2015 Subaru Forester 2.5i on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Subaru WRX STI S207 limited to 400 units in Japan only

Japanese Subaru fans are getting quite a treat in time for Halloween. The brand is unveiling the WRX STI S207 edition at the Tokyo Motor Show. Unfortunately for brand devotees elsewhere, the market-exclusive, high-performance model is limited to just 400 units there. For such a small run of cars, the folks at Subaru Tecnica International are adding quite a bit to take the STI's performance to new heights. Among the upgrades, the 2.0-liter, turbocharged boxer now makes 323 horsepower and 318 pound-feet of torque – a healthy jump compared to 305 hp and 290 lb-ft from the 2.5-liter engine in the US-market version. Beyond the extra power, the sedan also wears a load of parts to improve chassis stiffness and a DampMatic II adjustable front suspension from Bilstein. Styling sees some slight tweaks with a red-outlined mesh grille, chin spoiler, 19-inch BBS wheels, and a redesigned rear bumper. Inside, the front passengers are held tight in leather-trimmed Recaro seats. If the 400 units aren't exclusive enough, Subaru technically breaks the S207 into three special editions. A planned run of 200 units will feature the NBR Challenge Package that's inspired by the company's class victory in the 2015 Nurburgring 24 Hours. It adds a carbon fiber rear spoiler, black wheels, red seatbelts, and an Ultrasuede-covered steering wheel. A hundred of those are the NBR Challenge Package Yellow Edition that come exclusively in Sunrise Yellow with black-painted door mirrors and side sills. Depending on the version, prices before Japan's consumption tax would be between $46,050 and $48,950 at current exchange rates. Related Video: STI Releases "S207" Limited-Edition "WRX STI" in Japan October 28, 2015 Tokyo, October 28, 2015 – Subaru Tecnica International (STI),*1 the motorsports division of Fuji Heavy Industries, will launch a limited-edition model based on the "WRX STI" on December 1, 2015. Just 400 units of the model, dubbed the "S207", will be available. Taking the WRX STI as its base, this complete car from STI features exclusive engine and suspension tuning as well as distinctive interior and exterior design. Embracing the STI concept of offering the ultimate in road driving, the S207 stands at the pinnacle of the STI complete car lineup and aims to be the world's most enjoyable vehicle, providing a feel-good experience to all those who travel in it regardless of road conditions and enhancing driver skill. Special engine tuning boosts maximum power output to 328 PS.

Here's why the most-ticketed cars story is junk

A recent study from Insurance.com found that owners of the Subaru WRX were the most likely people in the US to be ticketed for traffic infractions, with 33.6 percent of them receiving a citation in the last three years. Coming in a close second and third were drivers of the Pontiac GTO at 32.7 percent and the Scion FR-S at 32.6 percent. At first glance, this report looks like just a mildly interesting anecdote to tell your friends during a lull in conversation, but there seems to be a serious problem with the methodology here that might be blowing these numbers way out of proportion. Insurance.com explains that it based the study on 557,238 drivers who requested online insurance quotes from its service from January 1, 2013 to July 2014. To make it onto the list, a vehicle needed over 50 quotes, and in the end that left 526 models. However, these facts are almost useless because the list isn't based on percentages from the whole pool. The study's ranking comes from owners of specific vehicles, and these numbers aren't mentioned anywhere in the company's press release. All we know about the sample size for each model is that it's higher than 50. Assuming that amount for the WRX means it would only take about 17 people with tickets using the site to put the sporty car in first place. These unknown model sample sizes might explain some of the extremely odd entries on the list. For example, the long-discontinued Mercury Topaz is in seventh place with 28.8 percent of its drivers receiving tickets. The GTO and Toyota Supra are also in the top ten and out of production. Just a few people searching for these vehicles could be the reason for these strange results. Obviously automotive studies have their place, but this one just appears to have gotten confused along the way. Scroll down to read the report to see what we mean. Ticket magnets: The cars with the most violations September 30, 2014 (Foster City, CA) – One in three drivers of the Subaru WRX has a recent traffic violation, according to a study by Insurance.com, the car insurance comparison-shopping website, putting the turbocharged, all-wheel-drive sport-compact atop its ranking of cars that get the most tickets. The most-ticketed brand overall was Scion, with 27.5 percent of all owners reporting a traffic violation. Insurance.com looked at data from 526 models and more than 557,000 recent customers.

Ward's reveals annual 10 Best Engines list for 2013

Ward's Auto has released its annual 10 Best Engines award winners. The 2013 list covers the full width and breadth of the internal combustion spectrum, from a spate of efficient four-cylinders to the most powerful production V8 on the planet. As always, the entries must be available in a production vehicle in the first quarter of 2013 with an MSRP of less than $55,000. The supercharged 3.0-liter V6 from the Audi S5 held on for the fourth consecutive year, and BMW earned two spots on the list with its turbo 2.0-liter four-cylinder and turbo 3.0-liter inline-six.
Ford pulled in two awards for its 2.0-liter EcoBoost four-cylinder and and the supercharged 5.8-liter V8 from the Shelby GT500. Honda matched BMW and Ford with two wins of its own. Wards awarded the 2.4-liter four-cylinder from the Honda Accord Sport as well as the 3.5-liter V6 from the Honda Accord. Chrysler, General Motors and Subaru each garnered a spot on the list as well for the 3.6-liter V6 in the Ram 1500, the turbo 2.0-liter four-cylinder in the Cadillac ATS and the 2.0-liter four-cylinder the Subaru BRZ, respectively. You can read the full press release below for more information.