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4 automakers agree to $553M settlement of Takata airbag claims

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Four automakers agreed to a $553 million settlement to address class-action economic loss claims covering owners of nearly 16 million vehicles with potentially defective Takata airbag inflators, according to court documents filed on Thursday. Toyota's share of the settlement costs is $278.5 million, followed by BMW at $131 million, Mazda at $76 million and Subaru at $68 million. According to a press release from Plaintiffs' Committee for Takata Airbag Product Liability Litigation, the funds for the settlement are aimed at getting more cars with faulty airbags fixed. At the time of writing, Toyota had the greatest recall completion percentage of 31.89 percent followed by Subaru with 31.37 percent. Mazda has completed repairs on 18.16 percent of affected cars, and BMW brings up the rear with 16.48 percent completion. Some settlement funds will go to an outreach campaign to increase awareness, while other funds will be used to reimburse people for any costs accrued to get their cars fixed. These costs can include rental cars, child care, lost wages, or any other reasonable costs associated with bringing in a vehicle for repairs. Furthermore, a customer support program will be funded with settlement money to handle any additional repairs or adjustments that could become necessary in the 75,000 miles following the airbag replacement. Lawsuits against Honda, Ford and Nissan have not been settled, lawyers said. Takata inflators, which can explode with excessive force and unleash metal shrapnel inside cars and trucks, are blamed for at least 16 deaths and more than 180 injuries worldwide. The safety defect has prompted recalls worldwide of about 100 million inflators by more than a dozen major automakers. Reporting by David Shepardson, additional details by Autoblog's Joel StocksdaleRelated Video: Government/Legal BMW Mazda Subaru Toyota

Subaru nixes plans for US-built XV Crosstrek

Subaru is on a sales tear, with numbers up 21 percent through the end of November compared to last year. It's been investing in its Indiana factory, and having ended its contract to build the Toyota Camry there, the 400,000-unit capacity was once seen as more than Subaru needs. At some point Subaru had plans to build the XV Crosstrek here in the US, but Reuters reports that the company has changed its mind and will build the little crossover Scooby in Japan, in the same Gunma Prefecture factory where the Impreza, BRZ and Levorg are built. The report cites "the relatively high sales price," the weakening yen versus the dollar and capacity constraints at the Indiana facility. For a planned production run of 65,000 Crosstrek units annually, the new math – especially the yen valuation, which has declined against the dollar to a rate not seen since 2007 – makes Japanese production a viable option. Subaru isn't the only manufacturer taking its toys back home, either: the Reuters report says Toyota is considering shifting some Camry production back to Nippon, while Nissan plans to do the same with the Rogue. Our guess is that if Subaru sales continue the trend they've been on for years, the assembly decision will give them more local flexibility here for addressing it. Featured Gallery 2014 Subaru XV Crosstrek Hybrid: First Drive View 53 Photos News Source: ReutersImage Credit: Copyright 2014 AOL Plants/Manufacturing Subaru Crossover subaru xv crosstrek

2018 Subaru WRX STI Type RA First Drive Review | A taste of Japan

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. — Last year, Subaru set a record for the fastest sedan lap at the 'Ring in a race-spec STI Type RA, which completed nearly 13 miles in less than seven minutes. The new 2018 Subaru WRX STI Type RA is inspired by that record-breaker (and those before it), and it will finally come to the United States as a special edition limited to just 500 units. We traveled out to the California desert to test it on mountain roads, as well as a recently built private race track at the Thermal Club. Record Setting Pedigree Subaru built its first "Record Attempt" (that's what the RA stands for) vehicle in 1988, a Subaru Legacy that drove more than 62,000 miles over 18 days at an FIA track in Phoenix. Since then, Subaru has introduced a number of WRX/STI Type RA models, with several attempts to set record laps at the Nurburgring. While Japanese customers got the opportunity to buy consumer versions of the Type RA, fans in the United States never did. Until now. The nameplate finally comes to the rest of us, improving upon an already potent, all-wheel-drive performance sedan for the everyman. The STI already offers 305 horsepower, a forgiving torque vectoring system, and that big, beautiful wing to set it apart. The Type RA takes this even further, providing more refined performance from a familiar package. The cars are currently being built, and will arrive in dealerships soon. Special Equipment Compared to the standard STI, the Type RA is about 68 pounds lighter thanks to a carbon roof and rear wing, BBS 19-inch forged aluminum alloy wheels, the deletion of the rear armrest and swapping of the spare for a tire repair kit. The lighter roof also helps to lower the center of gravity by a fraction of an inch. Other exterior changes include signature STI Cherry Blossom Red highlights on the grille and rear bumper, a front spoiler, black mirrors and Type RA badging. It only comes in three paint colors: WR Blue Pearl, Crystal Black Silica and Crystal White Pearl. Inside, it gets an ultrasuede steering wheel, short-throw shifter, red push-button ignition and a serialized plate to indicate its rarity. Under the hood, the Type RA benefits from strengthened pistons and sodium-filled exhaust valves that better withstand high temperatures, which is important as the number of laps ticks higher on track day. It gets revised ECU tuning, and lower-restriction air intake and exhaust. Finally, it has a 4.5 percent lower third gear ratio.