2003 Subaru Forester X Wagon 4-door 2.5l on 2040-cars

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Subaru unveils catchily named WRX STI tS Type RA in Japan

We feel safe in saying it's time for Subaru to step away from the keyboard for a spell. The company just unveiled this new WRX STI tS Type RA in Japan, and while the car features all sorts of tricks to help it stand out from the rest of the WRX rabble, it also boasts a name that looks like the product of a good old fashioned QWERTY Hulk smash. Nomenclature aside, this WRX STI features a revised suspension with tweaked springs and dampers as well as a faster steering ratio, Brembo brakes and a front strut tower brace.
JDM buyers can pick between the ever-sexy (if loud) Tangerine Orange Pearl paint seen here, Satin White Pearl or Blue Mica. There's also available NBR Challenge Package, complete with a set of Recaro front seats, a few carbon fiber aero bits and 18-inch BBS forged wheels wrapped in Bridgestone Potenza RE070 rubber. How's that for delicious?
Subaru is only planning to crank out 300 WRX STI tS Type RA units, two-thirds of which will carry the NBR goodies.

California adapts ZEV mandate with PHEVs for smaller automakers

California is the nation's largest market for zero-emissions vehicles with over 100,000 of them estimated to be on the roads there. The state's goal is to keep that number growing every year. To that end, the California Air Resources Board is now tweaking its rules in a way that might not boost ZEVs but could mean more plug-in hybrids for the Golden State. Jaguar Land Rover, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Subaru, and Volvo asked for an exemption to the state's zero-emissions vehicle mandate last year due to their relatively small development budgets compared to larger automakers. CARB denied their request but did craft a compromise, according to Automotive News. Rather than being required to offer a ZEV in the state, companies with an annual global revenue of less than $40 billion, like those in this group, may instead sell plug-in hybrids to earn ZEV credits. The companies aren't completely off the hook, though. If these plug-in hybrids don't earn enough credits, the corporations must buy them on the market to make up the difference. Automakers with popular electric models like Nissan and Tesla have made a big business through this trading system by selling their surplus to rivals. Tesla alone pocketed $51 million in the first quarter from this part of its business, according to Automotive News. The changes to the regulations also aren't set in stone, yet. CARB is meeting in 2016 and could adjust things further at that time. Related Video: News Source: Automotive News - sub. req. via Hybrid CarsImage Credit: Justin Sullivan / Getty Images Government/Legal Green Jaguar Land Rover Mazda Mitsubishi Subaru Volvo Emissions Electric Hybrid California zev credits zero emissions vehicle

Subaru Viziv is a diesel hybrid crossover we could learn to love

With the 2013 XV Crosstrek, Subaru reaffirmed its interest in niche crossovers, and early signs are that it's selling well, so will parent Fuji Heavy Industries green-light another one? That's the question begged by the new Viziv concept just unveiled here at the Geneva Motor Show.
Of course, this is a pure showcar, and the four-seat crossover coupe's drivetrain is suitably next-generation as well. The plug-in hybrid drivetrain system features a 2.0-liter diesel boxer engine mated to a CVT, and a pair of electric motors drive the rear wheels for a through-the-road all-wheel-drive system. By going with motor-driven rear axles, Subaru says it has been able to provide larger rear-seat footwell and lower load floor. More excitingly, Subaru says its control systems allow for side-to-side torque vectoring for improved handling, and the system actually apportions more power to the rear wheels when the Viziv takes a corner.
In typical concept car fashion, the Viziv features flashy butterfly doors that provide access to both the front and rear seats, along with oversized 20-inch wheels and cutting-edge lighting. We like the Viziv's overall design direction - it looks more organic and all-of-a-piece than we're used to seeing from the Japanese automaker.