2010 Subaru Legacy 2.5i Premium. Sunroof. Heated Seats. Cvt Auto Transmission. on 2040-cars

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Subaru parent company celebrates 60th birthday

Fuji Heavy Industries, parent company of Subaru, celebrated its 60th anniversary on June 15. And while the company is largely known in the automotive world for its innovative all-wheel-drive cars, its history stretches far back before the days of symmetrical all-wheel drive, World Rally Blue and gold wheels.
FHI was founded, much like Germany's BMW, as an aircraft company. It went through a series of names before settling on its current title in 1953. And while its aerial successes were never quite as famous as Mitsubishi and its Zero, FHI did fly Japan's first jet-powered trainer. The same year, 1958 to be exact, it unveiled the iconic Subaru 360 minicar. While the 360 never quite caught on in the US (at least not with the fervor of the similarly laid-out Volkswagen Beetle), the small, affordable and simple Subie had a wide-ranging appeal across the island of Japan.
The rear-drive, rear-engined 360 was eventually joined by the 1000, Subaru's first front-engine, front-wheel-drive car. More importantly, the 1000 ushered in Subaru's use of a horizontally opposed engine. The Subaru Leone, which arrived in 1971, expanded on the 1000, by offering a combination we're all familiar with nowadays - all-wheel drive with a flat-four engine.

Subaru puts Japanese production on pause in the wake of deadly typhoon

Subaru idled its main factory in Gunma, Japan, in the wake of the deadly typhoon that wreaked havoc on the eastern part of the country. The shutdown is tentatively scheduled to last about a week. Located roughly two hours northwest of Tokyo, the Gunma factory fell silent at the end of the morning shift on October 16, according to Automotive News. The facility wasn't directly affected by the typhoon, but some of its suppliers suffered flood damage. "These suppliers are currently working to normalize their operations with our human and material support as well, but we expect some impairment of their supply of automotive components and parts to Subaru," the firm said in a statement. It didn't name the suppliers, and it didn't identify the parts they make, but it added production should resume on October 25. About 2,500 cars leave the Gunma factory daily, Automotive News learned, so approximately 11,250 vehicles will be delayed by the shutdown.The BRZ, Forester, Crosstrek, and the WRX all come from the facility. It also makes the Impreza, though American-spec models are built in Indiana, and the Levorg, which isn't sold in the United States. Subaru confirmed to Autoblog its plant in Lafayette isn't affected by the storm, which suggests it sources parts from other suppliers. Subaru is the first car manufacturer to idle a factory in the wake of typhoon Hagibis, which killed 77 people when it touched down on October 12, but it might not be last. Suppliers normally work with several carmakers, and Toyota and Mitsubishi are reportedly keeping a very close eye on their parts inventory. Auto News Plants/Manufacturing Subaru

2019 Subaru Forester Touring Long-Term Update | Wet carpet

I hadn’t been doing much driving, so the Forester had spent a good chunk of the rainy/snowy spring week relaxing in my driveway. Finally, it came time to pick up a birthday dinner — Indian food, curbside to-go. As soon as I sat down, I noticed something new: a small crack in the windshield. That fix will have to wait until more businesses reopen. As I eased out of my driveway, another issue emerged. I heard what sounded like water sloshing. Braking for the stop sign at the end of my street Â… yep, definitely liquid. It sounded like it was below or in front of me. Later, I was parked in the alley behind the restaurant waiting for my order, and I accidentally dropped my phone down into the black hole on the righthand side of my seat. I reached down and groped for it, but instead of a rectangular personal computer, my fingers found nothing but carpet, seemingly soaked to capacity. My first instinct was to use a disinfectant wipe on my wet digits, but then I got out to inspect the underside of my seat from the second row. There was my phone, sitting in a fabric swamp under the seat. I retrieved it, and, of course, stuck my hand back in the spongy mess for an inspection. The water was cool to the touch. I sniffed my hand and found no noticeable smell. I wiped my hands dry, got my food situated on the passenger seat (seat warmer set on high, of course) and headed home. That night, I told Road Test Editor and fleet manager Zac Palmer about what I found. The next day, there was still no smell, but the water was still pooled, and the Forester got an appointment at the dealership (Dunning Subaru, where I used to take my '04 WRX — good people). I dropped it off Monday morning, and it spent a full week at the dealership. First, a part had to be ordered (something about a missing grommet; we'd learn more later). Second, the car wasnÂ’t ready until just before closing time on Thursday, and I didnÂ’t have time to pick it up before they closed for the weekend (temporary coronavirus hours) at 3:45 p.m.  “Subaru service told us that it tried to soak up and remove as much of the water as possible,” Zac relayed from Dunning, “but cleaning up the mess isnÂ’t something the service department usually does. Instead, it normally gets sent to a detailing shop that is now closed due to the coronavirus. The dealer apologized over the phone for the incomplete job, and warned us that the carpeting could still feel damp and possibly smell when we pick it up.