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Lincoln Aviator returns, VW ponders pickups, and Subaru Forester endures

NEW YORK – Volkswagen is taking a hard look at a pickup truck, the Lincoln Aviator is back, and you love old Subarus (we'll explain). The New York Auto Show returned last week with flair and a wide range of promising reveals. Let's break down some of the big news, plus a few things you might have missed. News: Ford is fortifying Lincoln with the Aviator SUV Views: Doing a mid-size SUV is obvious. Calling it the Aviator wasn't. I like it. Using Navigator design cues, this thing looks the part and should give Lincoln some energy and sales volume. Not playing in the midsize SUV segment has been a mistake for Ford's luxury brand, and the Aviator should fill a much-needed hole. Props to Lincoln for dusting off the Aviator name, most recently used on a rebadged Ford Explorer built in 2003-2005. It sounds classy and historic, like something from 1930s, even though it only dates to the tail end of the " Friends" era. Speaking of names, when the MKC gets a new one, Lincoln should dust off Zephyr, a moniker it actually used in the '30s and then briefly in the early 2000s. Why use the Aviator name? Jim Farley, Ford's president of global markets, said it's about reminding consumers that Ford has traditionally built strong SUVs. "I think in a way the legacy is falling in love with what we do best," he said. "We wanted to go back to our roots. We know how to do this well." Farley also said the Aviator could prove to be Lincoln's bestseller. The Aviator was well-received in New York, earning our Best in Show award and garnering cautiously optimistic reactions from some analysts. "Lincoln ran this experiment once before ... differences in the market conditions, stronger differentiation and appetite for utility vehicles may prove a different story for this Aviator," IHS analyst Stephanie Brinley said. View 19 Photos News: VW surprised the car world with the Atlas Tanoak pickup concept Views: Good move. VW should build this. The concept is based on a longer version of the Atlas platform and would take aim at the midsize truck segment. VW is using this prototype to "gauge the reactions" of automotive influencers, but make no mistake, the Tanoak is totally doable. Using Atlas bones and mechanicals punched up with rugged styling and some soft-road capability, the Tanoak would grow VW's portfolio in a smart way. The Atlas Cross Sport concept, also revealed in New York, signals that Atlas expansion is already underway.

BTW: Subaru's SHARC won the 2012 Design Challenge

Part of the festivities that encompass the LA Auto Show is the annual LA Design Challenge. This year's winner was the Subaru Highway Automated Response Concept, or SHARC. It envisioned automated, zero-emission highway patrolling.
The 2012 edition of the challenge was to envision the future of highway patrol in the year 2025. The goal was to conceptualize a vehicle that would account for the needs of "dynamic urban environments." In addition to Subaru's participation in the contest BMW, General Motors, Honda and Mercedes-Benz, all took part in the challenge.
The SHARC is essentially a law enforcement land-drone. It is entirely automated and runs on renewable energy. Subaru envisioned a future where the Hawaiian Islands are connected to each other by a large highway system. Such an expansive area would require considerable manpower to patrol. The concept of an autonomous patrol vehicle would eliminate the need for a good number of full-time personnel.

Subaru recalling 72k EyeSight-equipped sedans and CUVs

Despite critical acclaim, the Subaru EyeSight system is in a bit of trouble today. Some 72,000 cars and crossovers equipped with the comprehensive active safety suite are being recalled. Affected vehicles include the 2015 and 2016 model year Legacy sedans built from March 10, 2014 to April 16, 2015, Outback crossovers built between February 24, 2014 and April 16, 2015, XV Crosstrek CUVs built from October 16, 2014 to April 15, 2015. Also included are EyeSight-equipped 2016 WRX sedans built after March 23, 2015. The problem rests with the EyeSight system's pre-collision braking system, or perhaps more accurately, the switch that activates the brake lights. According to the bulletin from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, should that switch fail, not only will the brake lights not turn on, the automatic braking system won't work either. Subaru is in the process of notifying owners, who will need to report to dealers to have the system reprogrammed. Scroll down for the official notification from NHTSA. Related Video: Report Receipt Date: JUN 12, 2015 NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V366000 Component(s): EXTERIOR LIGHTING , FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE Potential Number of Units Affected: 72,000 Manufacturer: Subaru of America, Inc. SUMMARY: Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2015 Legacy vehicles manufactured March 10, 2014, to April 16, 2015, Outback vehicles manufactured February 24, 2014, to April 16, 2015, Impreza vehicles manufactured September 9, 2014, to April 14, 2015, XV Crosstrek vehicles manufactured October 16, 2014, to April 15, 2015, and 2016 WRX vehicles manufactured March 23, 2015, and equipped with the Eyesight Driver Assist System. If the switch that activates the brake lights fails, the automatic pre-collision braking component of the driver assist system will not function. CONSEQUENCE: If the automatic pre-collision braking system does not function as intended, the vehicle will not react to an obstacle in its path, increasing the risk of a crash. REMEDY: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the driver assist system, free of charge. The manufacturer has not yet provided a notification schedule. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's number for this recall is WQS-54. NOTES: Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.