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Subaru confirms new Outback to debut in New York

Performance enthusiasts may think of the WRX and BRZ when the name Subaru comes to mind, but for many others, the brand is best associated with the Outback. The soft-road version of the Legacy (and the Impreza-based Outback Sport that preceded the XV Crosstrek) is a vital product for the Japanese automaker, which has now confirmed it's bringing the latest version to the New York Auto Show in just a couple of weeks from now. There's little to go on from the teaser image above (which you can click to enlarge) and the press release below, which says only that "The all-new Outback is Subaru's flagship crossover model which blends Car-like handling and SUV capability." And that much we knew already. It's safe to assume that, like previous versions of the Outback, the new model (which we recently spied undergoing testing) will be based closely on the latest Legacy, albeit upgraded with a higher ride height, lower body cladding and other off-roading enhancements. Watch this space for more. All-New Subaru "Outback" to Make World Debut at 2014 New York International Auto Show Tokyo, April 3, 2014 – Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd. (FHI), the maker of Subaru automobiles, today announced that the all-new "Outback" (US specifications model) will make its world debut at the 2014 New York International Auto Show (Press day: April 16 and 17; Open to the public from April 18 through 27, 2014). The Outback will be unveiled at the press briefing scheduled for 10:55 AM EST on April 17 at Subaru booth following a speech to be made by FHI President & CEO, Yasuyuki Yoshinaga. The all-new Outback is Subaru's flagship crossover model which blends Car-like handling and SUV capability. The special site opens today at 22:00 (Japan time) on the Subaru Global Site. http://www.subaru-global.com/2014ny.html The site will feature information updates relating to the New York International Auto Show including Subaru's press conference.

Scion FR-S Convertible (in Toyota GT86 form) spied in South Africa

Though the eventual existence of a convertible version of the Toyota GT86 (and its Scion FR-S and Subaru BRZ versions for America) is a no-brainer, we've yet to get a glimpse of the real-deal car until now.
Spotted in Cape Town, South Africa, of all places, this completely undisguised GT86 convertible seems to be in a remarkably advanced state of development. The image seen here was obviously sniped from quite a distance and without the aid of a powerful lens, but we can still make out a production-ready looking piece of rear bodywork for the convertible top to hide away in, as well as a functioning trunk lid. It's hard to make out with any certainty, based on this evidence, but there does seem to be space retained behind the front seats for two, small rear chairs.
With the first car spotted, we'd expect to seem some more and better images of it flow through in the near future, and if not, Toyota has already confirmed a concept version for next month's Geneva Motor Show, dubbed FT-86 Open, so stay tuned. For now, click through to the FT86Club.com forum to have a slightly closer look at the images.

Subaru Levorg: Forbidden fruit

For Subaristas, the Levorg needs no introduction. Fans of the marque have been begging Subaru of America (SOA) to bring it over here from the moment it was first introduced. First introduced in Japan a year or so ago, and now making its way across the globe, it is one delicious wagon that SOA refuses to let Americans taste. Why? Wagons don't sell in America, so they say (some Euro-brands might disagree with that). Plus they seem to think they have the wagon market pretty well covered with the Outback, Forester, and to a lesser degree, the Crosstrek. First a bit of history Unlike here in America, at least in recent years, a Legacy wagon continued to exist in other markets. At some point Subaru decided to also delete it from their global portfolio, and to replace it with the smaller, sportier and well-equipped Levorg. The thinking was that the Levorg would be more distinct from the Outback than a Legacy wagon, and would be less likely to step on the Outback's toes in terms of searching for customers; makes sense. Another point needs to be made: Subaru is selling at record levels. They just can't make them fast enough as they are constrained by lack of production capacity. That will improve soon as the next-gen Impreza will be built in their Indiana plant this fall once the Toyota Camry production moves out. So, at the moment, they don't need the Levorg to improve sales. Down the road that may be a different situation, but for now adding another model line would be tough and of little benefit. Why America needs the Levorg When Subaru introduced the current generation WRX they deleted the hatchback — which accounted for 50 percent of WRX sales. Needless to say WRX 5-door owners were outraged — and continue to be so. The Levorg wagon could be the perfect answer for these folks, as shares many parts with the WRX. In Japan it's available with a new 1.6L direct-injection turbo as well as the same 2.0L direct-injection turbo found in the WRX. Other markets, to date, only get the 1.6L engine. All Levorgs have CVTs, with the 2.0 versions getting the high-torque CVT found in the WRX CVT. The chassis setup, while a tad softer, is very close to that of the WRX. So it is definitely a car that's cut out for canyon-carving. It's also more upscale than the WRX, with an interior more akin to luxurious trim levels of the Legacy and Outback. In its defense Subaru has claimed that the budget did not allow for developing both the Levorg and a 5-door WRX.