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Why a production Mazda Koeru won't be a Subaru Outback clone

No automaker has had a hit quite like the Outback Many have entered, few have won. The Subaru Outback is one of those automotive bogeys that competitors seek to imitate but never quite capture. Mazda is poised to change that, its CEO tells Automotive News, with a production version of the Koeru concept. We're torn on whether this attempt will be the one to do it, whether the proposed model is truly aimed at the Outback, or whether it's just another pale imitation destined for failure. While the ingredients are pretty basic – wagon-like shape, extra cladding, a smidge more ground clearance than a regular car – no automaker has had a hit quite like the Outback. Reasons include packaging issues, poor brand fit, and Subaru's seemingly unstoppable momentum in building all-wheel-drive archetypes. That hasn't stopped a bunch of companies from trying. And now for a list: Ford attempted with the Freestyle/Taurus X; note that that model no longer exists, having been replaced de facto by the Flex and the newly crossover-ified Explorer. Audi discontinued the A4 Avant and slapped the Allroad badge and some fender flares on to capture the affluent outdoorsy crowd, initially selling well but now down 40 percent since last year. The humpback Honda (Accord) Crosstour and Toyota Venza could also be considered Outback-apers, as both short-lived models took sedan bodies and added a hatch and optional all-wheel drive. Dodge got into this space a few years back with the Journey Crossroad trim level, but fake brush guards and black wheels do not an Outback make. Volvo has perhaps come closest with the XC70, a not-quite-crossover that it nevertheless brands like its other crossovers. It helps that the Volvo die-hard and the repeat Subaru buyer aren't too different. Most of these models no longer exist, and the ones that do haven't sold as well as Subaru's Outback so far this year. Even if you're generous and add all 96,718 Journey sales (and not just those for the Crossroad, which FCA doesn't break out separately) to V70/XC70, Venza, and Crosstour, it still doesn't equal the 136,227 Outbacks Subaru pushed through November of 2015. And, as Automotive News points out, Mazda hasn't sold that many crossovers so far this year (the number is 129,932 thanks to huge CX-5 numbers). So why is Mazda considering going after the hallowed Outback? First off, we're not sure that it is because there's the question of what tiny niche this vehicle would occupy. "It's a totally new car.

Subaru teasing STI surprise for NYC show?

Subaru is no stranger to the Special Edition car, least of all where its vaunted WRX and STI are concerned. From Spec C to Prodrive to 22B, more than a handful of STI's around the world have been released as limited-run editions, often with stirring results. So, while we were more than a little bit surprised to see that big-wing crop up on the Subaru Twitter page today, we can't say as though its not true to the brand's history.
However, while most of the interesting WRX STI variants have been offered to Europe and Japan only, whatever is wearing that carbon-fiber-lipped wing is set to debut at the New York Auto Show this week.
We don't have a clue as to the precise nature of the car in front of that wing, save to say that it's likely based on the STI. We can guess, however that the extra vertical supports and the use of carbon fiber indicate a higher-performance version than currently exists. Anything from a racing application to some new goodies for the aftermarket are in the realm of possibility.

Subaru XV Concept is our first glimpse at the next Crosstrek

Subaru debuted a pair of Impreza concepts at last year's Tokyo and Los Angeles shows – one, a five-door hatch, the other, a sedan. But the Impreza range also includes the lifted Crosstrek, known as the XV in other markets. So at the 2016 Geneva Motor Show, Subaru presents our first official glimpse at the next-generation, high-riding Impreza, by way of this XV Concept. Details are few – what you see is what you get. The XV definitely has a more butch take on the sedan and hatchback concepts that came before it, in keeping with the Crosstrek's ethos. The concept rides on 19-inch wheels which surely won't make it to production, and we expect some sort of boxer four-cylinder engine to drive power to all four wheels. View 12 Photos All in, the XV Concept looks pretty good. But Subaru has a long history of making attractive concept cars that don't quite carry their beauty over to production. Even so, the current Crosstrek has a sort of rugged handsomeness to it, so here's hoping something similar happens when this concept eventually transforms into a production model next year. "Subaru XV Concept" Makes World Debut at 2016 Geneva International Motor Show Tokyo, March 1, 2016 - Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd. (FHI), the manufacturer of Subaru automobiles, today unveiled the Subaru XV Concept at the 2016 Geneva International Motor Show. The Subaru XV Concept is a design concept car that embodies Subaru's next-generation DYNAMIC X SOLID design philosophy in a compact crossover model. Its compact body features Subaru's DYNAMIC X SOLID design elements, the powerful form of a crossover, and a quality feel beyond its class – previewing the design direction of the next-generation Subaru XV*. Main Features of Subaru XV Concept The front, sides, and rear are seamlessly joined in the DYNAMIC X SOLID surface structure, creating a three-dimensional and solid body that is a feature of Subaru styling. The dynamism is enhanced by well-placed character lines on the compact body shape. The design expression of "Enjoyment and Peace of Mind", the value that Subaru provides to its customers, is fully pursued within the limits of the compact crossover model body size. In the area of functionality essential to a Subaru car, excellent aerodynamic performance is teamed with the ample road clearance and luggage space required of a crossover vehicle, achieving blend of function and style.