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Subaru might build WRX hatchback after all

The 2015 Subaru WRX is awesome. Really awesome. We told you as much in our first drive of the new sedan back in December. Honestly, our only complaint about Fuji Heavy's new performance machine is that it's no longer offered as a hatchback - the new WRX is a sedan-only affair, despite the more functional five-door variant accounting for some 50 percent of sales in the car's last generation.
But there's hope on the horizon, if a report from Australia's Motoring.com is to be believed. Speaking with Masuo Takatsu, Subaru's general manager for the WRX, the company is now re-considering putting the "hatch" back in its hot hatch.
"We have received strong interest from the US, where the hatchback was 50 percent (of previous-generation WRX sales), so we're now considering," Takatsu told Motoring, noting that the United States is Subaru's main target for this car. Additionally, Takatsu said the company's decision to only offer the sedan was the result of limited engineering resources, echoing statements we've previously heard from Subaru's US arm.

Subaru XV Crosstrek gets special edition model, retina-searing paint

It's not going to be hard to spot the buyers of the upcoming 2015 Subaru XV Crosstrek Special Edition driving around town thanks to the model's exclusive, blazing Sunrise Yellow paint. But you can think of the loud color as Subaru's way of celebrating a record year in 2014 with 513,693 vehicles sold, easily beating its half-million-car goal. The Crosstrek was also the company's third-best-selling vehicle last year, behind the Forester and Outback. Limited to 1,000 units that begin arriving in the spring, the Special Edition is priced at $25,290, plus $850 destination and delivery. For that money, Subaru gives buyers a compact crossover based on the 2.0i Premium with some extra kit. In addition to the sunny paint, all of these models come with a power moonroof, body-color folding mirrors and blackened headlight bezels. The all-weather package is also standard with heated exterior mirrors, a windshield wiper de-icer and heated front seats. The biggest upgrade inside is Subaru's Starlink multimedia system that includes a seven-inch touchscreen with voice-activated controls, multi-touch support and two USB ports. Keyless access with push-button start and leather wrapping for the shift lever and steering wheel also come with this version. There's nothing new underneath the bright paint and improved interior, though. The Special Editions get the same 2.0-liter boxer four-cylinder engine making 148 horsepower and 145 pound-feet of torque as the rest of the lineup. As expected, power is routed through a CVT to Subie's all-wheel drive system. Read more below about Subaru's limited take on the Crosstrek. SUBARU ANNOUNCES XV CROSSTREK SPECIAL EDITION - Limited edition production model with 1,000 units - Based on 2.0i Premium trim - New exterior color Sunrise Yellow - Priced at $25,290 Cherry Hill, N.J. - Subaru of America, Inc., which has posted record-breaking sales every year for the past six years, today announced the introduction of the 2015 XV Crosstrek Special Edition. The Special Edition will be limited production of 1,000 models arriving into retailers in Spring 2015. Based on the well-equipped 2.0i Premium trim, the Special Edition is priced at $25,290 (plus $850 d&d). The versatile, fun-to-drive XV Crosstrek combines bold five-door design, a highly capable chassis, best-in-class fuel economy and in-demand multimedia features.

Here's the story with the Chicken Tax

Quiz America's auto enthusiasts about the vehicles they most want to see in the US market, and for every one that doesn't respond with a French hot hatchback or some diesel-powered offering, there'd be at least three that ask for some small, imported pickup truck. That won't happen, though, and we have the Chicken Tax to thank. This damnable bit of legislation affixes a 25-percent tariff to any light truck not built in the United States. That's why Honda, Toyota and Nissan build all their trucks in the United States, and it's also why pickups like the foreign-built Volkswagen Amarok, shown above, or the long-rumored Mahindra pickup aren't offered here. Wired has the story on the roots of the Chicken Tax, including how one Japanese manufacturer got around it and even delivered a vehicle to one of our country's presidents. Head over and check it out.