Very Clean 2002 Subaru Wrx on 2040-cars

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Is Subaru close to ditching 6-cylinder engines?

Despite niche outliers like the 6.2-liter supercharged Hellcat V8 and 7.0-liter V8 in the Chevrolet Camaro Z/28, we live in an era where small-displacement, turbocharged engines are becoming the norm. In many model lineups, a boosted four-cylinder now holds the place that a six might have just a few short years ago. At least in some markets, Subaru could be the next automaker to follow this path by axing its 3.6-liter boxer six-cylinder. Granted, that's not as much of a leap for Subie as some other automakers because the Japanese brand is already closely associated with turbocharged four-cylinder engines. The company's six-pot boxer is currently only offered in the Legacy and Outback in the US. Australian website CarAdvice spoke with Subaru deputy general manager of engineering Yoichi Hori about the company's future powertrain plans at least for Down Under. "Our research said the six-cylinder model is decreasing in the world. So that's why probably the future, many companies take the smaller displacement with a turbocharger, or diesel, or hybrid," said Hori to CarAdvice. He was also specific about which engine he had in mind. "In terms of the body size, a 2.0-liter with a turbocharger is enough, I think," he said. Hori said that the automaker stuck with the boxer-six for so long because of the turbocharged four-cylinder's higher maintenance costs. Slotting Subaru's 2.0-liter turbocharged boxer four-cylinder into the Legacy and Outback seems easy to imagine. After all, the mill already does duty in different tunes in the Forester and WRX in the US. Keep in mind, though, that Hori's words are aimed at the Aussie market. A rumor from earlier this year speculated the company's midsize models might get a smaller displacement six and the turbo four for some trims. Featured Gallery 2015 Subaru Legacy: First Drive View 35 Photos News Source: CarAdviceImage Credit: Copyright 2014 Jeremy Korzeniewski / AOL Green Subaru Wagon Sedan turbocharging

2013 Subaru WRX STI Special Edition

Despite my best efforts to convince myself otherwise, I think I'm finally getting too old for this car. I remember the days when I would go ga-ga over the winged Subaru WRX STI sedan, my inner boy racer caring only about its turbo thrills and not taking into account things like price, packaging or interior quality/comfort. Even now, as someone who generally appreciates offbeat color choices, I'm having a hard time getting behind the Tangerine Orange paint of this Special Edition tester, a unique version of the STI sedan limited to just 100 cars. (West Coast Editor Michael Harley recently spent time in the Special Edition WRX sedan, which will see a production run of 200 units.)
To give it The Full Halloween, this limited-edition Subie comes with black accents on its mirrors and fender badges, not to mention black alloy wheels and special graphics on the rocker panels. Special Edition cars also come standard with foglights, and there are orange accents found throughout the interior. All in, this flashier Subaru will set you back $34,795 plus $700 for destination, or $500 more than the standard version.
No, $35,000 isn't chump change, and many will argue that there are far better vehicles to be had at that exact same price point. And while my aging brain is beginning to think more toward that side of the rational thought spectrum, there's still a lot about this car that makes my more youthful self endlessly happy.

2017 Toyota 86 Drivers' Notes | Fun, even with an automatic

The Toyota 86 is a car that enthusiasts begged Toyota to build for decades. It's small, lightweight and rear-wheel drive. Thanks to a partnership with Subaru that resulted in the BRZ, this stylish coupe hit the streets in 2012. In the U.S., the car was originally known as the Scion FR-S but was rebadged as a Toyota after Scion was axed last year. Along with a new name, the 86 received updated styling both inside and out as well as a revised suspension and a slight bump in power, at least for the manual models. This Hot Lava-colored car doesn't feature Toyota's slick six-speed manual. Instead it rocks a six-speed automatic with paddle shifters. While some enthusiasts may look down at that, automatics make up more than half of 86 sales. Still, the bones are there, and some people don't think the automatic is all that bad. Either way, we can't encourage enough people to buy these cars, as we want Toyota and Subaru to keep building them. Senior Editor, Green, John Beltz Snyder: When I first slid behind the wheel of the 86, I was surprised to see the gear selector and paddles. It's one of those cars that you don't think of as having anything but a manual transmission. Also, in an interior where all the controls and displays are underwhelming, a set of paddle shifters stands out as one of the few tactile objects in the cabin. I ended up using the paddles quite a bit, and found that I actually enjoyed using them, so much so that I'd actually consider opting for the automatic transmission were I to buy an 86. Despite shifts that aren't as razor sharp as they could be, the car's high-revving engine means that it still feels great to use. Riding an engine like this up to its redline, filling the cabin with noise, is the sort of thing that'll give you goosebumps. Being able to keep both hands on the wheel while shifting is a good thing for engagement in this car, based on my time with it. Plus, when I got stuck in traffic, I didn't have to wear out my left leg. The other brilliant thing about the Toyota 86 is its sense of balance. I loved the way it communicated its load distribution when cornering, whether on or off the throttle or brake. The fact that the nose of this car snaps right to where you want it when you start dialing in steering angle is satisfying. And its low stance and good view out the windshield make it really easy to place on the road.