2004 Subaru Sti 08 And 09 Nasa Champion. 1 Owner. 47,000 Miles on 2040-cars

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Autoblog goes on an African safari, Subaru-Style

... And Learns To Love The Ostrich
Subaru may be the ostrich of the Japanese auto industry.
When one thinks of a safari, they naturally draw pictures in their mind's eye of wild animals, like lions, elephants and giraffes. I'm no different, and it was with visions of long telephoto lenses over vast runes and dunes that I embarked on a 19-hour plane ride from Phoenix, Arizona to Plettenberg Bay in South Africa, camera gear in tow.

Subaru's three-row Tribeca replacement spotted testing with Explorer and CX-9 in tow

Despite being a roomy, midsize crossover with seven seats living in a market that's mad for the genre, Subaru had a difficult time selling the Tribeca. Subie's largest automobile was one of the worst selling vehicles of 2012, which surely led to its death in 2014. The latest spy shots of Subaru's new three-row crossover reveals that the automaker is finally ready to replace the Tribeca. Our photographers managed to capture photos of Subaru's upcoming three-row crossover testing with the Ford Explorer and Mazda CX-9. The heavily disguised model doesn't appear drastically different than the dead Tribeca, but thick cladding is hiding the majority of the vehicle's features. From the front, the CUV looks to have similar triangular headlights as the old Tribeca, but have been given a sharper design. The front grille closely resembles the one found on the current Subaru Outback with three horizontal slats. The large air intake toward the bottom of the front fascia is also similar to the Outback's. The overall profile of the 'ute indicates that the new crossover will be similarly sized to the now-dead Tribeca, current Explorer, and present-day CX-9. At the back, the crossover features square taillights that are comparable to the ones found on the Forester's LED units. The prototype's dual exhaust outlets hint toward Subaru's 3.6-liter six-cylinder Boxer engine. The new seven-seater is expected to utilize Subaru's new modular architecture that will underpin the majority of the automaker's lineup. While the Tribeca was larger than its competitors, the previous model, as we pointed out in our review, had polarizing styling and a subpar interior that held the machine back. The Tribeca's replacement, which is expected to debut in 2018, should fix the previous car's issues with a rugged, sleeker exterior design and a more luxurious interior. Related Video: Featured Gallery 2019 Subaru Three-Row SUV View 16 Photos Image Credit: KGP Photography Spy Photos Subaru Crossover SUV subaru tribeca three-row three-row cuv

Subaru planning modular platform, seven-seat SUV, plug-in hybrid

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles isn't the only big name in the auto industry releasing details on its future plans. Subaru, and its parent company Fuji Heavy Industries, is aiming to bump its North American sales up from 478,000 to 600,000 by 2020. Now, that seems pretty reasonable, especially in the face of FCA's hugely ambitious goals for Alfa Romeo and Maserati. It's how Subaru will go about increasing the sales, though, that has us intrigued.
A focus on more fuel-efficient, direct-injection engines will complement a new platform, while the company is contemplating expanding capacity at its Indiana factory, which will now have more room since Toyota Camry production will be ending there.
As for that new platform, it's called the Subaru Global Platform. Original, we know. It's a modular deal and will eventually underpin a vast range of future Subies following its debut in 2016. The new platform may also end up underpinning a seven-seat SUV, which would serve as the successor to the Tribeca and debut between 2016 and 2020, according to Automotive News.