2003 Subaru Wrx on 2040-cars

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Watch Subaru WRX STI's ripping record run at Nurburgring

As expected, Subaru had a bunch of cameras rolling when they gunned for a Nurburgring lap record attempt. The car they used was a specially honed (deep breath) WRX STI Type RA NBR Special, and it proved to be good for a 6:58.9 lap around the Nordschleife, in the hands of Richie Stanaway. Now, video material of the sedan car record run has been posted on Subaru's social media pages, and it includes a separate "Behind the Scenes" video. The record car was built by Prodrive, and it consists of a 2017 WRX STI with a full roll cage, fitted with a WRC specification two-liter turbo engine that produces more than 600 horsepower thanks to its 75mm intake and 25 psi of boost. The transmission is also a WRC item, and its hydraulic paddle-shift setup together with an automated clutch enables shift times of 20-25 milliseconds. The track time is quicker than a recent privateer attempt using a 2017 Dodge Viper ACR, which squeezed the time down to 7:01,3 until a tire failure caused it to crash. Of course, the Viper was classified as a production vehicle, unlike the Subaru. Here's the Behind the Scenes footage: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

Check out the 2017 Subaru Impreza live from New York

We just attended the reveal of the 2017 Subaru Impreza. While we don't have any more details ... yet, we do have live photos and video of the car to tide you over. Subaru will unveil its brand-new 2017 Impreza sedan and hatchback at the New York Auto Show on March 23. The reveal will finally tell us whether the company's designers will bring the sharp styling from its concepts to the road. From what we can see in this teaser, though, the production car won't be quite as forward thinking as we'd like. View 11 Photos Subaru has released a single teaser image of the front end, and we can already see that the headlights look like fairly conventional units. In the conceptual models, LED running lights came to a sharp point that drew the eye to the grille. It was certainly a more interesting design than in this photo. The new Imprezas are the first models to use the Subaru Global Platform, which underpins all the company's upcoming models. It's 70- to 100-percent more rigid than the current chassis and has a 40-percent increase in impact energy absorption. A lower center of gravity and reduced body roll should improve the handling. Subaru also promises the 2017 Imprezas have a more spacious interior and upgraded in-car tech. Subaru's concepts made the new Impreza look exciting, and we still hope some of that translates to production. The hatchback arrived first wearing silver at the Tokyo Motor Show. A red sedan then added a trunk to the honed shape at the LA Auto Show about a month later. Related Video: 2017 SUBARU IMPREZA TO DEBUT AT NEW YORK INTERNATIONAL AUTO SHOW ? Reveal on March 23, 2016 ? Completely redesigned for 2017 ? Sedan and 5-door to debut March 10, 2016 – Cherry Hill, N.J. – Subaru of America, Inc. announced today that the all-new 2017 Impreza will debut at the 2016 New York International Auto Show on March 23, 2016. The Impreza has been completely redesigned inside and out, from upgraded in-car technology and a more spacious interior to its sleek new body design. The updated model will include signature Subaru features such as Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive and award-winning safety technology. Both the sedan and 5-door model will be unveiled at the press conference scheduled for 12:20 p.m. ET on March 23, 2016 at the Subaru display following a speech by Fuji Heavy Industries president & CEO, Yasuyuki Yoshinaga. About Subaru of America, Inc. Subaru of America, Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd. of Japan.

Why a production Mazda Koeru won't be a Subaru Outback clone

No automaker has had a hit quite like the Outback Many have entered, few have won. The Subaru Outback is one of those automotive bogeys that competitors seek to imitate but never quite capture. Mazda is poised to change that, its CEO tells Automotive News, with a production version of the Koeru concept. We're torn on whether this attempt will be the one to do it, whether the proposed model is truly aimed at the Outback, or whether it's just another pale imitation destined for failure. While the ingredients are pretty basic – wagon-like shape, extra cladding, a smidge more ground clearance than a regular car – no automaker has had a hit quite like the Outback. Reasons include packaging issues, poor brand fit, and Subaru's seemingly unstoppable momentum in building all-wheel-drive archetypes. That hasn't stopped a bunch of companies from trying. And now for a list: Ford attempted with the Freestyle/Taurus X; note that that model no longer exists, having been replaced de facto by the Flex and the newly crossover-ified Explorer. Audi discontinued the A4 Avant and slapped the Allroad badge and some fender flares on to capture the affluent outdoorsy crowd, initially selling well but now down 40 percent since last year. The humpback Honda (Accord) Crosstour and Toyota Venza could also be considered Outback-apers, as both short-lived models took sedan bodies and added a hatch and optional all-wheel drive. Dodge got into this space a few years back with the Journey Crossroad trim level, but fake brush guards and black wheels do not an Outback make. Volvo has perhaps come closest with the XC70, a not-quite-crossover that it nevertheless brands like its other crossovers. It helps that the Volvo die-hard and the repeat Subaru buyer aren't too different. Most of these models no longer exist, and the ones that do haven't sold as well as Subaru's Outback so far this year. Even if you're generous and add all 96,718 Journey sales (and not just those for the Crossroad, which FCA doesn't break out separately) to V70/XC70, Venza, and Crosstour, it still doesn't equal the 136,227 Outbacks Subaru pushed through November of 2015. And, as Automotive News points out, Mazda hasn't sold that many crossovers so far this year (the number is 129,932 thanks to huge CX-5 numbers). So why is Mazda considering going after the hallowed Outback? First off, we're not sure that it is because there's the question of what tiny niche this vehicle would occupy. "It's a totally new car.