2002 Subaru Impreza Wrx Wagon 4-door 2.0l on 2040-cars

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A car writer's year in new vehicles [w/video]

Christmas is only a week away. The New Year is just around the corner. As 2014 draws to a close, I'm not the only one taking stock of the year that's we're almost shut of. Depending on who you are or what you do, the end of the year can bring to mind tax bills, school semesters or scheduling dental appointments. For me, for the last eight or nine years, at least a small part of this transitory time is occupied with recalling the cars I've driven over the preceding 12 months. Since I started writing about and reviewing cars in 2006, I've done an uneven job of tracking every vehicle I've been in, each year. Last year I made a resolution to be better about it, and the result is a spreadsheet with model names, dates, notes and some basic facts and figures. Armed with this basic data and a yen for year-end stories, I figured it would be interesting to parse the figures and quantify my year in cars in a way I'd never done before. The results are, well, they're a little bizarre, honestly. And I think they'll affect how I approach this gig in 2015. {C} My tally for the year is 68 cars, as of this writing. Before the calendar flips to 2015 it'll be as high as 73. Let me give you a tiny bit of background about how automotive journalists typically get cars to test. There are basically two pools of vehicles I drive on a regular basis: media fleet vehicles and those available on "first drive" programs. The latter group is pretty self-explanatory. Journalists are gathered in one location (sometimes local, sometimes far-flung) with a new model(s), there's usually a day of driving, then we report back to you with our impressions. Media fleet vehicles are different. These are distributed to publications and individual journalists far and wide, and the test period goes from a few days to a week or more. Whereas first drives almost always result in a piece of review content, fleet loans only sometimes do. Other times they serve to give context about brands, segments, technology and the like, to editors and writers. So, adding up the loans I've had out of the press fleet and things I've driven at events, my tally for the year is 68 cars, as of this writing. Before the calendar flips to 2015, it'll be as high as 73. At one of the buff books like Car and Driver or Motor Trend, reviewers might rotate through five cars a week, or more. I know that number sounds high, but as best I can tell, it's pretty average for the full-time professionals in this business.

Subaru allegedly developing mid-engine hybrid sports coupe

A mid-engine, hybrid sports coupe could give Subaru a high-performance halo model in the coming years. According to Car and Driver, "a source close to Subaru" let slip the company has been testing the prototype powertrain underneath a BRZ at its proving grounds in Japan. "Whether the end result will be a two-door sports coupe or some kind of sports crossover/CUV is still in the evaluation stage," the anonymous source told Car and Driver. "A coupe seems more likely, though." The vehicle's layout allegedly uses a mid-mounted 1.6-liter turbocharged boxer engine with hybrid assist to spin the rear wheels, and two electric motors at the front would power that end. The resulting all-wheel drive powertrain would have about 330 horsepower or more, Car and Driver claims. If a production version happens, it would use the upcoming Subaru Global Platform. Rumors about Subaru's increased development of hybrids offer some support for this alleged sports coupe. The company reportedly might use electrification to boost the next-gen STI. In 2014, a story also suggested the automaker could revive the SVX as a performance-oriented hybrid shooting brake. More recently, even its Viziv GT Vision Gran Turismo concept combined a turbocharged boxer with three electric motors. While a Subaru sports coupe piques our interest, we are taking the prospect with a grain of salt for now. The Japanese brand has a tendency of teasing performance models but not actually delivering on them – like the STI Performance Concept (above) or the aggressive styling of the last WRX Concept. There could also be a long wait before we see what the company is developing. According to Car and Driver, a concept is at least two years away. Then it would take even more time for execs to okay production. Related Video:

Zipcar adds roof racks for nature loving urbanites

Hauling a bicycle, surfboard, snowboard, or a pair of skis can be a pain. Their size makes them awkward to carry, and a good roof rack can be expensive and cumbersome to install. If a thief decides that they need the rack (or what's on it) more than you, you're looking at a loss of several hundred dollars, or at the very least damage to your car a comprehensive insurance claim. Ask me how I know. Zipcar has the solution. The car sharing company has teamed up with rack and cargo manufacturer Yakima to supply roof rack equipped rentals in 17 North American markets. In the US, Zipcar customers will have the option between a Subaru Impreza or a Subaru XV Crosstrek equipped with a Yakima roof rack. Canadian customers can rent a Hyundai Elantra. Fine choices, but it seems like a missed opportunity to revive the old Volkswagen Jetta Trek edition. The Yakima mounts on the cars are adjustable and can hold two bikes, six skis or four snowboards, or two surfboards or paddleboards. Rates, as always, vary based on use. This isn't the first time Zipcar has offered Yakima bike racks for their vehicles for those outdoor enthusiasts that choose to live car free. Back in 2011, the company outfitted a number of vehicles in its New York City fleet with complimentary racks and New York State park passes. Related Video: News Source: Zipcar Green Hyundai Subaru Transportation Alternatives ridesharing zipcar