2010 Subaru Outback 3.6r Limited Wagon 4-door 3.6l on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Subaru pulls on our heartstrings with father and daughter ad

Do you remember your first car? Was it a hand-me-down from your parents? While it wasn't actually my first car, my parents gifted me a 1990 Mercury Sable as a daily driver, considering that my own chosen car, a 1965 Karmann Ghia, wasn't exactly the most reliable steed in the world. And while I predictably disliked the new-to-me family car, looking back, it was perfect – reliable, safe and, perhaps most importantly for a 17-year-old, free. If it weren't for that car, simple things like going to school, interviewing for jobs and even going to see a movie with friends would have been a massive ordeal. I eventually traded that old Mercury in on the first new car I ever bought at a dealership, with my parents' blessing and, as you might have guessed, my dad's co-signature. While I know not everyone's automotive journey began this way, I'm certain that my story is not actually mine alone. That's why this new ad from Subaru pulls at so many heartstrings – a father cleans out his old Forester, finding keepsakes and nearly-forgotten memories along the way, as he prepares to pass it on to his 16-year-old daughter. Check out the video above, and feel free to share your own hand-me-down stories in Comments. News Source: Subaru via YouTube, Adweek Marketing/Advertising Subaru Ownership Crossover Videos first car

Will more efficient tech mean higher prices for Subaru?

If the latest ruling by the California Air Resources Board holds, then Subaru at least must build a plug-in hybrid in the coming years to comply with the Golden State's regulations. Fuel economy looks to improve across the board for the brand, though, thanks to $780 million going into the development of cleaner powertrains for this fiscal year alone. However, buyers might have to pay more for a Subie in the future after this boost in green spending. "Related costs are going up more than expected, bringing the profit margin downward," Fuji Heavy Industries President Yasuyuki Yoshinaga said to the Nihon Keizai newspaper in Japan, according to Automotive News. "We are a small company. We do not benefit as much from economy of scale as bigger companies, so we will have to make up for the increased costs by raising our brand value." At the moment, Subaru's electrified lineup in the US comprises just the XV Crosstrek Hybrid, but the company is reportedly planning to add more. Plus, Subie also wants to make its internal combustion engines more efficient. According to Automotive News, all of the brand's mills are getting direct injection by 2016, and cylinder deactivation and lean combustion cycles are on track for 2020. Earlier rumors also suggested that the automaker might bring the turbocharged four-cylinder boxer to more products, as well. While these more efficient models might cost more, Subaru must carefully maintain the balancing act of introducing the technology and keeping sales growing. As of May 2015, the brand had 42 straight months of year-over-year growth in the US and had record sales in the country last year. The company has already decided to significantly boost production capacity at its Indiana factory in hopes of keeping the good times rolling.

Subaru reveals coupe-like 2015 Legacy Concept ahead of LA show

Subaru has pulled the covers off its 2015 Legacy Concept before the car's debut at the LA Auto Show next week. The sedan trades in its relatively staid styling for a more aggressive, coupe-like design that almost makes us forget about the rear doors from some angles. Overall, the Legacy looks beefier than your average Subaru, similar to the Ford Taurus.
The concept's character line stretches all the way back to a small trunk, which helps the car achieve its coupe-like appearance. But the front end makes the biggest impression, with "hawk-eye" headlamps and a gaping hexagonal grille with three horizontal slats. The taillights have a shape similar to the headlamps to "enhance the solidity of the overall design," Subaru says.
Custom paint called Ocean Silver Metallic adorns the concept, which sports 21-inch wheels under bulging wheel arches that Subaru says hints at the standard all-wheel-drive system (the BRZ is the only two-wheel-drive Subie).