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Subaru Viziv Evolution Concept looks strangely familiar

The Tokyo Motor Show has proven to be far deeper and more interesting in 2013 than it has been in recent years, surely a trailing indicator of the revived auto industry in Japan and throughout the world. Still, we have seen a few concept cars that have been nearly 'recycled' from shows earlier in the season.
This Subaru Viziv Evolution concept is a case in point - it looks not unlike the Viziv Concept that the company hauled over to the Geneva Motor Show in March of this year. What gives?
Well, the original Viziv wrapped its sexy crossover-coupe bodywork around a powertrain composed of a 2.0-liter diesel engine and three electric motors, two of which powered the two rear wheels (another trendy hybrid setup). This new "Evolution" of the Viziv is not dissimilar from its progenitor, swapping in a small displacement gasoline-powered engine for the diesel unit. All of this is based on reports out of Tokyo, mind you, as official information on the car is scarce at the moment.

Subaru Impreza shows off 360-degree passing technique

Leave it to a Subaru WRX to find a new way to improve the art of passing. This dash cam vid shows a white WRX pirouetting past our recording car and somehow straightening out before either sliding off the road or slamming into the car ahead. If this were a standard move in rally racing, the WRC would be bigger than NASCAR.
Like most dash cam vids, we don't know where it was shot (Russia's always a good bet) or what the circumstances were (did the driver spin on purpose or was the 360-degree slide accidental?), but the remarkable feat was caught on camera and uploaded to YouTube, preserving it for an Internet eternity. Scroll below to watch the twist yourself, and don't try this at home!

Subaru details BRZ tS, stops short of full-on STI

Fans of the sweet-handling Subaru BRZ awaiting some performance enhancements got their hopes up earlier this month when parent Fuji Heavy Industries dropped some teasers hinting at an apparent STI version, but as was subsequently suspected, the model in question - now revealed in full - stops short of being a full-on STI model.
What we're looking at here is the new Subaru BRZ tS, which incorporates a series of enhancements but leaves the engine alone. Available exclusively in the Japanese Domestic Market, the BRZ tS package includes a thicker driveshaft, a front lip spoiler, Brembo ventilated brake discs packed inside 18-inch wheels and a smattering of STI logos inside and out. STI has also upgraded the suspension components, retuned the stability control and exhaust note and enhanced the interior with some carbon and Alcantara touches. An additional GT package includes further upgrades, most noticeably the giant rear wing (made of carbon fiber) shown above, black-painted alloys and Recaro bucket seats.
Only 500 examples of the BRZ tS will be offered in Japan, with no more than 250 of those outfitted with the supplementary GT package. Here's hoping Subaru gives us a taste on this side of the Pacific as well - or better yet, maybe they'll quit joking around and give us the full-on STI already.