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Subaru suppliers rely on gray market labor

The Subaru Forester is currently the Japanese brand's bestselling model in the US. A new investigation by Reuters is making some scathing allegations about how the popular model is actually made, though. The piece claims that many of Subaru's suppliers in Ota, Japan, are using low-paid foreign workers and asylum seekers to produce components that go into the CUV. The report says that these laborers are coming from places like China and Bangladesh, and they allegedly receive a pittance compared to their Japanese counterparts. Many said that they get about $6.60 an hour, but employment brokers can take a large portion of that pay. At just four suppliers Reuters estimates there are 580 foreign workers, or about 30 percent of the total workforce. The situation has turned Ota into a cultural melting pot because of the significant population of immigrant labor. The problem stems in part from Japan's tiny labor market, and the country's odd asylum system that doesn't allow some applicants to work legally. These suppliers produce many components for the Forester, including the seats, shocks, and fuel tanks. Reuters admits that the businesses have contracts with other Japanese automakers, as well, but Subaru receives the main focus of this piece, which you can read in full, here. When asked for comment about Reuters' report, Subaru of America provided Autoblog with the following statement: "Fuji Heavy Industries does not condone the exploitation of any class of worker, either in its own operations or within its supply chain. FHI expects all employees to be treated fairly, with dignity and respect and to be provided with appropriate workplace protections. The FHI CSR policy respects and adheres to the law and regulations of business as well as upholding human rights and international standards of behavior and the ethical standards of our stakeholders. Our supply chain network has been made aware of our policy and expectations."

Everything we know about the Subaru BRZ STI

May 30, 2017: It seems an STI-tuned Subaru BRZ was even closer than we thought. Subaru posted to its official Twitter page a teaser image of the upcoming car. It's a shot of the trunk lid with a big STI logo on the endplates. If that weren't enough confirmation of the car, the tweet included the hashtag "#STI." The only other information given was the date of June 8, 2017, and the promise of more information. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. May 23, 2017: Spy shots reveal our first look at a new STI-tuned Subaru BRZ, and it will likely come to the US. The reason we say this is that the car was spotted near a Subaru office in Ann Arbor, Michigan. We also know this is an STI badge because we can make out the distinctive logo underneath pieces of tape at the front and back. It features a huge wing that isn't found on any other BRZ, though the body kit appears to be the optional one available on regular models. There aren't any obvious signs of forced induction on the car either. No top-mounted intercooler scoops or front-mounted intercoolers are visible anywhere. We hope Subaru will give this car more power, but we're not optimistic, especially when the last STI-badged BRZ for Japan didn't get any power upgrades. April 1, 2015: Subaru reveals an amazing STI-tuned BRZ concept. Like the Subaru BRZ tS by STI, this STI Performance Concept has a huge rear wing, and subtle, functional-looking aerodynamic parts. Most importantly for BRZ fans, it also has a more powerful engine. Under the hood is a turbocharged 2.0-liter flat-four used by the GT300-class race car. It makes about 300 horsepower and 330 pound-feet of torque. However, Subaru said that it's unlikely a turbocharged model like this will come out soon. We expect that Subaru will first launch a tS-style BRZ in the near future, and possibly introduce a turbocharged BRZ variant with a new generation of the car. Subaru STI Performance Concept | 2015 NYIAS View 24 Photos April 19, 2013: Subaru announces the first STI-tuned BRZ, and it's not quite what we were hoping for. It's called the Subaru BRZ tS, and it has the same naturally aspirated engine, and thus, the same amount of horsepower. It's furnished with suspension upgrades, Brembo brakes, a front spoiler, and on the GT model, a big rear wing. Only 500 units will be made - and they're all for Japan. View 27 Photos

Subaru Global Platform shows us the bones of future models

Subaru will follow a current industry trend by introducing a modular chassis later this year, and the so-called Subaru Global Platform will underpin all of the Japanese automaker's future models. We'll see it first on the new Impreza, which will go on sale in the second half of 2016. Subaru claims its new platform offers 70-100 percent greater rigidity compared to the company's current models, and the stiffer chassis means less vibration travels through the vehicle to the steering wheel and seats, which results in an easier time for the driver. A 40-percent increase in impact energy absorption should also mean improved safety. Customers might experience a more exciting drive from the future Subarus, too. The company claims the new platform lowers the center gravity by 0.2 inches, which should sharpen handling. The engineers now mount the rear stabilizer directly to the body, which is said to reduce body roll by 50 percent over current models. It also supports hybrid, plug-in, and EV drivetrains to adapt to the future. After the Impreza lets us experience the Subaru Global Platform later this year, the company already has other models with it under development. For example, the XV Concept from Geneva hints at a sharper look for the next-gen compact crossover. The new WRX reportedly joins the range in 2017 and possibly gets an extra boost from hybrid power. A seven-passenger CUV also joins the US lineup in 2018. So much new product on the way could let Subaru keep up its brisk sales pace for years to come. Related Video: FHI Unveils the "Subaru Global Platform" - Subaru's next-generation platform to achieve significant enhancement in overall vehicle performance - Automobiles Data March 7, 2016 Tokyo, March 7, 2016 - Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd. (FHI), the manufacturer of Subaru automobiles, has unveiled an overview of the Subaru Global Platform, which is currently under development as the architecture to be used for all the Company's next-generation vehicles. The Subaru Global Platform is part of the six initiatives to enhance the Subaru brand described in the Company's mid-term management vision, "Prominence 2020," announced in 2014. Together with the horizontally-opposed engines, Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive (AWD), and EyeSight that represent Subaru's core technologies, the new platform will constitute the basic foundation of the next generation of Subaru vehicles.