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Custom-built Subaru Impreza is set to break Isle of Man record

Last week Prodrive showed off the 2016 Subaru WRX STI it built for a record attempt at the Isle of Man TT's Snaefell Mountain Course. And now Subaru is officially going back to the Isle of Man to break its own record. Once again Mark Higgins will drive the Impreza around the 37.7-mile road course. Higgens piloted record runs in 2011 and 2014. The most recent run established the current 19-minute, 15.9-second best time. This new car "will be considerably faster than the previous car," according to Dominick Infante, Manager of Product Communications for Subaru America. That's because the previous attempts were in mostly-stock versions of the Impreza WRX STI. The new car is a completely rebuilt, track-only special. Details on the engine and other specifics like aerodynamic tweaks are being held until the car's official launch. The Isle of Man Tourist Trophy is an annual time-attack motorcycle race on the small island located between the United Kingdom and Ireland. This year the event runs from May 28 to June 10. There are no sanctioned automotive races on the Isle of Man, so Subaru is essentially running the course for our entertainment. And as you can see in the video below from last year, it's riveting. We can't wait to see if the new car will break the 19-minute barrier. Subaru Racing Vehicles mark higgins

Pontiac Aztek enjoys rebirth thanks to Millennials

Apparently, Millennials – those between 18 and 34 – aren't afraid to look different on the road, and they like performance, too. A new study by Edmunds is discovering some surprising vehicle choices by this group. Among them, the long-derided Pontiac Aztek is getting a new day in the sun with 25.5 percent its buyers coming from this generation in the first half of 2015. For comparison, Millennials represent an average of 16.8 percent of used car purchases. The Aztek is slowly shaking its reputation as a styling abomination, which seems tied to its appearance on Breaking Bad. The show premiered in 2008, and the Pontiac has been on this list for four of the past five years, according to Edmunds. It even led the pack in 2010. A recent Retro Review from MotorWeek also showed that the crossover wasn't always so hated. While it's still a shock to see the Aztek on any popularity list, the awkward-looking crossover only ranks sixth among Millennials. The vehicle with the biggest portion of buyers from the generation is the Dodge Magnum with 27.6 percent. According to Edmunds, the bluntly styled wagon is especially popular in Detroit and Chicago. The Chrysler Pacifica comes in a close second at 27.3 percent. When it comes to used cars, value and utility appear to trump just about anything else for many Millennial buyers," Edmunds analyst Jeremy Acevedo said in the report. Young buyers aren't afraid of sporty rides, either. The Subaru WRX has 26.4 percent Millennial buyers to rank third place on the list, and the Volkswagen R32 takes fifth at 25.7 percent. Just a few points lower in seventh place is the Nissan GT-R at 25.4 percent, and the final performance machine in 10th place is the Lexus IS-F with 24.7 percent. Related Video:

Subaru debuts tougher-looking Outback for Australia [w/poll]

If you're going to name a car after a specific location or region, you'd better make sure it's taken seriously in the place it's named for. You're not likely to see a Chevrolet Monte Carlo in Monaco, and the Alfa Romeo Montreal was never even officially offered in North America, but the Subaru Outback is another story.
Subaru apparently takes the Australian market, whose wilderness its jacked-up Legacy wagon is named for, very seriously. So it is apparently rolling out a revised version of the current Outback in Australia itself. The updated Outback, which arrives less than a year before the all-new model is expected to bow, answers Aussie customer feedback with a more rugged look. It's got new roof rails, body cladding, wheel arches, mud flaps, underbody protection plates and blacked-out headlight surrounds and grille trim.
The Motor Report reports that the AUD $2,500 worth of extra equipment - around $2,300 USD - comes with just an AUD $500 ($468) price hike. As far as we can tell, though, there are no plans to bring this latest look to our shores - Subaru has already detailed North America's Outback for the 2014 model year, and these changes aren't mentioned. Should this look be offered in our market? Vote in the poll below and then have your say in Comments.