2022 Subaru Impreza Premium on 2040-cars

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Ride along with Mark Higgins for a record-setting lap

Earlier this month, driver Mark Higgins, Subaru of America, and Prodrive broke their own record on the Isle of Man's Snaefell Mountain Course by setting a time of 17 minutes, 35 seconds. The attempt was approximately two minutes better than their previous record, which was set with a time of 19 minutes, 26 seconds. Now, Subaru has released the full, hairy in-car video of the record-setting lap that is narrated by Higgins himself. Listening to Higgins' 550-hp Subaru WRX STI scream to over 170 miles per hour is the best cure for a case of the Mondays, while watching the driver navigate over the course's less-than-perfect road will surely cause some anxiety. It may be a 20-minute long video, but every minute is filled with nail-biting moments and listening to Higgins' thought process through the course is mesmerizing. Incredibly, Higgins managed an average lap speed of 128.73 mph. And while that may seem impossible for mere mortals to match, Higgins believes he can go even faster. Subaru will surely be back with another WRX STI next year, but it's hard to fathom a car being able to go any faster around the Isle of Man. Related Video:

Racey Subaru BRZ spied on New York Auto Show floor [UPDATE]

UPDATE: Subaru had the same BRZ out on the show stand this morning, so we added a full gallery. Turns out the car is called Subaru STI Performance Concept... full info available later this afternoon. Subaru is doing something very interesting with the BRZ at the New York Auto Show. Unfortunately, actual details about it are nonexistent at this point, but a user with the screenname The359 posted these two photos from the floor of the event on the FT86 Club forums, by way of an Instagram page. This BRZ appears to get a pretty thorough makeover with big, L-shaped LED running lights on the edges of the more aggressive front air dam, widened fenders and a rather nicely integrated hood bulge, which suggests the possibility of a more powerful engine underneath. The profile photo provides an even better look at the body kit, and it's practically impossible to miss the massive wing at the back that should keep the coupe sticking to the ground. In all, it bears a striking resemblance to the Subaru BRZ Concept STI that was shown at Los Angeles way back in 2011. It's not currently clear whether this is just a high performance concept to tease us, or the more powerful BRZ that many people are looking for. Regardless, the car definitely piques our interest. Related Video:

US Army tests Subaru-powered hybrid truck

The military has been studying the implementation of alternative drivetrains for years, a tiny sampling of which includes the diesel-electric hybrid technical hauler and L-ATV from Oshkosh Defense and the Aggressor from Quantum Technologies. There was also ADA Technologies' work with ultracapitors, General Motors' focus on fuel cells and the roll out of electric motorcycles for Special Forces. In the Ultra Light Vehicle (ULV) prototype vehicle pictured above, we have the latest developments in the Department of Defense's hybrid interest combined with a need to develop a lightweight replacement for the AM General Humvee.
In 2010 the Office of the Secretary of Defense put the Army's Tank Automotive Research, Development, and Engineering Center (TARDEC) in charge of developing a personnel carrier that could "balance payload, performance and protection," and do so without exorbitant cost. Armored Humvees can weigh more than seven tons, and while the ULV is just under 14,000 pounds, the new vehicle can do a lot more with its weight.
The Subaru turbodiesel under the hood puts out 175 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque. That's not much for pulling 13,916 pounds, so it's assisted by two Remy 410HVH HT electric motors each capable of adding 268 continuous hp and 369 peak hp, along with 844 lb-ft of continuous torque or 1,221 ft-lbs at peak. They're only limited by the 14.2 kWh lithium-ion battery rated at 65 kW of continuous power and 180 kW of peak power, but still, TARDEC says the ULV can do 21 miles on electric power and on the flats has a combined range of 337 miles at 35 mph.