2014 Subaru Xv Crosstrek Hybrid Touring on 2040-cars

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Subaru broke its own Isle of Man record with a 550-hp WRX STI

Well, they did it. Subaru of America, Prodrive, and driver Mark Higgins set out to break their own record on the Isle of Man's Snaefell Mountain Course, and the attempt was a success. Higgins covered the 37-mile course in the 2016 WRX STI Time Attack car in 17 minutes, 35 seconds. That's an average speed of 128.73 mph. Average. In a car. Higgins set the previous record, 19:26 at 116.47 mph, in a more-stock STI. He and Subaru of America have been bringing cars to the site of the motorcycle race for years now, setting automotive records as all along, but this one is going to be pretty tough to top. Subaru Prodrive Isle of Man View 4 Photos It comes pretty close to the overall lap record for the course, which was set over the weekend by Michael Dunlop. The rider set a 16-minute, 58.254-second lap in the RST Superbike TT, averaging about 133 mph. The fact the Subaru comes so close to the best bike time is pretty amazing. This year's Isle of Man TT weekend was marked by the deaths of two riders. Fatalities are a regular occurrence at the historic race around the island, but it continues to be held year after year with hundreds of participants. Related Video: Featured Gallery 2016 Subaru WRX STI Time Attack Isle of Man View 22 Photos Motorsports Subaru

Automotive April Fools' joke roundup [w/videos]

Happy April, everyone. And we all know what this first day of the month means: April Fools' Day. Today is a national holiday for pranksters with the Internet acting as a serious enabler, and it's always fun to see what kind of vivid imaginations exist out there in the automotive world. The abundance of fake news gets a little old as the day rolls on, but we did manage to get in a few chuckles thanks to a handful of major automakers and automotive news outlets that got into the pranking spirit this year
Some of our favorites this year includes Subaru showing what happens when you combine a bunch of rumors, a Corvette some may have already thought was a joke or Honda providing some in-car innovation circa the late 1980s. Honestly, we're still waiting for official confirmation from Mitsubishi that the recently introduced 2014 Mirage is an elaborate April Fools' joke using a failed design intended for the 1995 Geo Metro. We dug up as much "official" OEM foolishness we could find, as well as some of our other favorites, and posted them all below.

2018 Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross vs. small crossover SUVs: How they compare on paper

In the midst of the crossover SUV boom, each traditional size segment has become saturated. As a result, automakers are beginning to fill the gaps that separate classes, giving us some interesting in-between options. The all-new 2018 Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross jumps right into one of those in-between categories bookended by compact and subcompact crossovers. It's a niche that offers more space and feature content than the smallest vehicles, with an extra dose of style and a lower price than bigger ones. Because of the Eclipse Cross' in-between nature, though, there's not really an obvious direct competitor. As such, we've selected a diverse group of small crossovers that are similar to the Eclipse Cross in some but not all key areas: size, price, feature content, style and likely buyers. The 2018 Subaru Crosstrek, 2018 Toyota C-HR and 2018 Nissan Rogue Sport each have elements in common, but are different enough to provide useful points of comparison. A chart of specifications and key standard features is shown below, followed by more in-depth analysis. And if you wish to compare these crossovers with others not listed, be sure to check out our comparison tools. Engines and Drivetrains One of the Eclipse Cross' biggest advantages in this segment will be its engine. Subcompact crossovers, including the other three we've chosen, are sluggish to say the least. This new Mitsubishi should be different as it packs a turbocharged 1.5-liter four-cylinder that belts out a whopping 184 pound-feet of torque. We say whopping, because the C-HR, Crosstrek and Rogue Sport all have between 139 and 147 pound-feet. Horsepower is similarly unimpressive at just 152 horsepower - the same as the Crosstrek - but that torque should make passing and on-ramp runs much more satisfying. The appeal of crossovers for many people is the availability of all-wheel-drive, and this is where the Subaru gets an advantage. Like with all Subarus that aren't a BRZ, the Crosstrek has standard all-wheel drive. The Mitsubishi comes close, making all-wheel drive standard on every trim level except the very base ES trim level. On the Rogue Sport, all-wheel drive is an option on all trim levels. Depending on where you live, though, being able to have front drive on a high-trim crossover could be a plus because it will save some money and improve fuel economy. The C-HR loses this battle as it's only available with front-wheel drive.