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Subaru pulls on our heartstrings with father and daughter ad

Do you remember your first car? Was it a hand-me-down from your parents? While it wasn't actually my first car, my parents gifted me a 1990 Mercury Sable as a daily driver, considering that my own chosen car, a 1965 Karmann Ghia, wasn't exactly the most reliable steed in the world. And while I predictably disliked the new-to-me family car, looking back, it was perfect – reliable, safe and, perhaps most importantly for a 17-year-old, free. If it weren't for that car, simple things like going to school, interviewing for jobs and even going to see a movie with friends would have been a massive ordeal. I eventually traded that old Mercury in on the first new car I ever bought at a dealership, with my parents' blessing and, as you might have guessed, my dad's co-signature. While I know not everyone's automotive journey began this way, I'm certain that my story is not actually mine alone. That's why this new ad from Subaru pulls at so many heartstrings – a father cleans out his old Forester, finding keepsakes and nearly-forgotten memories along the way, as he prepares to pass it on to his 16-year-old daughter. Check out the video above, and feel free to share your own hand-me-down stories in Comments. News Source: Subaru via YouTube, Adweek Marketing/Advertising Subaru Ownership Crossover Videos first car

Upcoming Subaru WRX STI rumored to get hybrid drivetrain

Subaru might electrify the next-gen WRX STI. According to a rumor from Motoring in Australia citing an unnamed Subie insider, the brand's engineers reportedly have two hybrid systems under development for the future model. The move would allow the STI to boost power output and improve fuel economy and lower emissions to keep up with US regulations. According to Motoring's speculation, the next STI might use an electric motor at the back to power the rear axle and an upgraded version of the FA20 turbocharged 2.0-liter at the front. A new dual-clutch six-speed gearbox would help the power get to the road, and the total system could allegedly offer around 322 horsepower versus 305 hp from the current US model. This rumor also claims the next-gen STI would continue as a sedan when it arrives in 2017. Like previous iterations, the four-door will share underpinnings with the Impreza, which will mean a move to Subaru's new modular platform. The standard hybrid might only be the beginning of electrification for the future STI. Motoring's source also claims the company has a plug-in hybrid variant under development, but it might not debut until the 2018 Tokyo Motor Show. A hybrid STI could be exciting, but until there are solid facts, this rumor joins a long history of powertrain speculation about the high-performance Subaru. In 2008 and 2010, reports emerged about a diesel version, but it never appeared. We once even heard that the current-gen WRX might boast an electric turbo.

Toyota GT86 engineers explored shooting brake and sedan variants, are they still in the cards?

According to the Toyota UK blog, engineers for the automaker were so excited developing the GT86 coupe that they investigated producing a whole family of models based on the rear-wheel drive sports car. And at least one engineer - product chief Tetsuya Tada - still hopes it can happen, even if not everyone at Toyota is onboard. Tada: "Actually we tried to do this secretly but the executives found us out. They said: 'What are you doing? Will you please focus on the coupe.'"
Those mooted variants included both a four-door sedan and a shooting brake. Why? Aside from the pure excellence of a lightweight, brilliantly handling hatchback, Toyota was keenly aware of the fact that it may need to spread the cost of development out across several models. Tada says that's part of the reason why it was so easy to create the convertible. The company knew from the outset that a softtop version was in the cards, and built the machine's structure to accommodate having the roof sliced off.
Tada also made mention of the already-announced collaboration between Toyota and BMW. The engineer said that the GT86 was particularly helpful because it demonstrated just how successful a product conceived and designed by two different companies can be. While he didn't say exactly what Toyota and BMW are up to, it's clear the two are looking into a number of possibilities. It's an interesting read with a lot of