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Subaru Impreza shows off 360-degree passing technique

Leave it to a Subaru WRX to find a new way to improve the art of passing. This dash cam vid shows a white WRX pirouetting past our recording car and somehow straightening out before either sliding off the road or slamming into the car ahead. If this were a standard move in rally racing, the WRC would be bigger than NASCAR.
Like most dash cam vids, we don't know where it was shot (Russia's always a good bet) or what the circumstances were (did the driver spin on purpose or was the 360-degree slide accidental?), but the remarkable feat was caught on camera and uploaded to YouTube, preserving it for an Internet eternity. Scroll below to watch the twist yourself, and don't try this at home!

Subaru turns a WRX STI into a bobsled and (barely) makes it work

When asked how confident he felt of a successful full run down the St. Moritz-Celerina Olympic Bobrun in his specially prepared Subaru WRX STI, professional rally and stunt driver Mark Higgins responded, "50/50." In reality, he was probably being generous. It wasn't supposed to be so death-defying. In fact, Subaru's original plan was to have Higgins make several runs down the icy slope, some with journalists in the passenger seat. We were among those who traveled all the way to Switzerland for the chance to experience an automotive bobsled ride. One look at the run's famous Horseshoe Corner was all it took for us to second-guess that idea. Well, that and our pesky sense of self preservation. Higgins, though, is one of those rare humans to have been born without that fear-of-death gene. Not only is the Manx driver a professional stuntman – his resume includes sequences for Daniel Craig's James Bond – he also won the British Rally Championship three times and is the four-wheeled record holder at the famed Isle of Man Snaefell Mountain Course. So, when Higgins says some sort of vehicular stunt has only half a chance at success, well, let's just say that most mortals would say something more akin to "a snowball's chance in hell." On the topic of snow and balls, it's worth noting that the timing of Subaru's bobsled run wasn't set by choice. The Olympic Bobrun hosts regular events every winter through late February or early March. Since the track at St. Moritz is the only run in the world without an artificial cooling system, warm weather means no sledding. Combine those two facts and you end up with a very narrow window in which Subaru could go about making the modified track and a WRX STI actually fit together. Enter the boffins at Prodrive. The British engineering firm first started modifying vehicles for racing in 1984. By 1990, Prodrive was focused on turning turbocharged Imprezas into championship winners for the likes of Colin McRae, Richard Burns, and Petter Solberg. So it comes as little surprise that Subaru turned back to Prodrive to figure out how to modify a 2015 WRX STI in a way that would make it survive the pounding it would sustain on a bob run. For the record, this isn't just any 2015 WRX STI. It's actually the same car Higgins used in 2014 to set a lap record at the Isle of Man.

Subaru Forester gets facelift for Japan

Subaru will introduce the updated version of the Forester for the Japanese domestic market at the Tokyo Motor Show later this month. The model benefits from a number of upgrades to the styling, interior, and equipment. It remains to be seen which, if any of these improvements will be applied to the version we get here. Most noticeable is the revised front fascia, which has been restyled to give it a "sturdier, more SUV-like appearance" thanks to a new grille, bumper, and headlights. Those lamps incorporate the company's latest EyeSight system with LED high- and low-beams that adapt to provide the optimal level of illumination according to traffic conditions. The suite of safety systems also includes lane-assist, pre-collision brake assist, blind-spot monitor, adaptive cruise control, and more. Around back the taillights have been redone as well, along with new 17- and 18-inch wheels and new body color options. Other features of the revised Forester include a new instrument panel with silver and piano-black accents, a color LCD display, and more. While mechanical changes remain limited, Subaru says it has optimized the suspension, steering, and transmission for better response. Turbocharged models also get active torque vectoring, and improved insulation promises lower NVH levels across the board. Subaru Upgrades Forester in Japan — New Safety Features include EyeSight (Ver. 3) and New Headlight Advancements — Tokyo, October 6, 2015 – Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd. (FHI), the manufacturer of Subaru automobiles, today announced an upgraded edition of the Subaru Forester in Japan. The model will be exhibited on October 28 at the Tokyo Motor Show 2015 Press Day. The Forester has always been noted for the high degree of performance balance as an SUV. The latest upgrade advances this performance especially in the areas of design, driving enjoyment, and the utility and comfort expected of an SUV. Furthermore, the Forester's safety performance, already among the world's highest, has been bolstered by adopting the new EyeSight*1, an Advanced Safety Package*2 incorporating newly developed Adaptive Driving Beam headlights, and Subaru's first LED high & low beam lights and Steering Responsive Headlights. This comprehensive upgrade in vehicle performance has raised the Forester to a new level, as a product that will brighten the lives of more customers than ever.