoming three-row Ascent SUV, which is expected to be released next year. With that in mind, and the near production-ready body, we'd say we'll see the new Forester revealed either at the end of this year, or early next year. Related Video: Featured Gallery 2019 Subaru Forester View 9 Photos Image Credit: KGP Photography Spy Photos Subaru Crossover

Subaru turns a WRX STI into a bobsled and (barely) makes it work

When asked how confident he felt of a successful full run down the St. Moritz-Celerina Olympic Bobrun in his specially prepared Subaru WRX STI, professional rally and stunt driver Mark Higgins responded, "50/50." In reality, he was probably being generous. It wasn't supposed to be so death-defying. In fact, Subaru's original plan was to have Higgins make several runs down the icy slope, some with journalists in the passenger seat. We were among those who traveled all the way to Switzerland for the chance to experience an automotive bobsled ride. One look at the run's famous Horseshoe Corner was all it took for us to second-guess that idea. Well, that and our pesky sense of self preservation. Higgins, though, is one of those rare humans to have been born without that fear-of-death gene. Not only is the Manx driver a professional stuntman – his resume includes sequences for Daniel Craig's James Bond – he also won the British Rally Championship three times and is the four-wheeled record holder at the famed Isle of Man Snaefell Mountain Course. So, when Higgins says some sort of vehicular stunt has only half a chance at success, well, let's just say that most mortals would say something more akin to "a snowball's chance in hell." On the topic of snow and balls, it's worth noting that the timing of Subaru's bobsled run wasn't set by choice. The Olympic Bobrun hosts regular events every winter through late February or early March. Since the track at St. Moritz is the only run in the world without an artificial cooling system, warm weather means no sledding. Combine those two facts and you end up with a very narrow window in which Subaru could go about making the modified track and a WRX STI actually fit together. Enter the boffins at Prodrive. The British engineering firm first started modifying vehicles for racing in 1984. By 1990, Prodrive was focused on turning turbocharged Imprezas into championship winners for the likes of Colin McRae, Richard Burns, and Petter Solberg. So it comes as little surprise that Subaru turned back to Prodrive to figure out how to modify a 2015 WRX STI in a way that would make it survive the pounding it would sustain on a bob run. For the record, this isn't just any 2015 WRX STI. It's actually the same car Higgins used in 2014 to set a lap record at the Isle of Man.

Subaru confirms new Outback to debut in New York

Performance enthusiasts may think of the WRX and BRZ when the name Subaru comes to mind, but for many others, the brand is best associated with the Outback. The soft-road version of the Legacy (and the Impreza-based Outback Sport that preceded the XV Crosstrek) is a vital product for the Japanese automaker, which has now confirmed it's bringing the latest version to the New York Auto Show in just a couple of weeks from now. There's little to go on from the teaser image above (which you can click to enlarge) and the press release below, which says only that "The all-new Outback is Subaru's flagship crossover model which blends Car-like handling and SUV capability." And that much we knew already. It's safe to assume that, like previous versions of the Outback, the new model (which we recently spied undergoing testing) will be based closely on the latest Legacy, albeit upgraded with a higher ride height, lower body cladding and other off-roading enhancements. Watch this space for more. All-New Subaru "Outback" to Make World Debut at 2014 New York International Auto Show Tokyo, April 3, 2014 – Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd. (FHI), the maker of Subaru automobiles, today announced that the all-new "Outback" (US specifications model) will make its world debut at the 2014 New York International Auto Show (Press day: April 16 and 17; Open to the public from April 18 through 27, 2014). The Outback will be unveiled at the press briefing scheduled for 10:55 AM EST on April 17 at Subaru booth following a speech to be made by FHI President & CEO, Yasuyuki Yoshinaga. The all-new Outback is Subaru's flagship crossover model which blends Car-like handling and SUV capability. The special site opens today at 22:00 (Japan time) on the Subaru Global Site. http://www.subaru-global.com/2014ny.html The site will feature information updates relating to the New York International Auto Show including Subaru's press conference.