2006 Subaru Impreza Wrx Sti Sedan 4-door 2.5l on 2040-cars

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2018 Subaru Crosstrek improves on an already winning formula

There's a brand-new Subaru Crosstrek on the way for 2018, and the European version, known as the XV, is making its debut at the Geneva Motor Show. There's every reason to expect the new Crosstrek to be a stunning sales success. In 2016, Subaru sold 95,677 Crosstreks in the United States, easily besting models like the WRX, Legacy, and the Impreza upon which it's based. Those sales represented a 7.6 percent gain over the previous year, which is especially impressive considering that the Crosstrek is very much starting to show its age. The mini-crossover inherits all the benefits of the latest Impreza, including a stiff new chassis that promises drastically improved driving dynamics. Following in the footsteps of the larger Outback, which is based on the midsize Legacy, the Crosstrek adds a bit more ground clearance and aggressive off-road-lite styling to the compact Impreza hatchback. Don't expect the Crosstrek to tackle the Rubicon Trail – Subaru says it will have "excellent rough-road capability" – but do expect it to sell in droves in areas that get significant amounts of snow. View 15 Photos A 2.0-liter four-cylinder boxer engine delivers 154 horsepower to all four wheels through a continuously variable transmission. We generally prefer traditional stepped-gear transmissions, but Subaru has a history of keeping its CVTs pretty well behaved. Seven pre-programmed gear ratios can be selected by the driver in manual mode. A quick 13:1 steering ratio, active torque vectoring technology, and a lower center of gravity will all deliver dividends on the road, and 8.6 inches of ground clearance mean hard parts won't scrape the ground when the paved roads come to an end. All new Crosstrek models will come standard with EyeSight, a safety system that includes pre-collision braking control, adaptive cruise, and lane-keeping assistance. Blind-spot detection, lane-change assistance and reversing assistance will also be available. Expect more information to filter out soon, and stay tuned for live photos when we hit the show floor in Geneva. The US-spec Crosstrek will make its debut in April at the 2017 New York Auto Show. Related Video:

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:

Subaru STI version of Viziv Performance Concept will debut at Tokyo Show

When Subaru revealed the Viziv Performance Concept at the Tokyo Motor Show, there were many rumblings that it previewed the next Subaru WRX. That possibility seems much more likely now that we've had a glimpse at Subaru's concept for the Tokyo Auto Salon, the Viziv Performance STI Concept, which could be a preview of the next WRX STI. Though we only have a couple teaser images to work with, we can clearly see that it's a flashier machine all-around. In the grille is the trademark pink STI badge, and it's matched by pink accent lines in the grille, the front lip spoiler, new air inlet, side skirts, and on the rear wing. And in true STI fashion, the rear wing is enormous. It also looks like the fender flares may be slightly wider than the standard Viziv concept. Other than what we can see, we don't know much else about this concept. Since it's a Subaru, it's sure to have a flat-4 engine and all-wheel drive. We can also make out the roof sensors from the last Viziv, indicating that this, too, will have fancy driver assistance systems. And if the development of the Subaru Ascent from the Viziv-7 is anything to go by, this concept will probably lead to a production model. As we've said before, though, we'd caution Subaru fans against high hopes, since Subaru has already shown in the past that its concepts don't always translate to production. Related Video: Image Credit: Subaru Tokyo Auto Salon Subaru Concept Cars Performance Sedan subaru viziv perfromance concept