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Subaru STI Performance Concept previews a bright BRZ future [w/video]

Subaru unveiled its STI Performance Concept car today at the New York Auto Show, a BRZ-based corner carver that says as much about the future of STI in America as it does about the future of the BRZ. And while this marks the world's first official look at the STI concept, Subaru gave me a preview of the car, and a long description of its significance, on a trip to Japan last month. The Performance Concept sends a tangible message about the motorsports heritage and engineering capability of Subaru Tecnica International. STI started life as the motorsports arm of Subaru parent Fuji Heavy Industries. Appropriately, the concept car uses a racing powerplant. Under the hood is the same turbocharged, 2.0-liter boxer-four that powers the BRZ GT300 from Japan's Super GT series, estimated at around 300 horsepower and 330 pound-feet of torque. But the STI concept is more like the ultimate road version of the BRZ instead of a recapitulation of an existing racecar. Chassis, suspension and braking components can all be found on the Japanese Domestic Market's road-going BRZ tS, for instance. Subaru invited me to drive the tS on that same trip, so stay tuned for a report on that experience later this week. It will pain Subaru fans to hear that this concept is not a defacto preview of a forthcoming turbocharged BRZ STI, at least not in the immediate future. STI has been charged with expanding its presence and reach in the North American market, but the process is going to roll out slowly without jumping straight to a fully realized production vehicle. Stage one of the STI expansion will be a consolidation of parts and aftermarket support in the US. Subaru has offered a pastiche of performance products through its dealerships up to today, including the US-only Subaru Performance Tuning (SPT) parts. In the near term, the company will phase out SPT in favor of STI parts and accessories, meaning you'll be able to purchase a lot of the stuff that the Japanese market has today. And we're talking about parts that actually impact performance, not just STI-badged shift-lever knobs or gas caps. The STI Performance Concept does show that Subaru sees a future for its rear-drive coupe in the American market, and that it wants to cater to enthusiasts. Stage two, which will happen in roughly the next year and a half, is to bring an STI-tuned version of the BRZ to the US, not unlike the JDM BRZ tS.

Man posts dashcam video of epic crash over cliff

YouTube user TurboFoz uploaded dashboard camera footage Monday of a terrifying crash that occurred last year as he was driving the popular Angeles Crest Highway in California. Last January, TurboFoz was zipping through the San Gabriel Mountains in his 2004 Subaru Forester XT. The engine sound was so alluring, TurboFoz opened up his Forester in the tunnels that dot the scenic highway for the full effect. "As an auto enthusiast, when you have a nice relatively fast car with a loud exhaust you tend to like tunnels," he wrote. "They make your exhaust sound that much better, sort of like singing in the shower." What he didn't know was that the road curved sharply just outside of one of these tunnels. A bystander tried to wave him down, but TurboFoz wasn't sure why the man was signaling to him. It was only when he saw the angle of the road up ahead that he realized the man was trying to tell him to slow down. He applied the brakes, but it was too late. The Subaru slid across the road and tumbled off the cliff. He rolled several times before coming to rest on a large drainage pipe jutting from the steep mountainside. If it wasn't for that small ledge on the sheer cliff the accident could have been much worse. "It was the only horizontally level piece on an extremely steep sloped hill," he wrote. "Had I spun off a few feet before or after, I'd be dead. TurboFoz says driving too fast on an unfamiliar road cost him his beloved Subaru and almost his life. Luckily TurboFoz was unhurt, but unluckily his beloved Forester was a total loss. TurboFoz hopes he can save other enthusiasts from the same, or worse, fate. "This is a reminder to be safe, pay attention and KNOW THE ROAD before you try to have "fun" on it," he said. "I failed on all 3 of those accounts and it nearly cost me my life. I've more than learned my lesson and would hope some others do by my example." News Source: YouTube Subaru Driving Ownership Safety Autoblog Minute Videos

Subaru gives Aussies BRZ Sports Pack

Well, it might not be exactly the Subaru BRZ STI that we've all been waiting for, but Australian market shoppers are now going to have the option of adding some STI flavor to their coupe, with this new BRZ S.
Critically, the Sports Pack upgrades included in the S specification do not involve forced induction of any kind for the BRZ's 2.0-liter flat-four mill. Instead, the BRZ S will offer a novel flexible strut tower brace and a coilover suspension to aid its already impressive handling prowess. Visually, the car gets a new aero kit with lowered skirts and a new front and rear splitter, as well as some mean-looking, 17-inch black wheels. Inside, a new gearlever and a STI-branded starter button will call out the S model.
The S package can be ordered on a new BRZ and fitted at the dealer, or added to an existing customer car. When ordered new, the BRZ S adds $7,995 Australian - about $7,275 US including installation - to the price of the six-speed manual car, or $7,195 Australian ($6,547 US) for the six-speed automatic transmission model. That's a pretty fat wedge of cash, but it's worth bearing in mind that Australians generally pay significantly more for new cars than we do here in the States. For instance, the BRZ starts at $37,150 Australian, nearly $34k US. Even accounting for regional equipment differences, that's a lot more than the BRZ's $26,265 as-delivered base MSRP here in America.