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Subaru mulls motorsports return, nixes small CUV plans

The Subaru WRX STI breaking the automotive lap record at the Isle of Man might be just the beginning of the headlines trumpeting a Subaru racecar. According to the latest rumors, the Japanese brand is looking at taking motorsports more seriously in the future. That could possibly even mean endurance racing at Le Mans.
According to Auto Express, the brand is mulling a greater participation in motorsport, but the big question is where. The World Rally Championship isn't a certainty because it now favors smaller cars like the Volkswagen Polo. Subaru still competes in series like Rally America and Global Rallycross, but there are bigger stages to play on.
What's interesting, is that this commitment to motorsports comes right as the automaker is denying plans to build a small CUV for its passenger car lineup. According to Auto Express, the company has no intention of developing a crossover smaller than the current XV Crosstrek. Even if the sales are there, it would just cost too much to develop. In the US, at least, the XV is doing great with sales up 42 percent in July.

Subaru partners with Magellan for smartphone-based navigation

With tech in the air this week at the Consumer Electronics Show, Subaru announced that it named Magellan SmartGPS as its mapping partner in future Subaru vehicles – without putting an exact date on when that "future" will be. The appointment means that Magellan's smartphone-based cloud navigation, which works on both Apple iOS and Android, will port fully voice-guided navigation using constantly updated maps to the head unit in the car. Magellan already sells a standalone SmartGPS unit that you can buy from major retailers, and it can communicate with other wireless devices to find destinations and transfer directions. However, with the rise of smartphones and with major tech players becoming baked-in fixtures inside vehicles, the sales of portable navigation devices have gone into freefall - from 15.1 million units in 2008 to around 4.3 million units in 2019. The deal with Subaru helps Magellan continue to focus on its core strength. The caveat is that your car will need to have the Subaru Starlink system. It is included in some of the brand's vehicles, like the Impreza and the Crosstrek. On others it is a cost option - it's part of a $1,795 package on the Legacy, a $2,295 package on the Outback. The press release below can tell you more. Subaru Names Magellan Its Smartphone-based Cloud Navigation Partner Magellan SmartGPS Navigation to Power Future Subaru Vehicles Equipped with the SUBARU STARLINK Platform Powered by Clarion's Smart Access System Las Vegas, NV – January 4, 2016 – Magellan's SmartGPS navigation has been selected to be included with Subaru vehicles featuring the SUBARU STARLINK platform. The SUBARU STARLINK infotainment systems, available in Subaru vehicles, utilize Clarion's advanced Smart Access™ cloud connectivity platform to seamlessly sync and control cloud-based applications directly through the infotainment system's screen, providing immediate access to Magellan's SmartGPS navigation. Designed to support both Apple iOS and Android smartphones, the SUBARU STARLINK app brings continuously updated cloud applications to the vehicle's center stack display. Drivers can then access all STARLINK approved apps and services effortlessly, including Magellan's SmartGPS, allowing for safe access and display on the vehicle's touch panel. Magellan SmartGPS navigation will be available on future Subaru models.

Climb to the Clouds returning thanks to Subaru title sponsorship [w/video]

The Mt. Washington Hillclimb, otherwise known as the Climb to the Clouds, hasn't been done since 2011. That year, Subaru Rally Team USA driver David Higgins set a new record for the event first held in 1904, running the 7.6-mile vertiginous course in 6:11.54. The race will be return in 2014 with the help of that very carmaker, Subaru of America having stepped in to the title sponsor role for what will be the Subaru Mt. Washington Hillclimb.
Taking place from June 26-29, 75 modern and vintage cars will spend three days racing up the 6,288-foot-high mountain. It's not as long nor as high as Pikes Peak, but it does have something that the Colorado competition doesn't: gravel; about 13 percent of the Mt. Washington Carriage Road still hasn't been paved.
If you want to know what a record-breaking run up the northeast's highest peak looks like, check out Higgins behind the wheel in the video below.