Subaru UK Presents 2011 WRX STI, Drops Impreza Name from Halo Model, Introduces Sedan Version

Subaru's UK arm has decided to make the WRX STI its own standalone model for 2011, dropping the "Impreza" reference from the road-going rally car's name. As in other markets, the UK's STI will again be available in sedan and five-door hatch variants and pack a turbocharged 2.5-liter 4-cylinder boxer engine making 300 horsepower and 407 Nm / 300 lb ft of torque.

For 2011, the UK's STI will get Subaru's "spec. C" suspension setup featuring a lower ride and wider tires wrapped around lighter wheels. Other than that, the car hits 100 km/h [62 mph] from standstill in 5.2 seconds, has a top speed of 158 mph [254 km/h] in sedan form, and meets Euro 5 emissions standards.

In Britain, the 2011 WRX STI will begin adding options at £32,995 for either the 4- or 5-door version. We're not sure yet if the "Impreza" name will be dropped from Subaru's halo car in other markets, but it could be a possibility as Fuji Heavy Industries' all-wheel drive automaker tries to revise its lineup.

An STI as a pronounced representative of the Subaru brand would be a bold move for a brand that has gone from unique and interesting to boring and non-competitive [WRX / STI models aside, of course] over the past few years.

By Phil Alex

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READ MORE - Subaru UK Presents 2011 WRX STI, Drops Impreza Name from Halo Model, Introduces Sedan Version

2011 Forester Info released, First Subaru to Gain New 2.5-liter Boxer

While pics of the 2011 Forester have yet to make it out the gates (the car pictured above is a 2010MY) , here is a run-through of the new lineup for the U.S. market. Other than some minor styling updates such as the new grille design and a revised instrument panel with softer materials, the big news is Subaru's brand-spanking new boxer engine we first told you about earlier today.

The new naturally-aspirated 4-cylinder boxer unit gets different bore/stroke dimensions to increase displacement from 2,457 cc to 2,498 cc and a chain-driven cam (instead of a belt-driven one).

Output remains the same as before at 170-horsepower but at slightly lower rpm, while peak torque is up to 174 lb.-ft. at 4,100 rpm, versus the outgoing boxer unit's 170 lb.ft. at 4,400 rpm.

Subaru says fuel economy is improved with both 2011MY manual and automatic models returning 21 mpg city and 27 mpg highway vs. the 2010MY's 20/27 for manual and 20/26 for automatic.

The 2011 Forester's available trims will include the 2.5X (in base, Premium, Limited, and Touring), and the 2.5XT (in Premium and Touring), which keeps the current model's 224-horse turbo four.

The Touring trim option is new as well, making it the new high-line Forester.

For a list of pricing and standard features, scroll on down.

By Phil Alex

2.5X (starting at $20,495 for manual, $21,695 for automatic)

- Interior: single disc CD player (4 speakers with jack), three 12-volt outlets, carpeted floor mats, center console with sliding arm rest, fold-down rear seat
- Exterior: daytime running lights, rear window wiper / washer
- Tech: Brake Assist, Vehicle Dynamics Control (VDC), engine immobilizer, remote keyless entry
- Optional alloy wheels

2.5X Premium (starting at $23,195 for manual, $24,195 for auto)

- Interior: 10-way power driver's seat, steering wheel-mounted audio controls, reclining rear seat, automatic driver's power window with Anti-Pinch Protection, tilt / telescopic steering wheel
- Exterior: privacy glass, panoramic power moonroof, roof rails, 17-inch wheels
- Tech: Bluetooth phone/audio, iPod connectivity, USB port, Sirius Satellite Radio capability
- Optional TomTom Navigation

2.5X Limited (starting at $26,495 for auto)

- Interior: leather seating surfaces, leather-wrapped steering wheel / shifter, automatic climate controls, cargo area tray
- Exterior: stainless exhaust tips, fog lights
- Tech: HD radio, 4.3-inch LCD screen, 6 speakers
- Optional rear-view camera, touchscreen GPS with 7-inch screen

2.5X Touring (starting at $27,995)

- Interior: one-touch folding rear seat backs, dual-zone automatic climate control, Sirius satellite radio, electroluminescent instrumentation
- Exterior: HID headlights, mirrors with integrated turn signals, silver finish roof rails,

2.5XT Premium (starting at $26,995 for auto)

- Interior: telescopic steering column, aluminum-alloy accelerator / brake pedal covers, a 10-way power driver's seat
- Exterior: stainless exhaust tips, fog lights, rear spoiler, unique17-inch alloy wheels, hood scoop

2.5XT Touring (starting at $29,995)

- see 2.5X Touring info

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READ MORE - 2011 Forester Info released, First Subaru to Gain New 2.5-liter Boxer

Subaru Announces First All-New Boxer Engines in 21 Years

Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd. (FHI), Subaru's parent company, has released details on its third-generation four-cylinder boxer engine that will be available in 2.0-liter and 2.5-liter displacements. This is the first overall renewal since the second generation was introduced in 1989. The horizontally opposed flat 4 has been a mainstay of Subaru's Impreza, Forrester and Legacy models for some time.

Subaru claims that fuel efficiency is up by 10%, thanks to a compacter combustion chamber and longer stroke, variable-valve timing (which Subaru calls Active Valve Control System) on both the intake and exhaust valves, lighter pistons and connection rods, a more efficient and compact oil pump and separate engine cooling circuitry for both the block and head.

Power for the 2.0 L engine remains the same at 109kw / 150HP, while torque is up 5 Nm to 196.

The new boxer engine has a slightly higher compression ratio of 10.5 (up from 10.2), a shorter bore (84 mm, down from 92) and longer stroke (90 mm, up from 75). Subaru has yet to release details about changes to the 2.5-liter unit.

The first Subaru to receive the third-generation boxer engine will be the Forester.

By Tristan Hankins

READ MORE - Subaru Announces First All-New Boxer Engines in 21 Years

Subaru Legacy Wagon JDM, 2010

Subaru Legacy Wagon JDM, 2010

Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd. (FHI), the manufacturer of Subaru automobiles, announced the launch of the fully redesigned Subaru Legacy series across Subaru dealerships in Japan.

Under the product concept of "Grand Touring Innovation", the fifth-generation new Legacy offers a comfortable passenger compartment and excellent environmental considerations, while further enhancing its unique driving performance and safety, featuring Symmetrical All-Wheel-Drive (AWD) with a Horizontally-Opposed (BOXER) engine as Subaru's core technology.

Concept

In addition to focussing on enhancing "Driver's fun", a key value carried on consistently since the first generation, the new Legacy was developed to create new values such as "Passenger's fun" and "Eco performance", under the concept of "Grand Touring and Innovation".

* Driver's fun - Superior driveability and the enjoyment of driving which have been pursued since its first introduction.

* Passenger's fun - Spacious and comfortable compartment for all passengers to enjoy while driving.
* Eco performance - Confidence in driving and safety with enhanced environmental considerations.

Exterior

With boldness and presence as a theme, newly designed exterior evokes not only comfortable and ample passenger compartment, but also Legacy's sporty look and high functionality.

Subaru Legacy Touring Wagon: Best balance of functionality and comfortable interior space. B4 (Sedan): Legacy's sportiness inherited from the predecessor. Outback: Enhanced image of boldness and toughness.
For Subaru Legacy Touring Wagon and Outback, the D-pillars were re-envisioned to project freshness, with Legacy's characteristics maintained.
Chrome mouldings around the windows accentuate presence with a quality feel.

Interior

The new interior design imparts a feeling of spaciousness and comfort as well as quality emphasized by shading expressions and material texture.
The seats with wide seating surface and redesigned cushions excel in comfort and support. By increasing the amount of slide and lift of the driver's seat, settings can be more finely tuned to better meet drivers' needs.

Audio and Navigation
Two settings are available for manufacturer equipped options: LEGACY premium sound system with acoustic field tuning, designed specifically for Legacy, and LEGACY McIntosh sound system.
HDD navigation supporting G-BOOK ALPHA is equipped with high-definition VGA8 inch monitor and rear view camera.

2.5-litre SOHC engine
Displacement from the existing 2.0-litre was increased by 500 cc, achieving smooth and comfortable driving with lower-range torque.

2.5-litre DOHC turbo engine
Displacement from the existing 2.0-litre was increased by 500 cc. The peak torque is sustained smoothly from 2,000 rpm to the higher rpm ranges to realize superior driving performance.
The turbocharger unit was placed directly under the forward part of the engine. This layout increases response with smoother turbo-charging and improves fuel economy.
The exhaust system layout including the catalytic converter was optimized, enhancing the exhaust emission control performance.

3.6-litre DOHC engine
Featuring an increased displacement from the existing 3.0-litre engine without significantly growing in size, the new 3.6-litre engine offers excellent driving performance and environmental friendliness with smooth revolution performance and ample torque from the lower rpm ranges. It is also economical by using regular grade fuel.

Transmission - Lineartronic
A chain-type variator (main speed variator) was adopted. The compact design provides legroom in the front seats, while the fuel economy was improved especially in the over-drive range through excellent transfer efficiency.

Transmission - E-5AT
E-5AT with high-density control and a smooth gearshift feeling was adopted. Friction and weight were reduced internally, improving the fuel economy.
The improved downshift blipping control enhances the gearshift response in manual mode. Smooth downshift contributes to reducing shocks when shifting gear.
6-speed manual transmission

Chassis
In line with "Subaru Dynamic Chassis Control Concept" (Subaru DC3), chassis and body were further advanced to provide a feeling of reliable, comfortable and superior driveability.
A new engine cradle was newly designed as a powertrain mounting system. It not only helps reducing noise and providing more refined ride and stability, but also improves front impact safety.
Strut type and double-wish bone type suspensions are used respectively for the front and rear. Excellent driveability and smooth ride comfort were achieved not only through the installation of the front suspension arm to the cradle, but also through the damper structure modification and the optimized geometry.

Body
Use of high-tensile steel in critical body parts contributes to weight reduction and higher overall rigidity.
The cradle structure mounting characteristics provide lightweight, sufficient strength and rigidity around the front body, providing excellent handling control and stability.

Safety
For front impact, the engine cradle frame folds inwards and causes the power unit to slide downwards, thus creating a greater zone of protection for the cabin space. In addition, the structure allows the main frame to absorb the impact more efficiently.
For side impact, the high-tensile steel is used inside the B-pillars and side sills. The energy produced on rear impact is effectively absorbed through the optimized frame construction.
SRS driver's and passenger's airbags, SRS side airbag and SRS curtain airbag are installed (except for 2.5i and 2.5GT).
Newly designed high-strength front seat frames and energy-absorbing headrests provide enhanced protection against whiplash injury in rear-end collision.

READ MORE - Subaru Legacy Wagon JDM, 2010

Subaru Hybrid Tourer Concept, 2009

Subaru Hybrid Tourer Concept, 2009

With the Subaru Hybrid Tourer Concept, Subaru has condensed its DNA, developed over many years around the Subaru's core technology of "Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive (AWD)" and "Horizontally-Opposed Boxer Engine", into the integration of a luxurious and high-quality cabin atmosphere and an eye-catching sculpted body. The Subaru Hybrid Tourer Concept features Subaru's latest evolutions in handling agility, riding comfort and superior safety performance. It proposes Subaru's vision of a future grand touring car that excels in environmental friendliness thanks to Subaru's unique hybrid system.

The Exterior
Subaru imagined wings with a feeling of freedom and confidence for driving far and wide in any environment. A luxurious and comfortable cabin, and advanced driving performance are contained within a sculpted aerodynamic form. The design features a combination of bright, open glass areas with a solid, reliable body.

The Interior
The original point of the ideal grand touring car is its interior design, featuring four independent and comfortably positioned seats. Passengers are enclosed within an atmosphere that provides a surpassing feeling of openness and stress-free reassurance, through the further pursuit of a human-centered philosophy, the essence of Subaru car design, and the incorporation of functions that are friendly to passengers.

* The top of the dashboard is movable up and down to provide an optimal driving environment for the driver according to driving conditions.
* A flat floor in the rear seat was achieved even with the implementation of AWD, for improved use and movement inside the cabin.
* Specialized shielding is incorporated in the windshield to reduce eyestrain on the driver.
* New leather covering developed with superior breathability and a ventilation function is used in the seats for improved comfort and texture.

READ MORE - Subaru Hybrid Tourer Concept, 2009

SUBARU HYBRID TOURIER CONCEPT SPECIFICATIONS AND REVIEW

The Subaru Hybrid Tourier concept possess Subaru's latest evolutions in handling agility, riding comfort and superior safety performance. It proposes Subaru's vision of a future grand touring car that excels in environmental friendliness thanks to Subaru's unique hybrid system.

Let's take a look at the features of Subaru Hybrid Tourier:-

Exterior

The Subaru Hybrid Tourier concept hs a luxurious and comfortable cabin, and advanced driving performance are contained within a sculpted aerodynamic form. The design features a combination of bright, open glass areas with a solid, reliable body.

Interior

The significant feature of the ideal grand touring concept is its interior design, with four independent and comfortably positioned seats.

Other major features are:-

• The top of the dashboard is movable up and down to provide an optimal driving environment for the driver according to driving conditions.
• A flat floor in the rear seat was achieved even with the implementation of AWD, for improved use and movement inside the cabin.
• Specialized shielding is incorporated in the windshield to reduce eyestrain on the driver.
• New leather covering developed with superior breathability and a ventilation function is used in the seats for improved comfort and texture.

Mechanisms

In addition to refinements to Subaru's core technology such as Symmetrical AWD and Horizontally-Opposed Boxer Engine, further enhancements were made for improved environmental friendliness, driving performance and high safety performance by offering a next-generation power unit system and advanced safety technologies.

The 2.0 liter horizontally opposed gasoline engine, with a reputation for powerful acceleration is combined with direct fuel injection system for improvements in fuel efficiency and reduced emissions, and improved torque and response in practical range.

Lineartronic (CVT)

Lineartronic, Subaru's new generation automatic transmission, achieves further improvements in both fuel efficiency and driving performance by reinforcing parts for use with the high-power output of a turbo engine.

Hybrid system

• To further enhance the appeal of the Symmetrical AWD system, this unique hybrid two-motor system features a power/drive motor in the front and a drive motor in the rear.
• At start-up and extremely low speeds when fuel efficiency is low, such as when driving the car into a garage, the rear motor is used primarily to allow driving without utilizing the power of the engine.
• During acceleration, the rear motor assists the driving power of the engine to achieve advanced driving performance.
• Further, when accelerating uphill, the front motor, which is normally used as a power generator, assists to drive the front axle for improved performance.
• The implementation of a non-idling function that stops the engine when the car comes to a halt reduces unnecessary fuel consumption.
• The use of a high-performance lithium battery is based on experience and know-how achieved with the Subaru Plug-in Stella electric vehicle, launched this summer. This includes the use of a precise energy management system and regenerative brake controls, for improvements in excellent fuel efficiency.
• During normal driving, the front engine is primarily used. The direct fuel-injection turbo gasoline mated with the Symmetrical AWD offers a whole new, Subaru driving experience.

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READ MORE - SUBARU HYBRID TOURIER CONCEPT SPECIFICATIONS AND REVIEW

Tokyo '09: Subaru Hybrid Tourer Concept 2.0 Turbo in the Flesh

Tokyo '09: Subaru Hybrid Tourer Concept 2.0 Turbo in the Flesh

We won't take the rumors about the Hybrid Tourer Concept spawning a spiritual successor to the SVX for granted, but we will say that the gullwing-door prototype may hint at the design language of future Subaru models. Beneath the skin, the all-wheel-drive Hybrid Tourer concept uses a direct-injection 2.0-liter turbocharged flat-four engine mated to a continuously variable transmission. This is combined with a pair of electric motors, one for each axle and a high-performance lithium battery.


Depending on the driving situation, the four-seater Hybrid Tourer can be moved by the 27HP electric motor at the rear, the boxer engine or a combination of the gasoline and electric motors.

Inside, the Subaru model gets four individual seats and flat floor along with the usual futuristic and far-from production dashboard design that is common on concept cars of this sort.

READ MORE - Tokyo '09: Subaru Hybrid Tourer Concept 2.0 Turbo in the Flesh

Subaru Launches Limited Edition Forester SureTrak for UK Market

Subaru Launches Limited Edition Forester SureTrak for UK Market

A new special-edition model has been added to the UK range of the Subaru Forester. Based on the XC variant with the 147HP 2.0-liter boxer diesel engine and limited to 150 units, the Forester SureTrak gets a bevy of extra equipment including rear privacy glass, full leather interior, parking sensors, electric folding door mirrors, front and rear underguards, a foldable, protective cargo tray, a re-designed instrument cluster as well as suspension upgrades.

The Forester SureTrak is available only in two exterior colours, a dark grey metallic finish with contrasting Platinum Leather interior and silver exterior trim, and a spark silver metallic paintjob with a black leather interior and lightly contrasting silver exterior trim.

Prices for the special-edition start from £25,965 OTR, with Subaru claiming that while the features are worth £3,960, the SureTrack costs only £2,935 more than the standard model.

READ MORE - Subaru Launches Limited Edition Forester SureTrak for UK Market