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2017 Scion FR-S getting slight power bump?

A common refrain when discussing the Scion FR-S and its sibling the Subaru BRZ is that they are capable vehicles but are in need of more power. The latest rumors suggest that some more muscle might finally be on the way for the coupe's refresh. Don't expect something like the STI Performance Concept with a 300-horsepower, turbocharged flat-four, though – the gains in the real world are likely to be significantly more modest. According to Toyota insiders speaking with Motoring in Australia, the local Toyota GT86 (our FR-S) is due for a styling and powertrain refresh for the next model year. The 2.0-liter boxer four-cylinder engine isn't expected to get a drastic power increase, but it's not being completely neglected. A new intake manifold and friction reductions reportedly allow for five percent more grunt. If accurate, and if the changes also come here, that would take output of the US version to 210 hp and 159 pound-feet of torque. The adjustments could improve fuel economy by seven percent, as well. Handling is already a forte for the FR-S and BRZ, and things could get even better with this refresh. Motoring claims that dampers from Sachs might become standard equipment, along with a reinforced subframe. The close relationship with the BRZ reportedly rules out any dramatic changes to the styling for this update. However, the coupe is still likely to wear a new hood with vents in it, reshaped headlights, and a revised fascia with a larger lower grille. At the rear, expect a rear diffuser and exhaust pipes at the corners. While minor compared to all of these rumored updates, Scion recently gave the FR-S a few tweaks in the US for the 2016 model year (pictured above). In addition to some new colors and interior trim, it now comes standard with a seven-inch touchscreen infotainment system and rearview camera.

Subaru Global Platform shows us the bones of future models

Subaru will follow a current industry trend by introducing a modular chassis later this year, and the so-called Subaru Global Platform will underpin all of the Japanese automaker's future models. We'll see it first on the new Impreza, which will go on sale in the second half of 2016. Subaru claims its new platform offers 70-100 percent greater rigidity compared to the company's current models, and the stiffer chassis means less vibration travels through the vehicle to the steering wheel and seats, which results in an easier time for the driver. A 40-percent increase in impact energy absorption should also mean improved safety. Customers might experience a more exciting drive from the future Subarus, too. The company claims the new platform lowers the center gravity by 0.2 inches, which should sharpen handling. The engineers now mount the rear stabilizer directly to the body, which is said to reduce body roll by 50 percent over current models. It also supports hybrid, plug-in, and EV drivetrains to adapt to the future. After the Impreza lets us experience the Subaru Global Platform later this year, the company already has other models with it under development. For example, the XV Concept from Geneva hints at a sharper look for the next-gen compact crossover. The new WRX reportedly joins the range in 2017 and possibly gets an extra boost from hybrid power. A seven-passenger CUV also joins the US lineup in 2018. So much new product on the way could let Subaru keep up its brisk sales pace for years to come. Related Video: FHI Unveils the "Subaru Global Platform" - Subaru's next-generation platform to achieve significant enhancement in overall vehicle performance - Automobiles Data March 7, 2016 Tokyo, March 7, 2016 - Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd. (FHI), the manufacturer of Subaru automobiles, has unveiled an overview of the Subaru Global Platform, which is currently under development as the architecture to be used for all the Company's next-generation vehicles. The Subaru Global Platform is part of the six initiatives to enhance the Subaru brand described in the Company's mid-term management vision, "Prominence 2020," announced in 2014. Together with the horizontally-opposed engines, Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive (AWD), and EyeSight that represent Subaru's core technologies, the new platform will constitute the basic foundation of the next generation of Subaru vehicles.

Prototype Subaru Impreza 22B emerges from obscurity

Ask a gearhead what they think is the greatest Subaru built and the answer is probably something related to rally Imprezas – unless you're talking to a more quirky sort who'd throw out the SVX, XT or the bed-mounted jump seats of a Brat. But in any case, the 1990s rally Subarus are great, their road-going versions are brilliant and the rarest of all is the bulging 22B, which commands strong money due to its very limited availability. The Impreza 22B, reportedly named so for its 2.2-liter turbo boxer, but which also refers to the hexadecimal value of 555, Subaru's rally sponsor, was a widebody special with a bigger engine and more STI magic than other WRX variants. Officially it had 280 horsepower, but almost every Japanese performance car was advertised with that amount at the time – true figures take a dyno run or a dedicated mind to uncover. In addition to the modified body, the suspension was 22B-specific, as was the aero. The 2,800-pound 22B took just 5 seconds to hit 60 mph, a strong feat for 1998, and on the right road with the right kind of driver it is likely to be unparalleled for its era. As rare as any 22B is, there are also Subaru-built prototype cars that weren't part of the initial 400-car Japanese production run or the official 16-unit UK-bound batch, or the five Australian market cars. Some sources say there were 424 22Bs made, some mention a different number, and the prototypes are understandably the most coveted, least obtainable ones. Which brings us to this car currently for sale, which just so happens to be one of three known "000/400" series prototypes with just 55 kilometers (34 miles) on the digital odometer. Is this an actual wheeled unicorn? Contempo Concept, the Hong Kong-based dealer that also stocked the Miata Roadster Coupe we featured, has provided precious little information about this particular car, other than some very good sales photos that show the 22B in mint condition, complete with the 000/400 prototype plaque. There's no mention of the price – this Subaru is likely to have entered the "If you must ask, you cannot afford it" class of cars. It's not immediately obvious whether its prototype status would make it difficult, if impossible to register on the road, and/or if the low odometer reading is due to the car being more of a display item in the legal sense. 22B values have risen sharply during the past decades, and the prototypes will be the most expensive.