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SUBARU NEWS

12/31
Auto123.com: 2010 Subaru Outback 3.6R Limited Review
Once upon a time in the land of the rising sun, there was a car named Subaru Outback. Long considered as a wagon, its dream was to get bigger than other models of its kind and as powerful as the larger SUVs on the road. The car ballooned and became increasingly heavy, with new power tools to complete the package.

12/29
Business Week: A coup for Subaru
Well, it is the holiday season so I figured I would take a break from the woes at General Motors, Honda’s hybrid malaise and Toyota’s quality snafus to pen up some good news. Take a look at Subaru. In the U.S sales are up 14.4% through November and will easily top 215,000 cars for the year, notes Automotive News.
Boulder County Business Report: Subaru hires Boulder marketing firm
Subaru of America has hired Boulder-based Mobilize Us to provide the carmaker with mobile marketing services.
Mobilize Us, co-founded by John Hand and Debra Brown, specializes in group text messaging and mobile marketing. It will be working with Subaru of America on several campaigns designed to create brand awareness for Subaru and drive traffic to selected dealerships.
Phillipine Start: STAR Picks 2009
It’s that time of year again. As we have over the last several years, we use the year’s last issue of the Business Motoring pages of The Philippine STAR to tabulate our favorite new cars – sans any hard and fast limitations like pricing and category.
Chicago Tribune: ILLINOIS SPOTLIGHT: Soldier's car gets makeover
U.S. Army soldier Adam Trost was nearly speechless as he was cheered by hundreds on his return home Sunday after two tours in Iraq. "Holy smoke!" he said exiting his mom's SUV. "Oh my gosh, I can't believe this. This is amazing." The 25-year-old's emotions were getting the best of him as he hugged and high-fived the well-wishers in downtown Grayslake. The hero's welcome would have been sufficient, but Trost was also given something completely unexpected. Family, friends and complete strangers gave his beloved Subaru STi sports car a complete makeover while he was off fighting in Iraq. The car was unveiled at the conclusion of tributes to Trost's service.

12/27
New York Times: For Marketers, Love Is in the Air
In an ad for Subaru — by Carmichael Lynch in Minneapolis, part of the Interpublic Group — a man drives his Forrester for two days to “Subaru Heaven,” a junkyard where Subarus are left for parts. “You don’t just let some wrecker haul off your 300,000-mile Forrester to who knows where,” says the driver. “You give that car a chance to live on — one part at a time.” The commercial is based on a letter sent by a customer, said Kevin Mayer, director of marketing communication at Subaru, which introduced the “It’s what makes a Subaru, a Subaru” campaign in 2007.

12/24
Motor Trend: Verdict: 2008 Subaru Impreza WRX STI
Do we miss the STI? Absolutely. As Jurnecka states, "The Evo X has its charms -- sporty good looks, steering feel and precision to die for, incredible chassis balance, and a TC-SST gearbox that shines on a rapid Mulholland run -- but my verdict is in: I'll take the STI. While the STI's exhaust note isn't the most alluring, it hands-down beats the Evo's generic, tiresome, and artificial-sounding drone. The Evo's gearbox, while wonderful at speed, is annoyingly clunky around town and lacks the involvement of the STI's proper manual box. The STI is so much more practical too. Oh, and did I mention mpg figures? Try hard to get above 16 mpg in the Evo, I dare you. Meanwhile, I'm pulling 23 mpg with a mix of leisurely and aggressive driving in the STI. Not bad for 300 horses."
All Cars Electric: Subaru To Sell EVs Overseas By 2013, U.S. Included
According to a report from the Nikkei newspaper in Japan, Fuji Heavy Industries, the parent company of Subaru, recently announced that it will begin selling electric vehicles overseas by 2013.

12/23
Autoblog: REPORT: Subaru says it can't Justy-fy selling a subcompact in the U.S.
What do Toyota, Nissan and Honda all have in common? (Besides the fact that they are all Japanese automakers, that is?) They all re-entered the subcompact market in 2006 after abandoning it years ago. What's more, Mazda is planning to bring its subcompact Mazda2 to U.S. shores next year, Suzuki has signaled its intent to enter the B-segment with its popular Swift hatchback, and the domestics are in the game with the Chevrolet Aveo and forthcoming Ford Fiesta.
Stuff (NZ): Forester pick of new Subaru diesels
Maximum torque is the same though at 350 newton metres at 1800 rpm, and as such the Subaru cleans out every other medium- sized diesel SUV on the Kiwi market. The closest anything else gets to it is the Holden Captiva and the Nissan X-Trail, both of which offer 320 Nm.
All Headline News: Jon Gosselin Tries To Trade In His BMW M3 For A Subaru
While ex-wife Kate Gosselin's future might be looking bright with a possible stint on "Dancing With The Stars" next year, things aren't looking so good for former TLC reality television dad, Jon Gosselin.  Having his divorce finalized after 10-plus years of marriage and being hit with a five-figure monthly child support payment, an unemployed Jon is having a hard time making ends meet.

12/21
CNN: Subaru's turbocharged sales secret
Subaru, the car brand of choice for quirky, all-wheel-drive loving Northeasterners and trendy turbo freaks, is on something of a tear. Considering Subaru's record breaking sales at a time when others are struggling to unload cars, the number four Japanese brand in America is doing downright great.
Trading Markets: Subaru dealers in Japan collectively return to black.
Subaru maker Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd. (TSE:7270) expects the 33 sales companies included in its consolidated financial report to post an aggregate profit in fiscal 2009, returning to the black for the first time in five years.

12/17
Fox News: 2010 Subaru Outback 3.6 R Limited
Hard to believe that it’s been fifteen years since Subaru hitched its station wagon to America’s fading fascination with Paul Hogan, oversized knives, and shrimps on the barbie by creating the Outback. The dang thing has proven to be so enduring that it even managed to survive a guest spot in “Crocodile Dundee in Los Angeles”, the third film in the series, where it was the titular character’s painfully obvious car of choice. Now entering its fourth generation, the Outback moves one sequel ahead of its big screen counterpart.
Autoblog: REPORT: Subaru spokesman concerned that RWD Toyobaru could dilute brand identity
It should come as no surprised that Subaru -- a brand that's made its name in the States for offering rugged, all-wheel drive vehicles -- is a little wary about bringing its own version of the RWD Toyobaru to the U.S.
Speaking with Wards Auto, Subaru spokesperson Michael McHale said, "We're an all-wheel drive brand," going on to say that, "If it doesn't affect the core of the brand, maybe we'd bring it in as an interesting option."
WLFI: SIA plans $37M of improvements
Subaru of Indiana Automotive (SIA) plans to make $37 million worth of improvements to its Lafayette plant. November sales of the Subaru Outback are up 142% from last year. The improvements, consisting of new robotics equipment in three parts of the plant, will for now simply retain existing jobs.
Grand Fork News: AUTO REVIEW: A stylish makeover doesn't dilute the Subaru Forester's utilityAUTO REVIEW: A stylish makeover doesn't dilute the Subaru Forester's utility
Wait a minute, this is a Subaru? It's really hard to believe. Model by model, year by year, the weirdness is being banished from this brand as its cars slip silently into the mainstream. Look at it and the first thing that strikes you is that nothing in particular strikes you. There's no weirdness, no oddball, goofy, overdone styling. Oh sure, the grille's texture and the radical corners up front are a residual bit of uniqueness. But overall, it looks so, so — gasp — normal. Viewed from the rear it looks positively European. Who would have believed it?

12/15
Edmonton Journal (CA): Toyota's FT-86 Concept a step in the right direction
As for the new FT-86 Concept, which was designed in Toyota's ED2 studio in France, its powertrain choice reads more Corolla GT-S or Celica GT-S than Supra, or then again, maybe more like the old Subaru XT. After all, under its long, sleek hood is a 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine in a horizontally opposed "boxer" configuration that comes from Subaru, partially owned by Toyota, as part of a joint project that will also include a sporty car for the smaller Japanese car company.

12/14
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: 2010 Subaru Impreza WRX - Impreza WRX STI
The Subaru Impreza WRX and STI are compact, performance-oriented sedans and hatchbacks based on the mainstream Impreza. Last year, after hordes of loyalists complained about the changes implemented with a 2008 redesign, the WRX was fortified to address concerns that it was too soft and that power delivery wasn't fast and furious enough to fit the Rex's personality. Subaru answered with 41 extra horsepower on the WRX model, wider wheels and tires, and new anti-roll bars.

12/13
Thanh Nien News (VN): Vietnam’s small auto industry ‘destined to grow’
Motor Image Vietnam general director Jonathan Tan tells Thanh Nien Weekly his firm’s introduction of Subaru in Vietnam will be supported by a middle class that has continued to buy up cars despite the economic crisis.
Daily Herald: Humane Society teams up with Subaru to get animals adopted
Brielle Stilson gives her brother's new dog, Charlotte, a hug during a Utah Humane Society outreach event at the Subaru dealership at the Doug Smith Autoplex in American Fork on Saturday. Subaru invited the Utah Humane Society to come and display several animals as a way to raise awareness and hopefully find homes for them.

12/12
Canada Free Press: Subaru Forester Remains Tree-mendous for 2010
Subaru explains that what it means in English is that its PZEV vehicles have 90 per cent cleaner exhaust emissions than the average new
vehicle and, since today’s average vehicle is pretty darn clean compared with vehicles of years past, that’s good news for those who think mere mortal human beings have more of an effect on Mother Earth than the rest of the universe does

12/11
WLFI: SIA spreads holiday cheer
Some senior citizens have a blanket to snuggle this winter, thanks to some elves from Subaru of Indiana Automotive. SIA associates delivered more than 250 fleece blankets to seniors at three area nursing home facilties. Residents at Regency Place in Lafayette say the gifts were a nice surprise. Wilbur Troxel said the gift was real nice. "We use a lot of blankets around here."

12/10
Automobile: REVIEWS:  2010 Subaru Legacy 2.5GT Limited
Subaru bills the 2.5GT as its "enthusiast" model, and although it's not quite as fun as a WRX, it is by far the most enjoyable Legacy I've sampled in many years. There's no discounting the power offered by the turbocharged 2.5-liter flat-four, but mating it to a six-speed transmission is simply brilliant. Other midsize cars may offer manual transmissions, but they're only available on lower trim models that focus more on thrift than on thrust.
Memphis Flyer: Corn on the Car 
After Judith Dierkes' watched The Future of Food, a documentary about genetically modified food, she decided to spread the message. To do so, she transformed her white Subaru station wagon into a traveling corn on the cob. She painted yellow kernels on the front of the car and a green husk around the back. She even covered the seats in yellow fabric and painted the inside yellow and green.
Autoblog: VIDEO: PIA/Cobb Tuning give the full STI swap treatment to Subaru Forester
Pacific Import Auto (PIA) came across a Subaru Impreza WRX STi that had been removed from service by a telephone pole. With a new Subaru Forester at their disposal the Pacific Northwest tuning shop decided to marry the two, throw in a generous number of Cobb parts, and the result is a mean white wagon with 295 horsepower and 325 ft-lb. of torque – at the wheels. For comparison, a 2010 Forrester's engine is rated at 224 horses.

12/09
RantRave: Rave Americans Sweep Motor Trend Awards!
The third American vehicle to win? That would be SUV of the Year, the Subaru Outback. “Subaru, an American car?” you might be asking. Well you tell me what it means when the cars are all built in America, by Americans, for Americans. Well, they do export them as well, and in fact the Outback ranks as the # 6 exported car from the US (to Canada and Europe mainly). I think that means it’s an American car. I think it actually is the official state vehicle of both Vermont and Colorado, and may even be on the Idaho flag. I have in-laws who work at the plant in Lafayette, IN, and they’d fight you for their jobs. One of them actually quit GM to work there, and recruited several other people away from GM in Dayton OH and Fort Wayne. Good thing, too, with GM closing the Dayton plant and severely cutting back in Ft. W.
Bnet: Subaru Passes 200,000 in U.S.; Next Up 300,000
When you’re on a roll, you’re on a roll, and Subaru is certainly on a roll in the United States these days, including a virtually certain U.S. sales record for Subaru in 2009, while other brands struggle. Through November, Subaru’s U.S. sales were 193,578 in 2009, up 14 percent from the year-ago period, according to AutoData Corp. For the entire U.S. market, auto sales were down 24 percent in the same time frame, to about 9.4 million.

12/08
Jalopnik: Subaru Legacy GT Spec.B Tows F-150
There's nothing more embarrassing than having your big, macho American RWD truck towed out of the snow by a friend in a Legacy GT Spec.B. Quick, someone record this.

12/07
New York Times: Flash Forward
How much, how soon? The car is a fantasy, but Subaru’s hybrid system should arrive in 2012. Most likely it will land in an existing production model rather than an all-new vehicle.
New York Times: Special and Limited, Which Aren’t the Same Thing
What they didn’t say: The Limited answers the call of buyers who demanded more luxury, while the Special Edition quiets the screams of enthusiasts who knew Subaru was holding back.

12/06
Washington Post: A super-sized Subaru, stuffed for the holiday
The road was clogged with cars, trucks and law enforcement vehicles winding in and out of the Woodbury Common Premium Outlets mall near here. It was a miserable end to an otherwise pleasant drive up the Palisades Interstate Parkway to the New York State Thruway to Interstate 87 North, where, somewhere near Exit 14, life became an interminable crawl, a holiday turned to entrapment among sale-crazed consumers heading toward the checkout counters in the sprawling shopping complex

12/05
USA Today: 2010 Subaru Legacy gets an impressive remake
In fact, almost everything about the thoroughly remade 2010 Subaru Legacy sedan is impressive. It's as if Subaru went through a list of consumer gripes over the years and tried to address them all – much as Subie did in the remake of the 2010 Outback utility wagon

12/04
Fleet Financials: Subaru of America Wins 3 ALG Residual Value Awards
Subaru of America, Inc. announced it has received three Residual Value Awards from ALG. ALG's 11th annual Residual Value Awards, for the 2010 model-year, honor the vehicles in each industry segment that ALG predicts will retain the highest percentage of their original price after a three-year period.
The Car Connection: CARS Trades, New Models Bring Subaru A Record Year Of Sales
As overall auto sales have slumped, Subaru has been one of the few bright spots in the auto industry this year, with many year-over-year sales increases to report; in fact, through November of this calendar year, Subaru has already sold as many vehicles as it did in all of last year. And over the past year, Subaru has gone from the 19th best-selling brand to the 12th.

12/03
Jalopnik: 2010 Subaru Impreza WRX STI Special Edition: Because "Antidisestablishmentarianism" Was Taken
The Special Edition's front springs are 16 percent stiffer; its rear dampers have been stiffened by 29 percent; its rear anti-roll bar is one millimeter thicker, and its rear subframe bushings are stiffer. The eighteen-inch wheels come from the Spec C. Halogen headlamps replace the U.S. STI's HID units, and the standard six-disc CD changer is ditched in favor of a single-disc unit.
Drivesouth: Germany customer satisfaction - Subaru top again
Subaru has topped a German customer satisfaction survey for the fourth consecutive year, ahead of major luxury brands and all the German prestige marques. The ADAC-Praxis test survey is conducted on behalf of Allgemeiner Deutscher Automobile-Club eV (ADAC), the largest automobile club in Germany and Europe.
Automobile: Pricing for 2010 Subaru WRX STI Special Edition Announced
Pricing for the 2010 Subaru WRX STI Special Edition has been released, and it's quite a deal. The limited run model will retail for $33,690, including destination. With a starting price of $2000 less than a standard 2010 WRX STI, the Special Edition should be a popular choice among the budget-minded tuner crowd.

12/02
Forbes: Best Cars In A Crash
To wit: Japanese automaker Subaru earned four out of 10 spots on our list of the best cars in a crash. It also reported sales last month more than 24% higher than November 2008, and up almost 14% for the year to date. The company says that 2009 will likely be Subaru's highest-selling year ever.
JC Online: Subaru posts gains in November sales
Among vehicles built at SIA, November sales included 6,506 Outback models, which includes the Legacy wagon. That's up 142 percent over the same period in 2008. Sales of 2,802 Legacy models marked an increase of 83.38 percent over November 2008. But sales of 177 Tribeca units marked a decrease of 71.54 percent when compared to sales in November 2008.

12/01
Yahoo! Finance: Subaru of America Announces 24-Percent Increase in November Sales
Subaru of America, Inc. today announced an increase in November sales of 24 percent with 16,988 units sold. November 2009 represents the best November monthly total in Subaru of America's history and the fifth record month out of the last six.

11/11
Business Week: Subaru: Japan's Hottest Car Company
Over the years, Subaru, the automotive unit of Japan's Fuji Heavy Industries, has carved out an image as a carmaker that goes its own way. While larger Japanese rivals have won plaudits for building reliable but sometimes dull cars, Subaru has specialized in making sporty all-wheel-drive cars and SUVs powered by turbocharged boxer engines. In 2009, Subaru is standing out from the crowd for another reason: Unlike most other automakers, it's enjoying hot sales.
Autoexpress (UK): Subaru Outback vs Saab 9-3X
The young pretender versus the established pro... it’s a familiar plotline, but not one usually applied to the crossover sector. In such a modern niche of the new car market, you might think old-timers are hard to find. Yet Subaru has been making estates that think they’re SUVs since the Nineties, when its Legacy Outback became an underground hit.
Autoinsane: Consumer Reports grades Subaru Legacy over Ford Fusion, Toyota Camry V-6
The redesigned Subaru Legacy outpointed the freshened Ford Fusion in Consumer Reports’ latest tests of family sedans with all-wheel drive. The test included the freshened front-drive only Toyota Camry.
Car and Driver: 2010 Subaru Legacy 2.5i - Short Take Road Test
One caution: If easy-does-it is your style, make sure you get the right 2.5. The 2.5-liter, flat-four turbo propelling the 2.5GT generates a robust 265 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque, enough to attain 60 mph in the low-five-second range.

11/10
Motor Trend: First Test: 2010 Subaru Legacy GT
We've been hearing it for decades. "What sets our mid-size sedan apart from Camry/Accord is that ours is a sport sedan." Translation from market-speak is, it's got a leather-wrapped steering wheel and stiffer springs and shocks to mitigate short suspension travel, and its maker can sell nowhere near the 400,000+ per year each of Camry or Accord. So it's refreshing to come across a mid-size family sedan that delivers the goods. Subaru's new Legacy GT, delineated from quotidian naturally aspirated H-4 and H-6 Legacys, is a WRX for grownups.
Philipine Star: Sleepless in Singapore: MediaCorp Subaru Impreza WRX Challenge Asian Face-off
Keeping his wits about him through three days of no sleep is how 40-year old Singaporean Mohamed Anuar took his Impreza WRX away from the clutches of 399 other challengers. He clocked in 77 hours and 43 minutes and outlasted challengers from China, Taiwan, Indonesia, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore and the Philippines.
Columbian.com: Port nears lease extension with Subaru
The Port of Vancouver is poised to sign a new lease agreement with Subaru of America that will guarantee revenue and jobs for the next 10 years. The port previously has negotiated five-year agreements, starting in 1992. Details of the new agreement are still "under discussion," according to Subaru, one of the port's largest tenants. But if the deal comes through, it represents the continuation of a long-standing relationship with the automaker worth millions of dollars in port revenue.

11/09
Jalopnik: 2010 Subaru Legacy Now Slightly Cheaper To Crash
The IIHS has been on a crusade lately to expose automakers for the high price of repairs in low-speed crashes. Subaru's apparently paying attention, redesigning their 2010 Legacy's bumpers to jump from "poor" to "acceptable." Mission accomplished!
Actually, "acceptable" is the highest achieved by any car and only a few vehicles actually qualify, and the leap Subaru made is quite large in terms of pricing. It'll now cost you $3,202 less to crash into a barrier at 6 MPH in a 2010 Subaru Legacy than it did in a 2007 Legacy. Seriously, it cost $4,049 to collide at 6 MPH in an older Legacy?
Popular Mechanics: Year-Long Review of the Subaru Forester 2.5XT Limited
Our Subaru has been in high demand by PM staffers recently, thanks to its spunky dynamics and generous cargo capacity. Since our last report we’ve hauled a dresser from Pennsylvania to New York, thrown bicycles in the back to escape for a day of riding and packed it tight with camping supplies for numerous weekend trips.
St Petersburg Times: Peter Couture column: The Daily Drivers: Subaru Outback is a solid throwback
In the '90s, Paul Hogan (Crocodile Dundee) was the pitchman for the Subaru Outback -- one of the first "crossover" vehicles. The wagon quickly gained popularity among the outdoors-loving crowd -- particularly in the snowy Northeast. But a little AWD also comes in handy in the land of sand and sudden torrential downpours.
Montreal Gazette (CA): Subaru's Snuggie ad subversion a win-win
If viewers were taken aback by the mid-commercial destruction of a Snuggie TV ad by a crowbar-wielding man exalting in the outdoors-loving Subaru Outback lifestyle, that was precisely the point. The new campaign by DDB Toronto for Subaru Canada is the first TV commercial to begin with the brand messaging of one company and then proceed quite literally to rip it to shreds as it is usurped by another ad.
Jalopnik: Ken Block's Tracked Subaru STI Begs For Snow
This is Ken Block's latest toy, a 400HP Subaru WRX STI, stripped and caged and outfitted with a set of Mattracks all-terrain tracks debuted today at SEMA. Is it badass? Yes. Would we sell our eye-teeth for one? Probably.
Motor Trend: 2009 SEMA: Subaru Legacy GTk Merges Utility, Performance, Go-Kart
When you're done gawking at Ken Block's wicked STI TRAX at this week's SEMA show, be sure to check under the rear hatch of the red and black Subaru seen above. Nestled in the cargo area of the Legacy GTk is a Coyote Motorsports XP go-kart that's primed and ready for SCCA Solo autocross. Oh, and the Legacy GTk makes 300 hp and 350 lb-ft of torque. Specialized Vehicles (SVI), which constructed the car to Subaru's specifications, borrowed the drivetrain from a 2010 Legacy 2.5GT -- six-speed manual gearbox included. To the turbocharged 2.5L, SVI installed just a modified exhaust and a reprogrammed ECU.
The Motor Report (AU): 2010 Subaru Liberty Exiga Launched In Australia, Available From November
SUBARU AUSTRALIA has today announced the launch of the 2010 Liberty Exiga in Australia, available now and starting from $37,490.Built on the same platform underpinning the new Liberty, the Australian-delivered Exiga offers six seats over three rows. The Exiga is powered by Subaru’s 2.5 litre EJ25 ‘flat four’ and paired to a Lineartronic CVT automatic gearbox and all-wheel-drive system.
Jalopnik: The Coolest, Slowest Vehicle At SEMA
Did you know one of Subaru's first offering in the US was a van? This van. The 1969 Subaru 360 Van was a sub-1000-lb Kei-car import and Subaru Performance Tuning has turned this one into a parts-runner
JCOnline: Total Subaru sales up for month
A report released Tuesday by Subaru of America Inc. shows the company sold 18,169 units in October -- a 40.7 percent rise over the 12,917 vehicles sold during the same month in 2008. The results represent record-breaking sales for the month and a sharp contrast to October of last year, when sales dropped 14 percent and triggered a production slowdown at Subaru of Indiana Automotive Inc. in Lafayette.
Reuters: Subaru Showcases the Ultimate Snow-Ready Performance Car at 2009 SEMA Show
The Subaru WRX STI, when equipped with proper tires, is capable of impressive all-weather performance. But when even snow tires are not enough, Subaru offers a solution - a 400-hp WRX STI equipped with a snow tracks system, as showcased at the 2009 Specialty Equipment Manufacturers Association (SEMA) Show at the Las Vegas Convention Center, Nov. 3-6.
TMR: 2010 Subaru Liberty Exiga Launched In Australia
SUBARU AUSTRALIA has today announced the launch of the 2010 Liberty Exiga in Australia, available now and starting from $37,490.
Built on the same platform underpinning the new Liberty, the Australian-delivered Exiga offers six seats over three rows. The Exiga is powered by Subaru’s 2.5 litre EJ25 ‘flat four’ and paired to a Lineartronic CVT automatic gearbox and all-wheel-drive system.
San Diego News: Outback gets you there and back in style
The new Subaru Outback isn't just about getting to the backcountry, it is about arriving there in style and comfort. The humble, wagonlike Outback has traveled a long road in its 14 years. For 2010, it emerges at a clearing surrounded by very capable crossover-type vehicles. Outback could be a Car of the Year contender, or at least Most Improved Car of the Year, which is also true of its platform partner, the Legacy sedan.
Drive South (NZ): Subaru Legacy GT Spec B: Cool customer can turn up the heat
Not too hot, not too tame. Just cool. So goes the recipe for the latest, most lavish and last of the new-generation Subaru Legacy models. As the premium performance package from the Fuji factory shop, the GT Spec B will ultimately be second only to the as-yet-unseen variant from the STI skunkworks division.
Dallas News: I'm as surprised as you to like Subaru Outback crossover
Somewhere along the line, I think I took a job teaching English in Vermont. Don't ask me how or why. I'm wholly unqualified to teach anything to anyone – especially to strange, surly kids permanently connected to tiny cellphones. And I'm certainly not built to live in some snowy northern extreme that seems to produce mostly syrup and rocks. But that's the only explanation I have for my affinity for the 2010 Subaru Outback, another 21st century station wagon calling itself a crossover/SUV.
Motor Trend: Refreshing or Revolting: 2010 Subaru Outback
The 2010 Subaru Outback is Motor Trend's Sport/Utility of the Year, but is it, well, attractive?
The Outback is more imposing than ever before:  2 inches wider, and, with a ground clearance of 8.7 inches, it's higher than a Jeep Grand Cherokee. From any exterior angle you'll find the 2010 Outback tries to appear more rugged than the outgoing all-wheel drive Subaru.
USA Today: 2010 Subaru Outback is far too appealing to worry about goofs
Subaru is guilty of some omissions and underachievement in the 2010 Outback but managed to make the wagon so appealing to drive, even to ride in as a passenger, that the goofs don't seem to matter. Remarkably, Subie has made the redesigned '10 Outback much roomier inside, but only slightly bigger outside, and only about 30 pounds heavier. The optional six-cylinder engine is more powerful but uses less fuel and burns regular instead of the '09's premium.
Wall Street Journal: Finding the Best Station Wagon
Station wagons have an image problem. When drivers in the U.S. think of wagons, it is often their parents' outsize clunkers with faux-wood paneling on the doors that comes to mind. But a growing number of carmakers are aiming sportier, more luxurious wagons at a younger, hipper crowd. The companies say they hope to spark a trend similar to what they have seen in Europe, where SUVs are rare, sedans are considered stuffy and old fashioned, and wagons are the cars of choice for the young, edgy and active. I recently compared some of the latest wagons from Audi, Cadillac, Subaru, Volkswagen and Volvo to see which offer the most style, comfort, utility and value. It is a diverse group, with sticker prices ranging from about $20,000 to nearly $60,000. They turned out to be nearly as versatile as Swiss Army knives, and were generally more fuel efficient than SUVs and crossovers.
Bangkok Post: Gloom in Japan: All Japanese players try to lift an otherwise dull car show with eco-friendly movers - with the exception of their country's finest brand
Despite their collaboration already made public, Subaru hasn't revealed a concept car in the FT-86's guise. Instead, it chose to highlight a petrol/electric hybrid powertrain that's speculated to see the light of the day in the rumoured Legacy Hybrid. Subaru also broke away from tradition by unveiling its motorsport intentions and joining the GT racing circuit. Now that it has withdrawn from World Rally, it is promoting a racecar version of this year's new Legacy B4 saloon.
The Financial: New Subaru Legacy Series wins Car of the Year Japan's Best Value Award
Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd. (FHI), the manufacturer of Subaru automobiles, on October 29 announced that its new Legacy Series (Legacy Sedan, Legacy Station Wagon and Outback) has won the "Best Value Award", one of the awards of Car of the Year Japan 2009-2010
The Subaru Legacy victory follows the Subaru Exiga's win for the 2008-2009 Car of the Year Japan's "Most Fun Award", and making Subaru to win two consecutive Car of the Year Japan's Special Achievement Awards.
Automobile: Japanese Automakers Ready for 2016 CAFE Standards
If there's one group that isn't sweating over the upcoming 2016 Corporate Average Fuel Economy standards, it's the Japanese automakers. Japan's "big four" -- Honda, Toyota, Nissan, and Subaru -- have all indicated they feel they'll be able to meet the regulations just fine.
Motor Authority: Report: Convertible Planned For Toyota And Subaru Joint-Sports Car
Toyota and Subaru confirmed as far back as April of last year that the two companies would collaborate on the development of a new affordable sports car. Up until now, however, all the reports have concerned a coupe model, which Toyota even previewed earlier this month with its FT-86 concept car. According to a new report, Toyota and Subaru may launch a convertible version as well.
King5.com: Driving NorthWest: The 2010 Subaru Outback
Americans began their love affair with SUVs back in the early 90s. Alas, a new romance often means someone’s being jilted. In this case it was Subaru. Sure they had plenty of all-wheel drive vehicles but in the way of sedans and station wagons. Buyers, as they say in the relationship scene, were just not that into them. With no platform or budget to create a true sport ute, Subaru installed some man cladding and a rugged name on their Legacy wagon. Thus Outback was born. Some say it rescued the company. Subaru wowed the practical crowd, crowing that it created the “world’s first sport utility wagon”. Since AMC is no longer in the business of making the Eagle, who’s going to complain? Huh?
Mibz: Rumor: Subaru FT-86 Coupe Gets AWD?
Even though the presented picture of the Subaru FT-86 is just a rendering of what the Japanese coupe will look like, there are rumors surrounding the concept from the first time Toyota and Subaru announced their collaboration. Recent rumors say that the Subaru coupe is dubbed 216A, so we’ll call it so too.
C|net: Subaru plans hybrid in 2012
Subaru, which showed a concept hybrid vehicle at the Tokyo Motor Show, will add a hybrid powertrain to an existing model in 2012.But Ikuo Mori, president of Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd., maker of Subaru cars, wouldn't say when the hybrid vehicle will go on sale in the United States.
Automobile: Subaru President Promises to Offer a Hybrid by 2012
Subaru president Ikuo Mori said during a press preview of the Tokyo motor show that the company will offer a hybrid by 2012. The hybrid powertrain will arrive in an existing model in the Subaru lineup. Mori said that the hybrid would make its way into one of the smaller models Subaru offers in order to maximize fuel efficiency. As we reported a few weeks back, the new offering would utilize Subaru driving characteristics. We would assume that all-wheel drive will make its way into the hybrid to keep with Subaru's promise of standard awd.
Autoblog: Rendered Speculation: JDM rumormill reports Subaru's FT-86 will get turbo power, AWD
According to BestCar's (notoriously unnamed) sources, the Subaru coupe (internally dubbed 216A) will come equipped with all-wheel drive, and a choice of two engines in Japan – the 250-horsepower 2.0-liter EJ20 or the worked over, 300-hp boxer four from the WRX STI.
Motor Authority: Subaru Teases Us Again With 2009 Exiga 2.0GT by STI Concept
The newest feature of the Exiga's navigation screen is a safety feature called the EyeSight System, which was also previewed on Subaru’s striking hybrid tourer concept. It uses two cameras (mounted on each side of the rear view mirror), radar, and 3-D imaging to detect oncoming vehicles and pedestrians. EyeSight will warn the driver if it is approaching an object too quickly, and even use brake force on its own to avoid an accident
Ubergizmo: Subaru AV-S1 robot cleans up after you
Just when you thought that Subaru made nothing but high-powered rally cars, they have come up with the AV-S1 robot that is able to clean up to 3,000 m²/hour - basically triple that of their human counterparts.

10/06
Autocar (UK): Subaru's new coupe plans
Subaru has started design work on its own version of the co-developed 'Toyobaru' coupé. These sketches are from inside Subaru and show various proposals for the car, but sign-off and production plans are apparently far more uncertain. Subaru has nothing like the cash and manpower of Toyota.
AUtocar (UK): Toyota's RWD coupe: full story
This is the first appearance of the rear-wheel-drive sports coupé that Toyota and Subaru have been co-developing behind closed doors in Japan. It will make its world debut at the Tokyo motor show on 21 October. In this unusual joint venture, Toyota and Subaru will each produce their own versions of the car, with sales kicking off in late 2011. Subaru will build all the cars at its Gunma factory in Japan and Subaru’s naturally aspirated 2.0-litre flat four will provide the power for both cars.
Trading Markets.com: Toyota mulls electric vehicle co-operation with Fuji Heavy Industries
Toyota, which holds more than 16% stake in Fuji Heavy Industries (FHI), is reportedly seeking technical data collected on the performance of the Subaru Plug-In Stella electric vehicle, as the company is working on its plan to launch an based on the FT-EV microcar concept by 2012 in Japan, Europe and the US.
Autospeed: Subaru Barking 'Box
Sydney's Middleton Rally Team offers a heavy-duty dog gearset to slot into the original WRX/RS housing. Retailing for AUS$6800 (plus GST and any necessary bearings), the package requires no modifications to fit, except Sti's require the 3rd/4th gear selector rod from a conventional WRX gearbox. Some later MYs may also require other small modifications. MRT presently offer the cluster in a choice of 5 ratio sets. These range from "super close" FIA-approved Group N rally gears to significantly taller road-racing gears. Note that the Group N ratios are designed to work with 4.1 or 4.4:1 STi diffs, while other ratios are available to cater for the normal 3.9:1 final drive.

10/02
Hybrid Cars: Subaru Fans: Where's My Hybrid?
In May 2009, Subaru announced plans to introduce a gas-electric hybrid car by 2012—but provided no details. Readers of this website responded with enthusiasm. Family Guy wrote, “I want it. My 2002 Outback will be 10 years old by 2012. Now, I can look forward to the possibility of replacing my Subaru with a hybrid from Subaru. Woo!” But others appeared tired of waiting. TS wrote, “We leased a 2005 Outback, hoping they'd have a hybrid by the time the lease was up. Didn't happen. Too bad. Bought a Prius now. They missed a window.” William admonished Subaru, “Toe dipping in the hybrid pool is useless.”
Marketing Daily: Subaru, MTVN Effort Aligns Legacy With Legacy
Subaru is promoting both its Legacy and the idea of one's personal legacy through a six-month campaign with Logo, a division of MTVN for LGBT programming, called the "Logo Legacy Campaign." The effort focuses on prominent gay and lesbian entertainers and leaders and what "legacy" means to them.
Super Street: 2008 Subaru Impreza WRX STi GRB-A - The Hardcore For The Hardcore
Let's face the facts once and for all: when Subaru came out with this hatchback on 'roids and slapped on an STi badge on the back, don't even front like you weren't as shocked as I was. I remembered distinctly how much I was flabbergasted when I first saw the photos of the new version. I think it was a Monday morning as I worked out my delts, balancing atop a bed of nails, surfing the Interweb when I came across a picture that Elliott Moran sent to me. It was a photo of what seemed like a cross between a Ford Escort and the Saab my uncle used to drive. When I saw the badge names and slowly realized that Subaru done gone wild like a college sorority sister, I nearly pissed myself. I was flabbergasted, so much so that I checked my flabbers and found that they were indeed thoroughly gasted.

09/30
Edmunds Inside Line: 2009 Tokyo Auto Show Preview: Subaru Exiga 2.0GT STI
Subaru Tecnica International breathed some serious life into the Impreza WRX. Now, the Japanese automaker's in-house motorsports arm hopes to repeat the magic with a new limited-production, high-performance edition of the automaker's home-market wagon, the Subaru Exiga 2.0GT STI for the 2009 Tokyo Auto Show.
Mibz: Rumor: Toyota/Subaru Will Cut 40HP To Make Their Coupe Concept An “Eco Car”"
But rumor has it that the two Japanese Companies will have to cut about 40 hp to make the 086A an “eco car” back in Japan. Knowing that “less is more”, Toyobaru have boosted the power-to-weight ratio by dropping some weight. Anyway it seems that the 40hp cut will only affect the 2.0-liter boxer engine, so Americans be happy, Subaru is no longer selling that in US. This means that US will probably get the Subaru’s naturally aspirated 2.5-liter boxer or even better, a whole lot of turbo plumbing
Motor Trend: 2010 Subaru Tribeca Makes Third Row Standard, Drops $500 From Same 2009 Model
The new $36,490 Touring model is the top-of-the-line Tribeca, with HID headlights, monotone paint, silver roof rails, a 3.5-in. backup camera display, and an auto-dimming mirror. The $30,000-40,000 SUV segment is crowded, but with Subaru's niche status, it's possible these minor updates are all the Tribeca needs to carry it until a redesign. What do you think?
JC Online: Subaru sales slip from August high, beat year ago numbers
The sale of Subaru vehicles made a small, but surprising, increase last month when compared to September of last year. A report released today by Subaru of America Inc. shows the company sold 14,593 vehicles last month. That represents a 1 percent increase over the 14,491 units sold in September 2008.
Automobile: Subaru Hybrid Tourer Concept Will Debut at 2009 Tokyo Motor Show
What will the luxury crossover of the future look like? According to Subaru, it may resemble its new Hybrid Tourer concept, which will debut at the 2009 Tokyo motor show in October. Although the car-like concept is slightly smaller than the new 2010 Outback, the Hybrid Tourer’s raison d’être is completely different. Here, the car primarily caters to the needs of all four passengers, and does so by providing them a luxurious cabin accessible through a pair of large gullwing doors. Designers incorporated a number of tricks to lend the interior an airy feel, including an expansive windshield, a dashboard that adjusts vertically for visibility, cantilevered seating, and a completely flat floor.
C|net: Subaru's Tokyo concept surfs trends
For the upcoming Tokyo Motor Show, Subaru built this Hybrid Tourer Concept, which manages to combine many of the latest trends in automotive development. Most major manufacturers are working on some kind of sporty touring car these days. Witness the BMW 5 series Gran Turismo, the Acura ZDX, and the Audi A5 Sportback. The Subaru Hybrid Tourer Concept appears to aim at similar ground, although its profile is less sporty. The gullwing doors are a unique feature for a production car, but not so much for a concept.
Mediaweek: Logo, Subaru Partner on "Legacy" Campaign
MTV Networks’ Logo and longtime sponsor Subaru of America are revving up a six-month brand campaign that plays on the notion of creating a legacy for oneself. The Logo Legacy Campaign will feature 3-minute video interviews with gay and lesbian entertainers, artists and entrepreneurs, each of which will expound on how they broke into their particular field and how the notion of “legacy” informs their work. The first two clips, featuring Top Chef (season five) contestant Jamie Lauren and director Patrik-Ian Polk, can be screened at the dedicated microsite LogoLegacyCampaign.com.

09/10
Fortune Magazine: Slick Subie: 2010 Subaru Legacy 2.5i Limited
Poison for many manufacturers, the 2009 model year has been an elixir for Subaru. It is one of only two brands (the other is Kia) to show a sales increase this year. In an industry that is off 27.9% for the first eight months, Subaru is up 11.2% and is closing in on Mazda for 11th place in overall U.S. market sales
Inside Indiana Business: SIA Celebrates 20 Years
September 11, 2009 marks the 20th anniversary of start of production at Subaru of Indiana Automotive, Inc. (SIA). On September 11, 1989, the very first Subaru Legacy, dubbed “Job 1”, rolled off the line amid a sea of celebrating SIA Associates. Since then, nearly three million vehicles have been built at the Lafayette, Indiana plant.
Caradvise.com.au: Subaru Outback First Steer
The Subaru Outback is an interesting car, and until the arrival of the Tribeca it had always been the relatively out of place car in Subaru showrooms.
Newsday.com: 'Dirt 2' delivers jaw-dropping car racing graphics
The latest driving title, "Dirt 2," represents a changing of the guard for the genre. The torch is being passed from driving legends like rally race legend Colin McRae to a new breed of ESPN "X Game" types. On this title, with its jaw-dropping graphics and solid race physics, it works like a charm. The big names are young upstarts like Travis Pastrana and Dave Mirra, who are no strangers to speed. So it's a good fit.

09/09
Metronews (CA): A Legacy of excellence: Updated Subaru sedan takes careful aim at mainstream
There’s just something about Subaru that doesn’t appeal to the general public. That’s fine for company fans, though, who appreciate the rally history, turbocharged performance and all-wheel drive. When trying to build sales, though, sometimes you have to broaden your sights.
Brisbane Times (AU): Subaru moves to distance Outback from the rest of its rangeSubaru moves to distance Outback from the rest of its range
Subaru's fourth generation Outback soft-roader has more distinctive looks and has grown dramatically in cabin size in an attempt to re-establish its place in the company's expanding line-up. Subaru Australia managing director Nick Senior admitted the just-superseded third generation Outback suffered because it looked too much like its technical blood brother, the Liberty wagon. Also, the Outback has lost sales to the latest and significantly enlarged Forester compact four-wheel-drive introduced in early 2008
The Age (AU): Subaru Outback
Car companies usually hope for great weather at car launches. But when the grey cloud and rain descended over the Daylesford region in central Victoria during this week's launch of the fourth generation Subaru Outback soft-roader, the gang in blue shirts were all-smiles.
Sydney Morning Herald (AU): Subaru Liberty
Think of the 2.5i Sports as a GT Lite. It’s for buyers looking for a sporty Liberty but can’t stretch to the GT Premium’s $52,990 starting price. You don’t get the 195kW turbocharged version of Subaru’s 2.5-litre four-cylinder, though from $39,490 the Sports offers other key GT performance elements such as Bilstein suspension and 18-inch alloy wheels.
WA Today (AU): Subaru Liberty GT Premium
Unlike GT's predecessor, the GT Spec.B, the five-speed auto is both the faster and more fuel efficient version. The manual gearbox is no longer the way to go with Subaru’s range-topping sports sedan (or wagon). Unlike the GT Premium’s predecessor, the GT Spec.B, the five-speed auto is both the faster and more fuel efficient version.

09/07
Automobile: Subaru May Shift to Using More Continuously Variable Transmissions
The continuously variable transmission (CVT) may not be new technology, but it may soon become a hallmark of Subaru's lineup. The Japanese automaker is reportedly looking at using the transmission design after launching it in the redesigned 2010 Legacy and Outback models.
Edmunds Inside Line: Japan: Subaru Dias Wagon
No, the Subaru Dias, a tiny 660cc turbocharged mini-minivan, is not a vehicle you're going to see running on U.S. roads anytime soon. But for Subaru in Japan, the Dias marks a small piece of history. It's the first time Subaru has sold a 660cc mini supplied by another company, in this case Daihatsu.
TMR: 2010 Subaru Outback Launched Into Australian Market
Joining the Liberty in Subaru showrooms, the all-new 2010 Subaru Outback is now available in Australia: bigger, more powerful and more efficient than the outgoing model.
TMR: 2010 Subaru Liberty And Outback Score 5-Star ANCAP Safety Rating
Subaru's latest Liberty and Outback  family cars have passed ANCAP’s rigorous crash testing program with flying colours, each scoring a full 5-Star safety rating.
New York Times: Faster but Not So Furious, Boy-Racer Cars Grow Up
I WAS flipping through the channels recently when I was sucked in by the cinematic tour de force that is “The Fast and the Furious.” The original in a four-film franchise, the 2001 movie presents a world in which self-worth is measured in quarter-mile times and comely women are deeply impressed by the nitrous tanks in the back of one’s Jetta. It also depicts an area of automotive culture that, eight years later, already seems comically outdated: the lurid import-tuner-car aesthetic.
Bnet: Subaru Success: It May Not Be Love, But It'll Do
Subaru has had record U.S. sales three months in a row, far outstripping the rest of the U.S. market overall.
Metronews (CA): A Legacy of excellence: Updated Subaru sedan takes careful aim at mainstream
There’s just something about Subaru that doesn’t appeal to the general public. That’s fine for company fans, though, who appreciate the rally history, turbocharged performance and all-wheel drive. When trying to build sales, though, sometimes you have to broaden your sights.


08/11
MSNBC: New problem for automakers: Not enough cars
After a lot of heartbreak, the nation's automakers aren't looking to commit. They're taking small, tentative steps to raise production to meet the revived demand for new cars and trucks sparked by Cash for Clunkers. Carmakers are offering overtime or Saturday shifts at slack plants, but aren't willing to go as far as opening shuttered factories, concerned that demand may ebb when the program ends. It typically takes a month for factories to ramp up for a full-fledged sales revival, and automakers worry current levels of demand won't last that long. Sales are usually dry in the early fall anyway, when the next model-year's vehicles hit dealer lots and summer clearance sales end.

08/06
Business Week: Is Subaru Recession Proof?
We all know by now that the federal Cash for Clunkers program, along with the usual mid-summer discounting, helped to boost July sales. But one company’s sales results really stood out. No, not Ford, and it’s 2% gain. How about Subaru’s 34% gain! Indeed, Subaru, the auto brand of Fuji Heavy Industries, is having an up year despite the Recession and terrible auto selling season. Sales in the first seven months of the year were up 4.3%. Compare that with Toyota (down 34%), Honda (down 31%) and Nissan (down 32%.)
Pittsburg Post Gazette: For Subaru, different is good. Proud of its quirky reputation, the Japanese brand is beating competitors in a down year
Subaru, the iconic Japanese brand known for its all-wheel-drive cars, is demonstrating why carmakers need to offer something a little different
San Fernando Sun: Subaru's Bad Boy Makes for Good Fun
The Subaru Impreza WRX is like that buddy who always got you to do things on a dare, even when you knew better. You were the nice kid, but with him (or her) you were both hooligans, and loved it. I just spent a week with this turbocharged, all-wheel-drive hooligan, which had about $2,100 in Subaru Performance Tuning accessories. SPT parts are developed by Subaru of America and U.S. suppliers and can be installed at the dealership. There is a brochure full of genuine performance parts to put more smack in your ride.
Singapore Straights Times: Plan for battery-charge stations
THREE Japanese electric car makers teamed up with the country's largest power company Wednesday to study ways to building a grid of battery charging stations for zero-emission vehicles. Nissan Motors, Mitsubishi Motors and Subaru-maker Fuji Heavy Industries said they would set up a committee with Tokyo Electric Power Co (TEPCO) to discuss ways to standardise and promote their battery-charging technology.
Forbes: Toyota To Get Sporty
Toyota Motor's new chief executive, a racing enthusiast and self-described "car nut," hopes an affordable sports car will inject more fun into the company's lineup and get it back on the road to recovery. During a speech at an auto industry conference in northern Michigan--his first appearance in the U.S. since taking the reins in June of the company his grandfather founded--Akio Toyoda provided few details about the planned sports car other than to say he intends to "fast-track" it. Later, James Lentz, president of Toyota Motor Sales USA, confirmed the car is being developed with Subaru, the auto division of Fuji Heavy Industries , but declined to say whether it'll be sold under the Toyota or Scion brand.
Bloomberg: Toyota to Add Sports Car to Aid U.S. Sales Rebound
Neither Lentz nor Toyoda gave details about the sports car being developed with Subaru. Toyoda, 53, an amateur auto racer, said he wants vehicles that reflect his enthusiasm for motor sports. Many of Toyota’s current models “could be more passionate and they could have better styling,” Lentz said. For example, younger buyers are going to demand “premium” small cars, a segment that’s still emerging in the U.S., he said.
New York Times: Toyota Plans a U.S. Sports Car, With Passion
He would not say how many cars Toyota expected to sell, but hinted it would not be a big seller. “ ‘High volume’ and ‘sports car’ are difficult to use in the same sentence,” he said.
JCOnline: Subaru sales soar 34%
A report released by Subaru of America Inc. shows sales totaled 21,839 in July -- a whopping 34 percent increase over the 16,271 units sold during the same month a year ago. The 2010 Legacy and Outback vehicles, which are produced at the Subaru of Indiana Automotive Inc. plant in Lafayette, began showing up at dealer showrooms in July. They proved to be popular with buyers.
Jacksonville.com: Forester: Good just got better
The 1998 Subaru Forester was one of the first sports utility vehicle crossovers way back when, its boxy body atop a compact Impreza platform. Compared to the truck-based SUVs of the time, it offered compact size, gas mileage and ride. Matched against the compact Toyota RAV4 or Honda CR-V crossovers, it had all-wheel-drive plus more ground clearance for jaunts in the woods.
Assoc Press: Subaru Forester among few vehicles setting records
The Honda CR-V hasn't done it. The Ford Escape, Toyota RAV4 and Hyundai Tucson also have been unable to boost sales this year over last year's levels. But the Subaru Forester crossover sport utility vehicle, which debuted months ago as an early 2010 model, is setting sales records. In fact, Forester sales in the United States are up 32 percent over 2008 levels to more than 43,000 this year through July.
Cars Singapore: Toyota/Subaru 086A’s power output to be reduced
Rumor has it the upcoming Toyota/Subaru 086A sports car will feature a lower horsepower figure than previously expected. Apparently, the makers of the car intend to position the vehicle as a greener sports car. The 086A, which is expected to be showcased at the upcoming motor show in Tokyo (October), would most probably feature a Subaru-sourced 2000cc boxer four, good for about 140HP, instead of 200HP.
Edmunds Inside Line: Subaru Goes After Toyota and Stumbles on a Hyundai
It's obvious to us that Subaru is betting heavily that the 2010 Outback 2.5i and 3.6R will lure new buyers searching for a midsize crossover — because there are so few from which to choose, right? At the same time, Subaru hopes to retain its loyal following, which continues to maintain a love affair with its unique products. The hallmark Subaru all-wheel-drive systems are still here. The smooth boxer engines are still intact — minus the turbo, of course. And the clever attention to detail that Subaru is known for remains.
LA Times: What makes a Subaru a Subaru? Smoke
Subaru owners are a fiercely loyal bunch, but for sharply different reasons. The company's broad base is a sensible, outdoorsy set in love with the safety and durability of its Foresters and Outbacks. They're the ones more likely to eat up the company's new  "Love" advertising campaign, which claims that Love is what makes a Subaru a Subaru. There's also a subculture of Subaru that just loves smoking. They love smoking tires while powersliding all four wheels, and smoking pricier sports cars at the track. The smokers don't want to quit.
Cars- Philly.com: The 2010 Subaru Outback: a rugged redesign
Just now arriving in showrooms, the 2010 Outback turns out to be an excellent redesign of Subaru's popular crossover SUV, as well as the latest chapter in an extraordinary automotive story.
BCLocalNews: TEST DRIVE: Fifth generation Outback loses none of its go-anywhere prowess
Subaru in North America can be summed up as before Outback and after Outback. Before the Outback, Subaru had a mixed bag of front- and four-wheel-drive cars that ranged from the very competent Legacy and the first Forester to the three-cylinder Justy and the zany-looking XT sportscar that took the “wedge” to the extreme.
Wheels (CA): Five-door AWD sport compacts duke it out
Wouldn't it be wonderful if we lived in a country where we could enjoy 12 months of driving without worrying about the weather? But this is Canada, eh. And that means we face threats daily, whether it's a flash flood in July or a chance of 10 centimetres of snow in January.

07/06
4Wheel News: Breaking News: Toyota Subaru sports car coming to the Tokyo Motor Show
According to the latest reports from Japan’s Best Car Magazine, it appears that the acclaimed Toyota Subaru sports car will finally be revealed at this year’s Tokyo Motor Show along with a new sport model, possibly the Toyota Supra successor. The new sports car developed in partnership with Subaru (known as 068A) will be a competitor for the upcoming Honda CR-ZX , so expect a really beautiful model carrying some hybrid technology.
TV Week: Slow Upfront? Not for this Automaker: Subaru and its Media Agency, Carmichael Lynch, Busy Integrating Product on TV Shows
Next week, Subaru's Impreza WRX gets a co-starring role on Syfy's "Eureka," which returns for its fourth season July 10. The vehicle will be featured in several episodes as the high-tech replacement for Tabitha, an old jalopy of one of the main characters. Subaru will also have a custom microsite at syfy.com/Subaru.
The new deal follows the success of last year's upfront meetings, which yielded about a dozen key partnerships, including integrations and customized vignettes for Animal Planet's "Groomer Has It," History's "Expedition," National Geographic's "Dog Whisperer" and Sundance's "Eco-Trip with David DeRothschild." And later this year, the Impreza WRX STI will be integrated into AMC's all-star remake of 1960s spy drama "The Prisoner," featuring Ian McKellen and Jim Caviezel.
Mail & Guardian (ZA): Subaru's castrated pit bull
On the other hand, I'd have no objection to our hero and his female sidekick carrying out their distasteful practices on the designers of the 2009 Subaru Impreza WRX; it's sinful that such a well-engineered car can be made to look so very, very ordinary.
Edmunds Inside Line: 2010 Subaru Outback Rated 24 City/29 Highway
Subarus have never been known for top EPA fuel economy ratings, but that's changing with the redesigned 2010 Subaru Outback. When equipped with the base 170-horsepower, 2.5-liter boxer four-cylinder engine and Subaru's new continuously variable transmission (CVT), the 2010 Outback wagon earns a 22 mpg city/29 mpg highway EPA rating.
Philidelphia Business Journal: Subaru still weathering the recession well with June sales up 3%
Subaru of America said Wednesday that its sales rose 3 percent last month over June 2008. Subaru continues to hold up well against rival car makers. June sales were off 33 percent for General Motors, 42 percent for Chrysler, and 11 percent for Ford. General Motors and Ford have closed factories while they work through Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Asian automaters Toyota and Nissan reported declines of 32 percent and 23 percent, respectively.
Autoblog: First Drive: 2010 Subaru Legacy improves commercial appeal, retains character
For one reason or another, we've always thought that if you delved deep enough into the history of Subaru, you'd discover the Japanese automaker is, in fact, Swedish. One can imagine rifling through the company's dusty archives, only to discover that at some point in time, through some quirk of fate – or perhaps a common love of fish – Subaru was born in Scandinavia, yet it ended up turning Japanese (I really think so). Just look at the evidence: Quirky styling? Check. Steadfast adherence to left-field drivetrains? Check. Time-honored emphasis on honest utility? Check. Willfully different clientele base? Check. Good in winter? Uh-huh. Sound like any Swedish automakers we know?

06/22
Motor Trend: Official EPA Numbers Announced for 2010 Subaru Legacy, Up to 23/31 MPG
The numbers are up, and the fresh-for-2010 Subaru Legacy will return an EPA-estimated 23 mpg city and 31 mpg highway when properly equipped. Best mileage on the 2009 model was just 20 mpg city and 27 mpg highway, so this is a healthy improvement.
All Cars Electric: Review 2009 Subaru Stella Plug-In EV, World's First Production EV For Sale By Major Automaker
The automotive world held it's breath as Mitsubishi announced the production schedule for the i-MiEV.  Would they be the first major automaker to bring an EV to market and sell to the general public?  Close, but not quite.  And close doesn't get you a world's first.  Of all companies, Subaru unexpectedly jumped on the opportunity and now claims the title of the first major automaker to make an EV for sale to the public.  The vehicle is the 2009 Subaru Stella Plug-in EV.
Jamaica Gleaner: 2009 Subaru Forester: Offering more for less
Today's drive has been at least a year in the making. But this is a vehicle of significant importance; it is a crossover SUV, which puts it in the league of the Honda CRV, Toyota RAV4, Suzuki Vitara and Mitsubishi Outlander. So we persevered, and here we are.
Eagle Tribune: Motor Mouth: New Subaru Forester rakes in awards
In the car business, a well respected company named Automotive Lease Guide publishes estimates of the future, used-car value that today's new models will command. By its reckoning, Subaru cars rank second to the top in holding their worth as they age. That's because Subarus age very gracefully, so that shoppers looking for a good used car pay extra for them.
Motor Trend: Subaru and Itasca, IL, Team Up to Attempt World Record for Largest Subaru Parade
If you own a Subaru and want to get in the Guinness Book of World Records, make plans to drive to Illinois next month. Subaru's Great Lakes Region has partnered with the village of Itasca, Illinois, to attempt to break the world record for the largest parade of Subaru cars.
CBS Marketwatch: Kelley Blue Book's kbb.com Names 2009 Subaru Impreza a Top 10 Coolest New Car Under $18,000
Subaru of America, Inc. announced today that Kelley Blue Book's kbb.com has named the 2009 Subaru Impreza one of its 2009 Top 10 Coolest New Cars Under $18,000. The list features kbb.com editors' picks of vehicles that are fun, fuel efficient, practical and with more amenities than ever before.
Car Connection: 2010 Subaru Legacy Gets Best-In-Class Fuel Economy
All said, Subaru points out that the new 2.5i CVT model gets better fuel economy than the front-wheel-drive Honda Accord, Mazda6i, Volkswagen Passat, and Hyundai Sonata—and that it's the highest-rated mid-size all-wheel-drive sedan for 2010, when you look at the EPA combined figures.
Forbes.com: The Toughest Cars On The Road
While Honda makes a strong showing on our list, drivers should check out the durability merits of Subaru and Hyundai. Consumer Reports named Subaru the second-best automaker (behind Honda) of 2009; Subaru was the only automaker with 100% of its tested vehicles earning the "recommended" distinction.
Automotive Addicts: More Details on the Upcoming 2012 Toyota/Subaru RWD 086A (AE86) Sports Coupe Revealed
We all remember the Toyota Corolla RWD AE86 coupe, which is a drifter’s dream car. It seems we are getting more and more confirmations of a joint venture between Toyota and Subaru making a come-back in this missing-link that Toyota as had for over a decade now. A “Toyota Insider” has some new information for us revealing that this new car, code named 086A, will be lower and wider than the out-going Toyota Celica (2000-2006) with an “orthodox 2+2 coupe style and a silhouette resembling the Lexus LF-A“.  

06/15
PRNewswire: Mad Media Produces Ken Block's Explosive Gymkhana TWO Project
On the heels of producing one of the most successful automotive viral films in history, (over 20 million downloads to date), Mad Media has completed work on a new Gymkhana project dubbed "Ken Block's Gymkhana TWO: The Infomercial". The project was designed to promote Ken Block's new DC Shoes TeamWorks Clothing Collection. Block's design inspirations for his collection all stem from his Gymkhana TWO car, and each feature his rally sponsors' colorways and graphics.
Edmunds Inside Line: Subaru Plugs In
Seated in the tight cabin, we turn the keyless key slot as you'd normally do to start a car, and a small light in the shape of an electrical plug glows within the instrument binnacle to let you know that the electric motor is ready to go. Engage "D" for drive on the continuously variable transmission (CVT), floor the right pedal and you have 100 percent access to that 125 lb-ft of torque from rest.
4wheelnews: Rumor: Subaru preparing modified GT300 Legacy B4
In the GT300 series the vehicles are almost production-like, and no extreme modifications are to be expected from this level. But STI will be pushing their limits here considering that they will be pitted against Porsche GT3s and race-ready Ferraris. A GT300-spec Impreza won a competition last year under Privateer team Cusco due to an AWD system that made the advantage over the rivals.
Examiner: Rally Rockets: 1991-94 Subaru Legacy Sport Sedan
It’s hard not to admire companies that march to the beat of a different drummer; when there’s likely easy money to be made following the herd, some corporations are brave enough to mix it up and try a different formula. Such has been the case with Subaru, the plucky Japanese marque that has built its reputation on all-wheel-drive and boxer engines. And thanks to the Impreza WRX and WRX STI, the company is also quite well known for rally-proven performance models. But the WRX wasn’t the first WRC-inspired Scooby to hit our shores; that honor fell to the original Legacy Sport Sedan.
Mercury News: The Auto Sleuth
Accelerating hybrid-diesel plans: Subaru didn't plan to introduce diesel-powered models to the North American market until at least 2012, but that schedule could be move up a year in the wake of U.S. President Obama's recently announced fuel-economy standards. The push to 35.5 mpg by 2016 could also be moving up Subaru's hybrid vehicle plans. The company will likely fast-track its first wave of clean diesels to comply with the newly minted regulations. Moreover, Subaru's first hybrid could hit the market at about the same time.
Washington Times: Subaru Foresters take on SUV look
I noticed several Subaru Foresters on the road the week I drove the new 2009 Forester. Those Foresters looked very different from the new model I was driving. They were cute and little. The new one is bigger and assertive looking
C|net Reviews: Subaru: Legacy now has right stuff for the tough midsize segment
Subaru says its redesigned Legacy, with a more spacious interior and a starting price under $21,000, finally can compete in the tough midsize sedan segment. "Legacy is now a proper-sized midsized sedan, and it will be successful," says Tom Doll, COO of Subaru of America. "We had to put this car in a competitive position." Subaru unveiled the 2010 Legacy and the Outback crossover at the New York auto show in April. The sister vehicles, which go on sale this summer, have 4 inches more rear legroom than the current models.
Cars Singapore: Subaru launches the Subaru Plug-in STELLA electric vehicle in Japan
Japanese-based auto maker Subaru has officially launched Subaru Plug-in STELLA electric vehicle for the Japanese market. Based on the Subaru STELLA mini car, the electromobile is expected to hit the roads as early as next month, with a total of 170 units planned for this year. The lithium-ion battery pack can be recharged to 80% in 15 minutes with a quick charging system, while a full recharge requires 8 hours via a 100V household power outlet or 5 hours via a 200V outlet. The Subaru Plug-in STELLA is powered by a 63HP electric motor with 170Nm of torque and is able to offer a top speed of 100 km/h.
Times Online (UK): Surprise for Robert De Niro fans as star signs up for Subaru advert
As the boxer Jake La Motta, he roared the word “Why?” almost 40 times, his bare fists pounding cruel desolation on to the stone walls of Dade County Stockade. Nearly 30 years and two Oscars later, Robert De Niro looks a little different in his latest performance. He jaunts out of his house, nods archly into the rearview mirror, and takes off in a Subaru Legacy. Speeding through unidentifiable Arcady, he passes a sheep. He nearly grins. The words “Love Your Life” fill the screen.
Automoblog: Is Subaru Moving Into German Territory?
Is Subaru Moved Into German Territory? Or more precisely, “Has the 2010 Subaru Legacy Moved Into German Territory?” was the brief question offered up by the fine folks at Edmund’s the other day. Whether it was a coincidence or not, I happened to be thinking the same thing.

05/12
Autonet.ca: 2009 Subaru Impreza WRX265 vs. 2009 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution GSR
There is no shortage of hot little sedans and hatchbacks out there these days, but there are only a few that can offer all-wheel drive alongside turbo power. Until recently, the Subaru Impreza WRX was one of the only major choices available, drawing many fans for its bulletproof drivetrain and overall balance between poise, power and price. Now, Mitsubishi has stepped forward with another option for Canadians – the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution – and comparisons between the two are inevitable.
Earthtimes: Subaru Stella electric-drive to undergo tests in Japan
A second-generation Subaru Stella EV (electric vehicle) is to undergo testing in five Japanese cities prior to a small production run planned for later this year, Fuji Industries has announced. The plug-in hybrid fitted with a lithium-ion battery unit has a range of 80 kilometres and a top speed of 100 km/h
Google: Fuji Heavy logs first annual loss in 15 years
Japan's Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd., the maker of Subaru brand vehicles, has announced its first annual loss in 15 years due to a sales slump and warned it would stay in the red this year.
Forbes: These Cars Are Still Selling
Many of the cars that fared well this April have simply continued their positive sales from March: Jeep's $21,460 Wrangler, Nissan's $29,930 350Z, Volvo's $23,800 C30 and Subaru's $19,995 Forester among them.

04/30
Automobile Magazine: 2010 Subaru Legacy Pricing Announced
We’re still waiting for more details on the new Outback, but Subaru’s just released pricing on the all-new 2010 Legacy sedan, which debuted at the 2009 New York auto show.
Globe and Mail (CA): Pint-sized Subaru flexing its muscles
Virtue may be its own reward, but sometimes it also helps to sell cars. That's the Subaru story. Subaru is a pint-sized global car company, yet business is thriving. Sales in Canada are up nearly 8 per cent on the year, while the overall market is down nearly 22 per cent. There's a reason for this. Subaru builds good, reliable and safe cars — family-type wagons, hatchbacks and sedans that in other words don't break. Consumer Reports sings the praises of Subaru's quality and the chorus also includes J.D. Power and Associates' Vehicle Dependability Study, which measures reliability over three years.
Canadian Driver: Inside Story: 2009 Subaru WRX 265
The sleeper lives! While the gaping catfish mouth on the bonnet will surely get the attention of most gearheads, the overall impression of the WRX265 is delightfully subdued. Hmmmm: Subdue-baru?
Chicago Tribune: Chrysler's well-earned bankruptcy
A lot of factors contributed to Chrysler's slide into bankruptcy--last year's high gas prices, expensive labor contracts, even the subprime mortgage meltdown--but only one was truly critical: bad cars. In its annual auto issue, Consumer Reports ranked 15 automakers on quality and guess where Chrysler finished? Last. CR recommends 100 percent of Subaru's models and 95 percent of Honda's vehicles. It recommended none from Chrysler--the only company to put up a goose egg.
Freep.com: Subaru WRX is a wild hatchback
Station wagons can freak people out. Like waking up to find a spider walking across your face, the idea of driving a station wagon can trigger immediate, involuntary revulsion. Many Americans see the station wagon as a baby boom badge of boredom and impending mortality. Any car lover can tell you this is a total canard. From Ford Woodies to the '57 Chevrolet Bel Air Nomad, 2004 Dodge Magnum and the upcoming 2010 Cadillac CTS sportwagon, some of the coolest cars ever built have been station wagons.
Truck Trend: Subaru Tribeca Hits the Road on Get Out More Tour
Outdoor recreation experts Randy and Sheri Propster have hit the road on the Get Out More Tour in their Subaru Tribeca, and will be visiting more than 50 specialty outdoor retailers across the nation. Each stop on the tour will feature skills clinics and instruction on a variety of outdoor-related topics, including trip planning, selecting the proper gear and apparel, and essential safety skills.
The State:
After crash, shock: 'I just heard a crunch' Woman discovered motorcyclist’s body was inside back of her car
Kelly Rahn was driving home to Columbia on Saturday night after a two-day hike in the Upstate with her two coonhounds, Bonsey and Buddy. Bonsey, a 5-year-old Redtick Coonhound, was resting in the back of her 2003 Subaru Outback station wagon, while Buddy, a 4-year-old Treeing Walker Coonhound, was in the front passenger seat. “He had just finished an eight-mile hike that day, and he was exhausted,” Rahn said of Bonsey. “Hopefully, he was sound asleep and was in a place where he wanted to be.”
Motorcyclist catapulted into car dies; dog inside car killed
A speeding motorcyclist who died Saturday after rear-ending a station wagon on I-26 was catapulted into the station wagon through its rear window, killing a large dog inside, Richland Coroner Gary Watts said. Watts said the Saturday night accident in the eastbound lane of I-26 near mile marker 101 near Irmo was “unique” in his experience.
TV Week: Suburu Set to Sponsor A&E's 'Africa'
History has signed up Subaru as the presenting sponsor of “Expedition Africa,” the highly anticipated series from Mark Burnett. Advertisers are interested in becoming part of popular programming, and Subaru’s sponsorship is integrated beyond the traditional 30-second spots that will air. As part of the deal, Subaru 2.5i Outbacks are being integrated into the storyline of four of the show’s eight episodes. The adventurers on the show, which re-creates Henry Stanley’s quest to find Dr. Livingstone, use the Subarus to complete their journey before the rainy season begins.
Asia One: Orchard Rd speedsters reveal their tricks
He is studying tourism at a private school, but his dream is to become a professional racing driver like Lewis Hamilton. But for now, John (not his real name), 21, is content with jumping into his Subaru WRX and racing it against other enthusiasts. The time? Every Saturday night. The venue? Orchard Gudang. The route, a local take on the famous Pasir Gudang racing circuit in Johor, is well-known among illegal street racers here.
Autospies.com: Leaked: 2010 Subaru Legacy Touring Wagon
Car Mode, a Japanese publication, recently leaked out what appears to be official images of the Subaru Legacy wagon in spite of efforts by Subaru of Japan to keep a tight lid on it. Set initially to be revealed on the 20th of May, the preview was brought about somewhat earlier and from what can be seen from the pictures, the wagon looks significantly better than its sedan counterpart. The bad news is that the carmaker has currently no intentions of bringing the latest Legacy wagon to the US.
The Motor Report: 2009 Subaru Forester And EXIGA Awarded 6-star JNCAP Ratings
Subaru has announced that its new generation Subaru Forester and EXIGA have received the top six-star crashworthiness ratings for occupant safety in testing conducted by the Japan New Car Assessment Program (JNCAP). JNCAP testing is conducted by the Japanese Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism along with the National Agency for Automotive Safety and Victims Aid. The little we have been able to dig up on JNCAP testing, suggests that it evaluates occupant protection under high-speed full-frontal, offset frontal and side collisions.
Autoblog: Driven: Subaru Forester XTI concept, WRX and WRX STI with SPT mods
Subaru invited us out to the track to sample some of its Subaru Performance Tuning (SPT) components, fitted to the company's Forester XTI show car, as well as the Impreza WRX and STI models. While we applaud any manufacturer that engineers a line of factory-approved aftermarket parts, we hand out additional kudos to the few who welcome us to a local racing circuit to put them to the fire. What add-ons did Subaru bring to Willow Springs, and how did they perform on the track? Come with us to find out...
Popular Mechanics: Year-Long Review of the Subaru Forester 2.5XT Limited
We’ve used the Forester mostly for urban commuting and grocery-getting, but it did make one major road trip, racking up more than 2000 miles in four days to visit family back in Michigan. The Subie is a comfortable ride on a long haul, until the wind picks up a little and you realize how sensitive it can be in crosswinds.
wlfi.com: Production ramps up at SIA. Manufacturing begins Monday for 2010 Legacy
Production on the Subaru 2010 Legacy begins Monday, April 27 at SIA.  Despite troubles for American automakers like GM, Subaru will ramp up its production here in Lafayette.  Vice President Tom Easterday said the Lafayette plant will kick into full gear this summer manufacturing new Legacys and Outbacks
Warren Co News: Robert De Niro visits Morris County to film Subaru commercial
Acclaimed Actor Robert De Niro stopped by Schooley's Mountain General Store in Morris County on Tuesday to film a Subaru commercial.
MSNBC: Subaru’s boring approach works in tough times: Function over form is helping the automaker to actually grow sales
Who says you have to be big or global or green to survive? A handful of car models, such as the Jeep Wrangler and the Smart, are maintaining their sales despite the general auto collapse. But the only full-sized companies that are holding their own are Korea's Hyundai and Kia, and Subaru, the Japanese automaker that builds cars in Indiana.
The Independent (UK): Subaru Impreza WRX STI Type UK
How fickle are we the followers of automotive fashion; how shallow and wan? It wasn’t that long ago that we revelled in the splendour of a rally-bred saloon adapted loosely and down-tuned only a little for the road. When it was first launched the Subaru Impreza turbo staggered the driving world with its unassuming looks but Porsche-eating performance.

04/11
The Car Connection: Five Questions: Subaru COO Tom Doll
Subaru has had a remarkable run lately. In the face of plummeting U.S. auto sales, they were the only maker aside from MINI to sell more cars in 2008 than the year before. The 2009 Subaru Forester got rave reviews in magazines from Motor Trend to Consumer Reports, and its sales are at record levels. Before the unveiling of the 2010 Subaru Outback (above) and 2010 Subaru Legacy, we sat down with Tom Doll, EVP and chief operating officer of Subaru of America, and Michael McHale, corporate communications director, to ask what they’re doing right.
FoxNews Enthusiastic Moods and Upscale Models Dominate Day Two of New York Auto Show
The CEOs of Mazda and Subaru made the trek to New York from Japan with enthusiasm that helped the second day of the New York Auto Show look a lot more like the glitzy ones of days gone by.
Haaretz (IL): No narrow escape this time?
But it seems the so-called "Subaru affair" has brought the desired breakthrough. "For years he refrained from getting involved in quarrels, maintaining a 'clean image,'" says a former top police officer of the Tel Aviv central district, "but in the context of the Subaru affair, after realizing that his reputation was liable to suffer and that he owed money he had safeguarded, he apparently felt the need to intervene personally. It could well be that this urge ultimately led to his arrest."

03/30
Examiner: Road review 2009 Subaru Legacy 2.5GT Limited: the Legacy vs the Cuda?
Fast forward some 27 years and I'm older, heavier, and I can't help but recall my friend Tracy who passed away so many years ago as I'm once again flying up I-70, but this time in a ruby red Subaru Legacy 2.5 GT. And just like the 'Cuda back in 1982 the Legacy is flying up the steep section of I-70 just West of Georgetown with the 'Cuda like functional hood scoop gulping down huge swallows of air as the 2.5 liter turbocharged and intercooled engine makes easy work of the steep hill.
Truck Trend: 2009 Subaru Forester Recognized as Best New Small Crossover by Kiplinger's Personal Finance
Kiplinger's Personal Finance has recognized the 2009 Subaru Forester 2.5X as the "Best New Crossover" in the "Small Crossovers" category in the magazine's 2009 Car Buyer's Guide. Winners are chosen based on multiple factors, including performance, power, exterior design, interior room, cargo space, safety, fuel efficiency, and value, which are all compared with other vehicles within their respective segments.

03/25
Insurance Institute for Highway Safety: Roof strength is focus of new rating system; 4 of 12 small SUVs evaluated earn top marks
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety is launching a new roof strength rating system to help consumers pick vehicles that will help protect them in rollover crashes. Twelve small SUVs are the first to be put to the test. Only 4 earn the top rating of good. The Volkswagen Tiguan has the strongest rated roof, and the Kia Sportage has the weakest among the 2008-09 models evaluated.
The Tiguan, Subaru Forester, Honda Element, and Jeep Patriot earn good ratings. The Suzuki Grand Vitara, Chevrolet Equinox, Toyota RAV4, Nissan Rogue, and Mitsubishi Outlander are rated acceptable. Roofs on the Honda CR-V and Ford Escape are marginal, and the Kia's is poor.
Edmunds Inside Line: 2009 Tokyo Auto Show Preview: Production Lexus LF-A Supercar, Toyota-Subaru Sedan To Debut
Another highlight of the Toyota stand will be the reveal of a project rumored to have been put on hold — the Toyota-Subaru jointly developed rear-wheel-drive coupe that employs an Impreza platform and drivetrain. To improve mileage and emissions of the current normally aspirated four-cylinder boxer engine, Toyota has developed a unique head unit for the boxer power plant, said to generate around 220 horsepower.
Jalopnik: 2010 Toyota Celica: Name Of New Subieyota Coupe?
4WheelsNews claims L'Automobile Magazine is reporting the schizophrenically thought-to-be-canceled rear-wheel-drive platform jointly developed between Toyota and Subaru is still on and will receive a back-from-the-dead name: 2010 Toyota Celica.
The Meath Chronicle (IE): Safe and sporty Impreza mixes preformance with practicality
The Impreza is the smallest car in the range to get the diesel power treatment. This impressive engine, at 2.0 litres in capacity, is probably a bigger engine than is fitted to most cars that compete in the Impreza segment. Cars such as the Ford Focus, Opel Astra and Toyota Corolla all come with smaller diesel engines, typically 1.6 or 1.8 litre, so the Impreza has a power lead to begin with. That extra power over its rivals allows the Impreza to retain some of its sporty heritage with the unlikely use of diesel power. The unique Boxer engine is a horizontal powerplant that packs plenty of punch. In the Impreza it delivers 150bhp, which puts the Impreza diesel well ahead of its rivals on power. The engine torque figure is also good. Few cars in the C segment of the market will match its 350Nm torque rating.

03/17
SF Weekly: Out of the Wild: Iso Rabins' foraged food is the toast of San Francisco's gourmet set. Health inspectors and environmentalists aren't so thrilled.
On an unseasonably warm winter afternoon, Iso Rabins stepped out of a silver Subaru Legacy at the intersection of Walnut and Pacific streets, a tony corner of Pacific Heights that abuts the southern edge of the Presidio. Pausing to roll and light a cigarette, he hopped the waist-high stone wall lining the park.
Automotive Business Review: Subaru of America announces management changes
Subaru of America has announced that its chairman, president and CEO, Tomohiko Ikeda will return to the parent company Fuji Heavy Industries on April 16, 2009
Haaretz.com (IL): Police crack case of grenades thrown at T.A. Subaru dealer
Thanks to a prison informant, police have cracked the case of the three grenades hurled at a Subaru dealer in Tel Aviv over the past few months, they announced yesterday. Six alleged members of the Ramat Amidar gang, which is purportedly headed by the main suspect in the case, Ben Cohen, will be indicted in Tel Aviv this morning. Police say the gang was trying to pressure the brother of one of the owners of the Subaru import agency, who owes $1.5 million to loan sharks.
The Motor Report (AU): More 2010 Subaru Liberty/Legacy Images Surface
While there’s still very little technical information that has escaped (aside from a few rumours), it looks at the very least as if Subaru is up-sizing the new Liberty.  Given the jump in size that the new Mazda6 and Honda Accord Euro have both made, that’s to be expected.
Forbes: Americans Still Buying Safe, Familiar Cars. In February, several models bucked the trend and sold well in the tough economy. Here's why.
But for the most part, practicality and brand familiarity are the names of the game--along with being in the right place at the right time, as in the case of the Subaru Forester, says Michael McHale, a spokesman for the company.
PR Newswire: Kiplinger's Personal Finance 2009 Car Buyer's Guide Bestows 'Best' Awards to 2009 Subaru Forester and Impreza
Kiplinger's Personal Finance has recognized two 2009 Subaru models in the magazine's 2009 Car Buyer's Guide. The all-new 2009 Subaru Forester 2.5X has been designated "Best New Crossover" in the category of "Small Crossovers," and the 2009 Subaru Impreza 2.5i has been named "Best in Class" in the "Wagons and Minivans" category. "Best in Class" and "Best New" winners are chosen on a basis of performance, value, safety, power, fuel efficiency, exterior design, interior room and cargo space.
JCOnline: SIA plant to have new boss in April
Masahiro Kasai, president and chief executive officer at Subaru of Indiana Automotive Inc. in Lafayette, will leave that position, effective April 1. Through a plan announced Wednesday by SIA's parent company, Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd., Kasai will return to Japan to become chief general manager of FHI's Subaru manufacturing division and chief general manager of the company's Gunma plant.
LATimes: Universal Studios Hollywood showcases new ‘Fast & Furious’ cars
Two of the muscle cars from the upcoming “Fast & Furious” street-racing movie are now on display at Universal Studios Hollywood, joining a fleet of exotic movie vehicles at the theme park. Vin Diesel’s 1987 Buick Grand National and a 2009 Subaru WRX STI driven by Paul Walker in the movie are currently parked inside the theme park near the House of Horrors attraction (separate from the Fast & the Furious Extreme Close-Up experience on the behind-the-scenes Studio Tour).
Autoguide.com: 2010 Subaru Legacy to Debut in New York
Subaru unveiled its progressive-looking Legacy Concept at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit and now it is expected to use the New York International Auto Show to showcase the production model. The rumor of the N.Y. debut started after a Subaru dealer apparently leaked information on the production model Legacy on the North American Subaru Impreza Owners Club (NASIOC) forum. The information was subsequently removed, however, at the behest of Subaru of America.
Jalopnik: 2010 Subaru Legacy, Outback: Like The Concept, But Toned-Down
Best Car rendered the 2010 Subaru Legacy, also, probably the 2010 Subaru Outback, ahead of their rumored New York Auto Show debut. It looks like they just took the shiny paint off the concept.
Autoblog: Rendered Speculation: New York-bound 2010 Subaru Legacy
Following up on our earlier story about the 2010 Subaru Legacy's impending rumored debut at the New York Auto Show, a handful of renderings have surfaced from a variety of sources giving us a glimpse of what we might see in the Big Apple.
Consumer Reports: Behind the Scenes: Top Picks 2009 – Toyota RAV4 vs. Subaru Forester
When we tested the redesigned 2009 Subaru Forester, it did very well. The turbocharged 2.5XT even outscored the RAV4 V6 and the basic Forester 2.5X outscored the four-cylinder RAV4 at the time. We also tested a group of several manual transmission vehicles including a Forester with a stick; it’s one of the very few small SUVs that offers one. It also scored well.
New York Times: Driving and Gender in Saudi Arabia
I came across two stories that talked about Saudi Arabian car culture yesterday, and they formed a strange juxtaposition.

03/09
Motor Trend: Ice Storm: 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X vs. 2009 Subaru Impreza WRX STI
Which car is better, faster on snow and ice? And can we fling homologated rally cars sideways with impunity? Continental gave us free rein to this excellent cold weather testing facility. A groomed 600x2000-foot snow field afforded plenty of space to allow multiple acceleration and braking runs on virgin snow, with space left over for each car to get its own Motor Trend figure-eight course, ensuring identical surface conditions for each car, because snow conditions change quickly with traffic.
NY Times: Saudis Race All Night, Fueled by Boredom
The young men start gathering around midnight, on a broad strip of highway between the desert and the sea. By 1 a.m. there are hundreds of them, standing in clusters alongside their cars, glancing around uneasily for the police.
The Washington Informer: Woman at the Wheel - Subaru Forester
The all-new 2009 Subaru Forester comes with a total re-design that offers a bolder, more sports utility vehicle (SUV) -like design. The 2009 Forester also makes a major leap in safety technology, comfort, refinement and driving dynamics – a noteworthy accomplishment considering the high standards set by the previous model.

03/06
Globe Auto (CA): Plows through the rough stuff
Despite its many good points, the Subaru Forester seems to get lost in the shuffle sometimes. Not because it's inferior or substandard — far from it. It's just that the compact SUV market is possibly the most competitive and densely populated one of them all. Consumers have an abundance of choices these days, and models like the Honda CR-V, Toyota RAV4 and Ford Escape seem to have a lock on buyers' affections.
Car Connection: 2009 Subaru Impreza Sedan WRX Bottom Line
Scoring a coup in the refinement department, however, is the suspension. Despite thicker anti-roll bars for 2009 that work wonders with the tight, direct steering and low-profile tires, this Subaru soaks up bumps, ruts, potholes, and coarse surfaces with nonchalance. The ride is beautifully smooth and isolated; the handling wonderfully direct and taut. As well, it’s nice and quiet inside apart from some wind rush around the A-pillars. Watch the speedo and rearview carefully; 90 mph feels and sounds about like 65. Someone’s been taking notes from BMW.
7Tune: 086A To Use New Legacy Base..
With the green light on for a new coupe to follow in the footsteps of the “AE86”, it has been learned that the base of the car has been finalized and will come from the new Legacy that is to be released in May. The only differences will be a slightly shorter wheelbase but that the car will retain and incorporate the new Subaru’s front strut suspension and rear multilink setup. Development codes, at least for the Japanese model, have been also been decided. The previously mentioned ‘086A’ will be given to the Japanese Domestic Market model with possible ‘slight’ changes earmarked for other markets, including North America and Europe.
The Motor Report: 2012 Toyota/Subaru RWD Entry-Level Sports Car “O86A” To Use Legacy/Liberty Platform
The two companies have apparently also confirmed that the engine to be used is a direct injection version of Subaru’s naturally aspirated 2.0 litre EJ20 engine – a decision sure to annoy those hoping for a turbo, but perhaps please those expecting a smaller capacity.
Forbes: February Auto Sales: Subaru
Subaru of America Inc. said Tuesday its U.S. sales edged up 1 percent as booming sales of its Forester sport utility model offset a decline in demand across its other models.
The Village Voice: Why Top Gear Made Me Hate My Country Last Night
Clarkson, the show's lead-foot, explained that he hated the contest the producers had dreamed up for them in this episode. The three hosts would choose unmodified production cars and then, on a single tank of gas, attempt to drive the 750 miles from Basel, Switzerland to Blackpool, England. James May loved the idea (if you knew the show, you'd know why -- he's the methodical driver). He thought very carefully and showed up to the contest with a Subaru Legacy Diesel.
Boston.com: Consumer Reports lists most reliable used cars
Who can afford new these days? But buying used can be difficult. And who, after all, wants to buy someone else's problems? To the rescue rides venerable Consumer Reports with this year's listing of the most reliable used cars over the past 10 model years, based on a survey of subscribers' experiences. The survey covers nine categories but here are the winners in five:
Northshore Outlook: Subaru Impreza has a grip on family travel
Over the year, I've driven just about every Subaru the company makes, including several not sold in this country, and one thing comes shining through. Subaru is a small company that was originally formed by engineers and that holds true to this day. Beauty to an engineer is in making all the oily bits function perfectly.

03/02
Edmunds Inside Line: IL Insider: The "Toyobaru" Is "Still on Track"
If you've recently read a story or two about the delay, or even the demise, of the compact sport coupe that Toyota and Subaru are jointly working on, don't believe it. That's the message from knowledgeable PR sources in Japan, who tell Inside Line that this intriguing sports car program is still very much on track.
Next Autos: Comparison Test: Subaru WRX vs. Mitsubishi Lancer Ralliart
Anybody can enjoy a sports car on a sun-drenched two-lane in the middle of summer. That takes no imagination. But what if you live where it snows -- are you supposed to park it between November and March? We think not.Such is why we evaluated these cars in the dead of a Michigan winter. Of a winter that boasted more snow by the middle of January than the record books show as the average through April.
Ynet News: How many camels fit in a Subaru?
This is not the beginning of a joke, although a Bedouin resident of the Negev managed to complete the inconceivable feat when he stuffed two camels into his car in order to transport them to the West Bank.
Automobile Magazine: Honda, Toyota, Subaru Get Highest Marks from Consumer Reports
Honda continues to reign at the top of Consumer Reports' list, followed closely by Subaru and Toyota.  According to the magazine, Honda "continues to make better all-around vehicles than any other automaker," citing reliability of all Honda and Acura models-although it does specifically call out the Honda Element as one vehicle that it doesn't recommend.  All Subaru models were recommended, and Toyota was cited as a "solid performer across all categories."  Toyota had several models that Consumer Reports does not recommend, including the FJ Cruiser and the Yaris.
The Motor Report: 2009 Melbourne Motor Show: Subaru Exiga AWD Wagon
Subaru has today confirmed that its Exiga All-Wheel Drive wagon will join its Australian line-up later this year.
The Motor Report: 2009 Melbourne Motor Show: Subaru Stella Plug-In
It’s true, 93 cents won’t get you much these days. But, according to Subaru, that’s exactly how much it will cost to travel 100km in its Stella plug-in electric car.
Straight.com (CA): Subaru's Outback PZEV cleaner than the rest
Subaru is a bit of an anomaly in the automotive industry. For one thing, the company is owned by a Japanese conglomerate, Fuji Heavy Industries, that also manufactures aircraft, wind turbines, weed whackers, industrial engines, and ATV components, among other things. U.S. motorcycle, snowmobile, and ATV giant Polaris uses engines made by Fuji in some of its recreational vehicles, and commercial-jet manufacturer Boeing is supplied by Fuji in the construction of its 777 and 787 jumbo jets, mainly with wing and fuselage bits and pieces.

02/23
Motor Authority: Subaru’s sporty WRX STI now available with automatic gearbox
Subaru’s WRX STI has always been about extreme performance. The car itself was developed by the Subaru Tecnica International (STI) division, the same group responsible for development of Subaru’s World Rally Championship cars, and thus next-to-little compromises to performance were accepted in its gestation. For this reason, the WRX STI has traditionally been available with a manual transmission as its only option, however, Subaru has now announced the addition of an automatic version in the form of the WRX STI A-Line.
Truck Trend: Subaru Donates $4.6 Million to Charities Courtesy of "Share the Love" Campaign
Subaru's "Share the Love" marketing campaign proved to be a hit, as it allowed Subaru to donate $4.6 million to 5 charities within a short time span of 40 days. The "Share the Love" campaign ran from November 24 through January 2, and allowed Subaru's new vehicle customers to designate 1 of 5 charities to receive a $250 donation per new vehicle sold or leased.

02/21
Car Connection: Driven: 2009 Subaru Impreza WRX
Rabid fans of the segment-defining Subaru Impreza WRX, which popped up around the turn of the millennium, were pretty bummed out last year when their favorite turbocharged rally-bred bad boy went all soft on them. While the interior was vastly upgraded, materials improved, and driving refinement bettered compared with the former-gen car, the '08 WRX essentially devolved into a cushy GT. It was a far cry from the old model, a tenacious warrior modeled after World Rally Championship racers.
Examiner: 2009 Subaru Forester X (Premium Package)
There is a lot to “LOVE” and a little to “hate”. (sigh) I am so sick of those "Love" commercials... Still, I have to admit my bias in the interest of full disclosure. I used to own a Subaru Forester and I miss it terribly. It was a 2001 with a 5-speed manual and was fully loaded. After being beaten mercilessly for 5 years, we regretfully traded it in on something more practical for my car-pooling family (read: more seats and space).
Examiner: The Poor-Man’s James Bond Car (Part I) A Used Subaru SVX
Not many of us can afford the stunning array of automobiles that graced the silver screen with James Bond. Although buying a used Lotus Esprit may be doable, it’s not very practical. I refer to 3 cars to be specific; the first of which is the Subaru SVX (sold from 1991 to 1997).
7Tune: Toyota/Subaru Compact Sports Car, Code: 086A
Despite some reports to the contrary, the Toyota/Subaru compact FR sports car was not cancelled (even partially) and will continue to go ahead. It is seen as a vital part of Toyota’s “rejuvenation” efforts and reflects the company’s desire to develop a car that appeals to the younger generation of car enthusiasts. Having a FR sports car at the entry level end of the market is Toyota’s way of cementing its image as an rejuvenated car company and will surely dominate the segment as its competitors struggle to keep up.
Motor Week's 2009 Driver's Choice Awards: Best Small Utility- Subaru Forester
Combining the efficiency and dynamics of a sedan, with the versatility and traction of an SUV, the new Forester is a multi-purpose vehicle that's in tune with the times.
GuamPDN.com : Aiming high: New car club has civic aspirations
For founding members Rudy Capistrano, Cherielyn Munoz, Brian Manibusan, Jay Sevilla and Tommy Blas the Subaru Club of Guam is not only a place to showcase their unique rides, but also a means to promote social responsibility on and off Guam's roads. "We created this group to showcase our pride in owning a Subaru, in which we feel, is still unique for our island," Capistrano says of the club's November 2008 "born on date" as he describes it.
Scripps: Subaru, Mitsubishi rev up their rally cars
What the world needs now is a really big rally. And if that’s not in the cards financially, at least we can rally automotively. The world’s two hottest rally cars, the Subaru Impreza WRX and the Mitsubishi Lancer, return to the streets tuned for 2009, fast enough to outrun the blues.
Scoop (NZ): Forester Best Small SUV
The new generation Subaru Forester, launched in New Zealand last April, has been recognized in the United States with the MotorWeek Driver's Choice Award for Best Small Utility. The team at MotorWeek, a weekly TV magazine series produced by Maryland Public Television, evaluated vehicles for this year's awards based on performance, technology, practicality and value. The winners, including the new Subaru Forester, represent what MotorWeek considers to be the best in each class.
Forbes: Safest Cars Of 2009
Subaru has three cars on our list: the Legacy, the Impreza and the Tribeca. Tellingly, the three models are in different classes: small car, sedan and SUV, respectively. Subaru spokesman Dominic Infante says the combined strengths of the vehicles' unique all-wheel drive, ring-shape reinforcement body structure, flat engine, metal door pegs and breakaway pedal assembly enable them to withstand severe testing.
Car and Driver: 2009 Subaru Impreza 2.5GT - First Drive Review
We tend to like Subarus around here, thanks to their all-weather fun factor and funky spirits. Seldom do we find much to dislike that their reasonable-for-an-all-wheel-drive-vehicle prices can’t explain away. But the 2009 Impreza GT leaves us scratching our heads.
Globe Auto: Engineering trumps bling
In the automotive industry, Subaru is a bit of an anomaly. For one thing, the company is owned by a Japanese conglomerate, Fuji Heavy Industries, which also manufactures aircraft, wind turbines, weed-whackers, industrial engines and ATV components, among other things. U.S. motorcycle, snowmobile and ATV giant Polaris uses engines made by Fuji in some of its recreational vehicles, and commercial jet manufacturer Boeing is supplied by Fuji in the construction of its 777 and 787 jumbo jets, mainly wing and fuselage bits and pieces. As for Subaru products, no one else — other than Porsche — uses a horizontally opposed engine layout arrangement in their products and, with the exception of Audi, Subaru is the only company that fits all-wheel-drive to all of its models.
Business Week: Subaru marketing head predicts flat sales for '09
With U.S. auto sales at 26-year lows, a top Subaru of America Inc. executive is predicting that the Japanese automaker this year will hang onto the small gains it made in 2008. Tim Mahoney, Subaru's chief U.S. marketing officer, wouldn't give a prediction for the overall U.S. sales this year, but told reporters at the Chicago Auto Show that Subaru should have a flat performance in 2009 after seeing a 0.3 percent increase in 2008

/02/09
PRNewswire: Subaru Designs Custom Impreza WRX STI for Rally Champ Travis Pastrana
Subaru of America, Inc. will show a one-of-a-kind Subaru Impreza WRX STI designed for its factory rally driver Travis Pastrana at the Chicago Auto Show, February 13-22 in McCormick Place. Subaru worked with Pastrana to create a brilliant yellow "199" liveried WRX STI to commemorate his third consecutive Rally America National Championship. Pastrana is scheduled to appear at the Chicago Auto Show to sign autographs in the Subaru booth February 14th and 15th.
Manila Times (PH): Practically perfect, perfectly practical
LET me spare you some grief. If you’ve driven the Subaru Forester 2.0 X and already bent on buying this model, by all means go for it. But, afterwards, do not make the mistake of taking the turbo-charged 2.5 XT variant out for a quick blast. Trust me; ignorance is bliss.
Edmonton Journal (CA): Subaru Impreza keeps impressing: Yes, it's safe and reliable, but you can still have fun when you hit the gas
Almost everyone wants reliable daily transportation, and every automaker offers many vehicles that are up to the task. Some people seek a thrilling ride that might not be suitable for daily driving but can get your heart racing when you press the accelerator. Subaru prefers to put both elements in the same car. Enter the brand new 2009 Subaru Impreza WRX265. The third model of the Impreza WRX, it fits nicely between the base WRX and the tire-scorching WRX STi.

02/04
Automobile Magazine: U.S. Auto Sales Tank Further, China Overtakes U.S. Market
Hyundai-Kia and Subaru were the only two automakers to post sales increases.  After Hyundai introduced its Assurance Program, which allows customers who lose their jobs within a year of purchase to return their vehicles at no cost, sales increased 12.5 percent.  Hyundai posted a 9 percent sales increase over last year.  Subaru, one of a select few automakers that posted a profit last year, saw its sales jump 8 percent
Telegraph (UK): Impreza WRX: now at 1994 prices
Subaru is celebrating 15 years of turbocharged Imprezas by selling the latest WRX Turbo at the launch price of the forced-induction Turbo 2000 of 1994. The Impreza range was launched in the UK in 1994. The Turbo 2000 was a four-door saloon with 208bhp from a turbocharged, 2.0-litre flat-four petrol engine, a Subaru hallmark that has endured to this day. Its combination of a punchy engine with a low centre of gravity and all-wheel drive won it many fans as a point-to-point machine par excellence, while its inherent ruggedness gave it the edge over other, more fragile, rally homologation specials.
Gasgoo : Subaru aims to lift China sales by 30% in '09
Subaru, an auto-making division of Japan's Fuji Heavy Industries, sold 19,000 vehicles in China in 2008, up 105% year on year. Recently, Subaru China said that it aims to increase sales of Subaru cars by 31% to 25,000 units in China this year, and the annual sales will reach 35,000 units in 2010, Xinmin Evening News reported today.
JCOnline: Forester carries Subaru to January sales gain
In stark contrast to its larger competitors, Subaru enjoyed an increase in sales last month when compared to January 2008. A report released Tuesday by Subaru of America Inc. shows sales totaled 12,194 vehicles in January. That represents an 8 percent increase over the 11,289 units sold the previous January.
Auto123 (CA): 2009 Subaru Forester 2.5X Review
Subaru's latest Forester has things taken care of when it comes to offering shoppers a 'safe bet'. Safety, reliability and value are all covered off here- in fact, the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada (AJAC) says that it's the best new SUV under $35,000 in Canada this year.
Washington Post: A Real Driver's Car on an Everyman's Budget
Getting it right in the car business is no easy thing. Cars are emotional. Emotions vary with externalities. And externalities -- fuel pricing and availability, driving climate, credit conditions and government regulations -- are wildly variable. Making the right car for the right customer at the right price -- the price at which that customer will buy and feel good about buying -- is, thus, something of a magic trick. In the case of its 2009 Impreza WRX sedan with navigation, Subaru is to be congratulated for pulling one off.
Jalopnik: BMX Legend Dave Mirra Snags Rally Win, Joins Subaru Rally Team USA
BMX Legend Dave Mirra is X-gaming over to join Subaru Rally Team USA in a 2007 Subaru Impreza WRX STI after snagging his first rally win in New Hampshire at the 2009 Team O'Neil Rally.
Automobile: 2009 Subaru Tribeca Limited
Add the Tribeca to the list of vehicles I completely forget about, but actually like once I'm behind the wheel. This has to be Subaru's nicest interior, and the 3.6-liter boxer-six provides plenty of power. I'd complain that the looks of the Tribeca are just as bland as the rest of Subaru's current lineup, but bland is much better than the Tribeca's previous design, which was universally chastised.

01/29
Long Beach Gazette: Subaru STI Goes From Sedan To Wagon Without Missing Beat
My wait to drive a 2009 Subaru WRX STI wagon was excruciating. Finally, the Alpine White WRX STI (with charcoal suede) appeared for airport pickup as scheduled. Where Subaru once marketed the WRX STI as a sedan, it now arrives as a wagon. The STI once sprouted a rear wing as high as an elephant’s eye; it now has a mild, articulated harelip at the tip of the hatch to aid aerodynamic flow. What was initially a screaming zonker of a sedan has morphed into a stealth fighter, one that attacks the road without making a big fuss about it.

01/23
Auto123.com (CA): 2009 Subaru Impreza WRX265 Review
Seems like mounting pressure from the expanding Mitsubishi Lancer lineup has managed to squeeze a tweaked-up WRX out of Subaru's Impreza range. Perhaps Mitsubishi intended their 237 horsepower Lancer Ralliart to cut the WRX's grass by offering more power and gadgets. Subaru's ensuing defense play maintains power dominance in the 'PlayStation' car market, and gives shoppers a new sub-STI model called the "WRX 265" to consider.

01/20
Time Magazine: Subaru: A Rare Bright Spot Amid Automakers' Gloom
Subaru's customers are, the company admits, a little oddball. How else do you explain the fact that Subaru of America was the only car company to increase unit sales last year? Subaru buyers tend to be overeducated; they buy less car than they can afford and hang on to it forever. "They pay cash, and then you never see them again," says Tim Mahoney, Subaru of America's chief marketing officer. At least not for an average 7.3 years, when they return like migrating carbirds to buy another one. Recession or not.
Edmunds Inside Line: Japan's Auto Industry Reeling, Shelving Acura V8 Sedan, Toyota-Subaru Sports Car
Remember the shocking news in December that the worsening financial crisis had forced Honda to withdraw from F1 and shelve its long-anticipated V10-powered NSX supercar? That, it turns out, is just the tip of the iceberg for Japan's ailing carmakers. Inside Line's source in Japan says that just about every manufacturer is either canceling new-model projects or putting them on hold until market conditions improve.
Trading Markets: FUJI HEAVY SEES US$99MLN OP. LOSS IN FY08 AS RUSSIAN SALES TANK
Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd. said Friday that it expects to swing to an operating loss in the year ending March 31, reflecting how midsize automakers are hurting from slowing sales in the developing countries that were once their most dependable markets.
Coventry Telegraph (UK): Road Test: Subaru Forester 2.0D
SUBARU’S very first diesel engine went on sale in the spring of 2008, the oil-burner powering the Legacy Saloon and Sports Tourer, plus the Outback Crossover. At the same time, the third generation Subaru Forester also arrived in the UK marketplace, this completely new 4x4 being available initially as a 2.0- litre petrol model with automatic transmission, it wasn’t until the autumn of 2008 that the Forester also came with a 2.0-litre Boxer diesel engine paired with a six-speed manual gearbox.
Industry Week: Subaru see First Loss in 15 Years
Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd., the Japanese maker of Subaru brand vehicles, said on Jan. 16 it expected its first annual loss in 15 years because of weak demand and a stronger yen. The company, which is part owned by Toyota Motor Corp., predicted a net loss of 19 billion yen (US$211 million) for the current financial year to March, against a previous forecast of a profit of 10 billion yen. It would be the group's first annual loss since the year to March 1994, a company spokeswoman said
Wheels 24 (ZA): Scooby wows with Legacy concept
Subaru has marked the twentieth anniversary of its Legacy sedan with a concept version of the next-generation sedan. Ostensibly developed to show off the Legacy's "sporting capabilities", but looking more like a tuner's special, the concept is equipped with the manufacturer's signature Symmetrical all-wheel drive system mated to a 3.6-litre six-cylinder boxer engine
BNEt Business Network: Detroit Auto Show: Subaru VP Tom Doll on U.S. Sales Gains With Lower Incentives
Subaru was the biggest-selling brand to manage a year-over-year sales gain in the U.S. market in 2008. U.S. sales were 187,699, up 0.3 percent, or about 600 units. Subaru Executive Vice President Tom Doll said Subaru managed this feat without having to resort to extraordinary discounts. That’s partly because Subaru cut prices and added standard features a few years ago
JC Online: Subaru unwraps future of Legacy
The past and the future of the Subaru Legacy line were unveiled Sunday at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit. Alongside the 2009 Subaru Legacy Concept, the company also displayed the first Legacy model, which was built in 1989 at the Subaru of Indiana Automotive Inc. plant in Lafayette
New York Times: Subaru Moves Up to Midsize
HOW’S IT LOOK? It looks like it has too many angles and complications to make it practical to manufacture. Imagine a less dramatic version and you’ll come close to the new Legacy.
Virginia Gazette: Its refining moment
The car you see on this page is subtle. No, seriously, ignoring the blown-out front fender deltoids, the heinous sacrilege of sport tires and roof-extending rear wing the size of a snowboard, and ignoring the Talmudic specificity of the name -- Subaru Impreza WRX STI -- there is a lot of nuance here. It's nuance fired out of a howitzer at point-blank range into your face, but you could still easily miss it. Yes, that's what impresses me after a rib-bruising half-hour with this 305-hp, all-wheel-drive samurai license-killer: its deep allusiveness and indirection. It's practically Pynchon-like.
The Car Connection: 2009 Detroit Show: Subaru Legacy Concept
Designed by the company’s head of design, Osamu Namba, the Legacy Concept takes a new direction compared to the current Legacy, with a chunky, imposing face, and a “design line” that develops near the top of the fender and runs all the way into the taillights—a departure from the smooth, almost slab-sided flanks of the current car. The front design represents a nice compromise, as down below there are some WRC influences in the wide stance and gaping front air dam, yet it also has a sophisticated look thanks to the delicately shaped headlights. At the back, the LED lamps taper inward from the side crease, and the decklid doesn’t rise as high as those of some sedans, which is refreshing.

01/12

2009 Legacy Concept Gallery

Subaru Debuts all-new Legacy Concept at NAIAS
Subaru of America, Inc. revealed the 2009 Subaru LEGACY CONCEPT today at the 2009 North American International Auto Show. The new LEGACY CONCEPT is a hint at the future of Legacy design. The design showcases the sport sedan heritage of the Subaru Legacy, but in more modern and purposeful package.
Marking the 20th anniversary of the Subaru Legacy, the LEGACY CONCEPT has been developed to showcase the Legacy’s sporting capabilities and features Subaru’s Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive system mated to a Horizontally-Opposed Boxer engine. The design concept is based on a larger 108.3 in. wheelbase designed to maximize interior space and provide comfortable accommodations for four adults.

01/09
Easybourse.com (FR): Subaru Beats US Auto Sales Slump Of 2008
With a tiny lineup of rugged, four-wheel-drive vehicles, Subaru managed a feat virtually no other auto maker could in 2008: notching a sales increase in the U.S. at a time when the industry is wrestling with deep drops.
Autoinsane: Road Test: 2009 Subaru Outback
While almost every single automaker saw a massive drop in sales during 2008, Subaru actually bucked the trend and gained ground. After getting wheel time in the new Forester a few weeks ago and now the 2009 Outback it’s really no surprise why. Subaru offers an affordable no frills ride that is really tough to beat when it comes to value.  The 2009 Outback will never let you down when you absolutely need to get somewhere while comforting you in all the right ways. We’re sad to see it go.
Edmunds Inside Line: 2009 Tokyo Auto Salon: Subaru WRX STI Concepts
Subaru's WRX STI received two different but equally interesting treatments for the 2009 Tokyo Auto Salon here. The WRX STI Concept C was tweaked for competitive purposes, while the Concept A was modified with on-road excellence in mind.
Business Car (UK): Exchange rate kills UK Subaru Impreza diesel
A weakening of the Pound against the Yen has seen Subaru shelve plans to bring the Impreza diesel to the UK. The car that was expected to have been the saviour of Subaru’s UK sales was launched in Euro markets at the end of last year priced from 21,500 Euros or £19,400 at current exchange rates – significantly more than rival lower-medium hatchbacks.
LA Times: Subaru's unexciting road to success
Their cars don’t get eye-popping fuel economy. They’re an also-ran in California, the nation’s biggest car market. They don’t sell hybrids, super-hot sports cars or other attention-grabbing metal. And good luck wringing a rebate out of the dealer. "It’s not an exciting brand," said Todd Turner, president of Car Concepts, a Thousand Oaks consulting firm. Subaru owners "get a reliable, albeit not very flashy, mode of transportation. The people who drive Subarus don’t really care what you think about what they drive."
Bloomberg: Fuji Heavy Shares Surge Most in Over 24 Years on Yen
Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd., the maker of Subaru cars, surged the most in more than 24 years in Tokyo trading, leading automakers higher as a weaker yen may help boost profits.

01/05/09
Associated Press: Subaru posts 2008 sales increase in US
Subaru said Monday its U.S. sales crept higher in 2008, making the Japanese manufacturer poised to be the only major automaker to post a yearly sales increase.
But Subaru sales for all of 2008 rose by 0.3 percent to 187,699 vehicles from 187,208 in 2007, as consumers snapped up its top-selling Forester and Impreza models. The company is set to be the only major automaker to report higher sales for 2008, as the troubled economy pummeled new car sales across the industry.
Marketing Daily: Automotive Marketer Of The Year: Subaru
Dreadful. This may be the first "Marketer of the Year" story ever written that begins with that word. But this is the first year in maybe forever (or at least since Warren G. Harding was president) that has been, for marketers, dreadful. Especially auto marketers. Yet a few bucked the trend. Subaru was one. That is quite an accomplishment for a mid-market brand with a limited vehicle portfolio and marketing clout.

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