2003 Subaru Legacy Gt Sedan 4-door 2.5l on 2040-cars

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Pontiac Aztek enjoys rebirth thanks to Millennials

Apparently, Millennials – those between 18 and 34 – aren't afraid to look different on the road, and they like performance, too. A new study by Edmunds is discovering some surprising vehicle choices by this group. Among them, the long-derided Pontiac Aztek is getting a new day in the sun with 25.5 percent its buyers coming from this generation in the first half of 2015. For comparison, Millennials represent an average of 16.8 percent of used car purchases. The Aztek is slowly shaking its reputation as a styling abomination, which seems tied to its appearance on Breaking Bad. The show premiered in 2008, and the Pontiac has been on this list for four of the past five years, according to Edmunds. It even led the pack in 2010. A recent Retro Review from MotorWeek also showed that the crossover wasn't always so hated. While it's still a shock to see the Aztek on any popularity list, the awkward-looking crossover only ranks sixth among Millennials. The vehicle with the biggest portion of buyers from the generation is the Dodge Magnum with 27.6 percent. According to Edmunds, the bluntly styled wagon is especially popular in Detroit and Chicago. The Chrysler Pacifica comes in a close second at 27.3 percent. When it comes to used cars, value and utility appear to trump just about anything else for many Millennial buyers," Edmunds analyst Jeremy Acevedo said in the report. Young buyers aren't afraid of sporty rides, either. The Subaru WRX has 26.4 percent Millennial buyers to rank third place on the list, and the Volkswagen R32 takes fifth at 25.7 percent. Just a few points lower in seventh place is the Nissan GT-R at 25.4 percent, and the final performance machine in 10th place is the Lexus IS-F with 24.7 percent. Related Video:

A mighty Outback breaks ground at Subaru's new USA HQ

Subaru is getting down to business at its new American headquarters. Announced just a year ago, the Japanese automaker just broke ground for construction of the new facility. And though it's moving from its existing location, the company is staying in New Jersey just as it has for nearly half a century now. The new facility is being built in Camden, opposite Campell's headquarters in a development spearheaded by the soup company. As part of the project, Subaru will relocate its current offices from Cherry Hill and Pennsauken to the new Camden headquarters, which will accommodate over 600 employees in one building with 250,000 square feet and another with 83,000 – more than double the size of its current headquarters. The distribution and training center, however, will stay put in Florence, NJ. The $118 million project is earmarked for completion by the end of 2017. The groundbreaking ceremony took place yesterday in front of an array of historic Subaru models. The earth itself was moved by a specially prepared yellow Outback wagon with a plow attached to the front. Subaru's decision to remain in Jersey comes in stark contrast to Mercedes' move out of the state and down south to Georgia. Other automakers with their North American headquarters in New Jersey include Volvo in Rockleigh, Mitsubishi (ironically) in Swedesboro, BMW in Woodcliff Lake, and Jaguar Land Rover in Mahwah. SUBARU OF AMERICA BREAKS GROUND ON NEW HEADQUARTERS IN CAMDEN, NJ Cherry Hill, N.J. - Subaru of America, Inc. today broke ground on its future home in Camden, NJ. The company plans to develop an all-new $118 million corporate headquarters in the city, and in doing so, maintain its corporate headquarters in New Jersey as it has for approaching 50 years. The automaker's new headquarters will be located adjacent to Campbell Soup Company's world headquarters. The Subaru of America campus will be the first new corporate headquarters in Knights Crossing, a master plan urban town center community, being developed by Brandywine Realty Trust. The ground-breaking ceremony featured a display of historic Subaru vehicles from the company's 50 years in the Delaware Valley, as well as a unique earth moving/groundbreaking ceremony conducted by a specially-produced Subaru Outback with an attached plow. Thomas J.

Toyota FT-86 Open Concept leaves us feeling flushed

When last we checked in on our topless would-be hero, the Toyota FT-86 convertible had been reportedly placed on "indefinite hold." That was back in early October, not long after Toyota had trotted out the rear-wheel-drive canvasback to Scion dealers as a possible future product carrot if they decided not to turn in their franchises. And yet, we're here at the Tokyo Motor Show, where Toyota has taken the time to at least repaint the FT-86 Open Concept in "Flash Red," if not build a whole other car (the original Geneva showcar was white). It's enough to make our heads spin like a teenager on the verge of a breakup. Will they? Won't they?
At this point, we still don't know any more than you do - the last word we heard out of Toyota was not encouraging, although the story was that the program could still be fast-tracked if management had a change of heart. As the car has never been seen before in Japan, perhaps Toyota is merely extending its domestic audience a courtesy view before it lines this showcar in mothballs, or maybe they're still trying to make a decision on its fate and gauging public reaction on the homefront.
Interestingly, in a new story published today, Automotive News quotes Subaru brand boss Yasuyuki Yoshinaga downplaying the likelihood of a production model, saying flatly "We make the car, so if we don't make it, it can't happen." The executive went on to note, "Our engineering department told me that losing the entire roof requires a complete redesign of the structure. It would need a big change." Given that such a car would probably trade in rather small volumes, that sounds like a significant hurtle.