1994 Subaru Turbo Legacy Wagon on 2040-cars

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Subaru plans commemorative 50th-anniversary editions of each vehicle in 2018

Subaru will release limited-edition commemorative models of each of its vehicles next year as a way to mark its 50th anniversary in the U.S. on Feb. 15, the company said. Each edition will get a new, common color based on a high-level trim and special badging, with more details to come at the Chicago Auto Show in February. The company famous for its all-wheel-drive vehicles, boxer engines and being popular among the granola set teased plans for its anniversary celebration year back in February, saying it would also make a special donation of "50 cars for 50 years" to benefit an as-yet unnamed national charity. Subaru of America was founded on Feb. 15, 1968 in a small rental unit in Balboa Park, Calif. by American businessmen Malcolm Bricklin and Harvey Lamm as a way to sell Subaru dealer franchises. Soon after, the company relocated to Bala Cynwyd, Pa., and it has remained in the Delaware River valley ever since. It was acquired by Fuji Heavy Industries in 1990. The parent company, now known as Subaru Corp., launched in 1953 and under the core Subaru-named auto business in 1958. Its first vehicle on the U.S. market arrived in 1968 as the 360, a clear competitor to the Volkswagen Beetle that was $300 cheaper and 1,000 pounds lighter. Its sales suffered after Consumer Reports rated it as "unacceptable." Its FF-1 arrived in the U.S. in 1970 and represented the first Japanese car to feature front-wheel-drive and to have a horizontally opposed boxer engine. The company's first all-wheel-drive station wagon came to the U.S. in 1975. Subaru plans to reveal its new three-row Ascent crossover next week at the L.A. Auto Show. Last month it unveiled special JDM model versions of the BRZ and WRX STI at the Tokyo Motor Show. In October the company announced it would cease production of industrial products after 60 years in order to focus on making automobiles. Subaru of America is developing a new headquarters complex in Camden, N.J., which it expects to open early next year.Related Video: Featured Gallery Subaru 50 years of cars View 22 Photos Image Credit: Subaru Subaru Hatchback SUV Wagon Sedan station wagon subaru ascent

Is the Subaru BRZ STI being teased really only a tS version?

Teaser images of a purported Subaru BRZ STI were uncovered last night and sent the internet into a collective state of hysterics. That's not hugely surprising, though, considering the reverence that the BRZ, along with its fraternal twins, the Scion FR-S and Toyota GT86, have garnered from the automotive media. The sole sticking point, really, has been its mere 200 horsepower. People have been chomping at the bit over a higher output version of the sublime rear driver.
Those same people may be in for a disappointment, though. See, the BRZ STI that was teased last night might not be a real STI. Instead, it's looking like it might be a BRZ tS. According to 7Tune.com, the timing of the photos posted on Subaru's website lined up with Subaru's 86 Festival at Fuji Speedway, where the Subaru BRZ tS debuted. Despite wearing STI badges, the tS isn't the full-tilt STI model we've been hoping for. Instead, you can think of the relationship between tS models and STI models as sort of like the difference between a BMW 3 Series M Sport and a BMW M3.
Certainly, the speccing of the tS supports that idea. The engine of the BRZ remains untouched in both tS models, which is one of the primary things we expect a full-bore STI to address. A number of interior and exterior styling items have been added, along with Bilstein suspension pieces and six-pot Brembo brakes. The tS sports two different trim levels, with the higher end using Recaro seats, black alloy wheels, and a carbon-fiber rear spoiler. The base tS features silver wheels, standard seats, and all the same suspension and brake upgrades. Adding fuel to the fire that these are not the true STI models is the limited production run - Subaru will only build 750 tS cars.

Lexus, Mazda and Subaru top Consumer Reports Brand Report Cards

A revised methodology in devising its annual Car Brand Report Cards has seen Consumer Reports award Lexus its top overall ranking for 2013. For the first time ever, the institute broke out individual brands from their larger corporate umbrellas, meaning car makers like Lexus and Scion were judged independently from parent company Toyota. That strategy worked out well for Lexus, as the luxury brand earned a top report card score of 79 for the 2013 model year.
The institute has recommended every one of the Lexus models it has tested to date, and said that the company's products won out thanks to "a foundation of plush and very reliable vehicles."
Meanwhile, Mazda and Subaru tied for the second-highest scoring report cars, with scores of 76. Subaru earned praised for sporting models like the BRZ, which CR testers apparently had a lot of fun driving (naturally), while the Mazda products were lauded for their blend of practicality, sportiness and efficiency. Both of the Japanese brands offered good handling, fuel economy and versatility, said Consumer Reports.