2009 Subaru Forester 2.5 X on 2040-cars

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Autoblog Minute: Redbull Global Rallycross makes its first ever stop in Detroit

Red Bull Global Rallycross makes its first ever visit to Detroit halfway through the 2015 season. Autoblog's Chris McGraw and Eddie Sabatini report on this edition of Autoblog Minute. Show full video transcript text [00:00]It's halfway through the 2015 season as Red Bull Global Rallycross makes its first visit to Detroit, I'm Chris McGraw and this is your Autoblog Minute. For the uninitiated, Global Rallycross or GRC is mixed surface, sprint style auto racing; like World Rally Cars vehicles are heavily modified production models tuned to racing spec. We sent Autoblog's Eddie Sabatini to the track on Belle Isle for a closer look. [00:30] [EDDIE SABATINI INTERVIEW] [01:00] With multiple auto manufacturers, numerous press outlets, and scores of Michigan based race fans, Detroit proves to be a crucial stop for the GRC tour. For Autoblog, I'm Chris McGraw. Autoblog Minute is a short-form news video series reporting on all things automotive. Each segment offers a quick and clear picture of what's happening in the automotive industry from the perspective of Autoblog's expert editorial staff, auto executives, and industry professionals.

Cosworth teases upgrades for Subaru BRZ

Subaru may or may not produce an STI version of the BRZ. Things seem to go back and forth on the subject. But Subaru Tecnica International isn't the only company with a history of tuning Subies. So does Cosworth, and now the British racing firm appears to be turning its attention to the BRZ and its Toyota- and Scion-badged siblings.
For those unacquainted, Cosworth is more than your average tuning company. It's a racing firm first and foremost, having made F1 engines under its own name as well as Ford's (chief among them the all-conquering DFV 3.0-liter V8 of 1960s and 70s fame), not to mention engines for Indy, rally and even high-performance, road-going versions of the Ford Sierra, Chevy Vega and Mercedes 190E. The list goes on and on, but you get the point.
Now withdrawing from Formula One, Cosworth is focusing its attention on tuning road cars again with the launch of the Cosworth Power Package line, the first of which will focus on the Toyota GT86 (aka Scion FR-S) and Subaru BRZ. We don't know just yet what will be included in the packaged dubbed FA-20, but from the video teaser below, it seems there'll be upgrades to the exhaust, suspension, aero and - if we're lucky - maybe a super- or turbocharger for the 2.0-liter flat-four engine. We'll have to wait and see, but we get the feeling that with Cosworth on the job, it'll be worth the wait. Check out the minute-long video below in the meantime.

Subaru Global Platform shows us the bones of future models

Subaru will follow a current industry trend by introducing a modular chassis later this year, and the so-called Subaru Global Platform will underpin all of the Japanese automaker's future models. We'll see it first on the new Impreza, which will go on sale in the second half of 2016. Subaru claims its new platform offers 70-100 percent greater rigidity compared to the company's current models, and the stiffer chassis means less vibration travels through the vehicle to the steering wheel and seats, which results in an easier time for the driver. A 40-percent increase in impact energy absorption should also mean improved safety. Customers might experience a more exciting drive from the future Subarus, too. The company claims the new platform lowers the center gravity by 0.2 inches, which should sharpen handling. The engineers now mount the rear stabilizer directly to the body, which is said to reduce body roll by 50 percent over current models. It also supports hybrid, plug-in, and EV drivetrains to adapt to the future. After the Impreza lets us experience the Subaru Global Platform later this year, the company already has other models with it under development. For example, the XV Concept from Geneva hints at a sharper look for the next-gen compact crossover. The new WRX reportedly joins the range in 2017 and possibly gets an extra boost from hybrid power. A seven-passenger CUV also joins the US lineup in 2018. So much new product on the way could let Subaru keep up its brisk sales pace for years to come. Related Video: FHI Unveils the "Subaru Global Platform" - Subaru's next-generation platform to achieve significant enhancement in overall vehicle performance - Automobiles Data March 7, 2016 Tokyo, March 7, 2016 - Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd. (FHI), the manufacturer of Subaru automobiles, has unveiled an overview of the Subaru Global Platform, which is currently under development as the architecture to be used for all the Company's next-generation vehicles. The Subaru Global Platform is part of the six initiatives to enhance the Subaru brand described in the Company's mid-term management vision, "Prominence 2020," announced in 2014. Together with the horizontally-opposed engines, Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive (AWD), and EyeSight that represent Subaru's core technologies, the new platform will constitute the basic foundation of the next generation of Subaru vehicles.