2014 Subaru Brz Limited on 2040-cars

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Subaru takes another look back, this time at the 2004 WRX STI

Here we have the followup to the rally-mimicking Impreza 22B STI that Subaru recently chronicled in its Vintage Garage series: the 2004 Impreza WRX STI. Displacement for the boxer four was upped from 2.2 liters to 2.5, and after noticing how many buyers had installed larger turbochargers on their WRXs, Subaru decided to bolt on one in-house. That gave the final product 300 horsepower and a 0-to-60 mile-per-hour run of just 4.6 seconds.
It was stiffer, it's body from nose to front doors was penned by Peter Stephens, he of the McLaren F1, it came with a driver-controlled center differential, driver-activated cooling spray for the turbos and 300 pound-feet of torque. This is a curio from a time when, after a new WRX STI came out, you started poring through magazines to see how the Mitubishi Evo was going to respond. You can find out more about it in the video below.

Subaru pairs with Liberty Mutual for built-in driving monitor app

A new app for Subaru's Starlink infotainment will give owners easy access to Liberty Mutual's RightTrack usage-based insurance program later in the year, and those that take part will be able to save up to 30 percent off their bill. Users will also get nearly realtime feedback about their driving that could make them safer behind the wheel. "RightTrack is designed to benefit drivers," Jeff Wright, vice president of usage-based insurance at Liberty Mutual, said to Autoblog. The program monitors a participating driver's behavior and looks for factors like hard acceleration or deceleration, the number of miles driven, and a journey's time of day. Users then receive a report after a trip on their smartphone or the infotainment screen about these events behind the wheel. Everyone gets a five-percent discount just for signing up for the usage-based insurance, but after 90 days the safest drivers can get the maximum discount. Liberty Mutual also doesn't increase RightTrack client's insurance rates. "This partnership combines Liberty Mutual's extensive experience and reach in usage-based insurance with Subaru and Clarion's cutting-edge connected car technology to bring RightTrack savings to consumers in new ways," Hamid Mirza, auto product manager at Liberty Mutual Insurance, said in the announcement. A 2015 study indicated that 27 percent of older drivers had privacy concerns about usage-based insurance programs, but younger people had a growing willingness to try them. The industry says that showing clients how they drive can make them safer because folks realize what they're doing wrong. Plus, many people are attracted to the potential monthly savings. The RightTrack app should be available in late spring on any Subaru with the Starlink infotainment system, company spokesman Anthony Landamia told Autoblog. Liberty Mutual plans eventually to update the software to support other helpful features like severe weather alerts, accident scene assistance, and roadside assistance. Liberty Mutual Insurance and Subaru Introduce New Technology to Promote Safe Driving and Savings on Auto Insurance RightTrack® in-vehicle app powered by Clarion Smart Access™ features new innovation in usage-based insurance for SUBARU STARLINK™ Cloud app suite BOSTON – January 4, 2016 – From commuting to work to shuttling the kids, how safe of a driver are you?

You can buy the last Subaru rally car driven by Colin McRae

Colin McRae continued entertaining the fans for years after retiring from competing full-time in the World Rally Championship – though sadly not for enough of them. His last public appearance was at the 2007 Goodwood Festival of Speed, driving the car you see here to the crowd's delight. And now it could be yours. Though it may look mostly like any ordinary Subaru Impreza WRX STI, this is a full-on S12B rally machine. Petter Solberg drove it for the factory Subaru World Rally Team throughout most of the 2007 World Rally Championship, scoring two podium finishes. That would make it desirable enough as it is, but then McRae drove it up Lord March's front lawn (see the video below) to cement its place in history. It was the last time McRae drove in public before he died in a helicopter crash near his home in Scotland just months later. The vehicle has since been stripped down to its shell and completely rebuilt to showroom condition. It has only put on a little over 200 miles since the engine was rebuilt, and the clutch was replaced just 50 miles ago. It has new seats and harnesses, fire extinguishers, brake discs and pads, the suspension has been fully rebuilt, the wheels powder-coated afresh.... top-notch, in other words. C&M Motors out of Omagh, Northern Ireland, has it listed on RallySales.com with an asking price of GBP159,500 – equivalent to just over $230k at current exchange rates. That would put it in contention as one of the most expensive Subarus we've ever seen, rivaling the $238k which Sports Car Market records as having been paid for another ex-McRae Impreza just this past October. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.