2007 Subaru Legacy 2.5i Limited Wagon 4-door 2.5l on 2040-cars

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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.

Xcar rates AWD vs. FWD vs. RWD

With snow and ice blanketing large swathes of the United States over the past few weeks, commuting hasn't been easy. Among some drivers, there's an ongoing debate about how much all-wheel drive really helps when it gets slippery and whether rear-drive is as bad in slick conditions as many people think. Xcar Films puts some of those beliefs to the test in its latest video by showing off three very different cars taking on a trio of low-grip challenges. Xcar's picks for the test include the fairly plebeian, all-wheel drive Subaru Impreza, the somewhat plush, rear-drive BMW 120d and the sporty, front-drive Renault Megane RS 275 Trophy. Things start out easy with a hydraulic plate forcing the back end out on a wet skid pad. From there, the tests get really interesting with a slalom on simulated ice, and the cars finish with a high-speed cornering challenge through a soaked turn. While an obvious winner emerges in the end, keep in mind this is hardly a scientific test of grip. For better accuracy, all three vehicles should be wearing identical tires, and the same driver should be behind the wheel of each one. Still, Xcar's examination is a fun chance to see how vehicles react when things get slick. News Source: Xcar Films via YouTube BMW Subaru Renault Driving Safety Videos xcar renault megane xcar films renault megane rs

2015 Subaru WRX STI goes for the gold [w/video]

If the all-new 2015 Subaru WRX has taken a good thing and made it great, then this should be, well, greater. Meet the range-topping WRX STI, packing more power, a decidedly more aggressive suspension tune, beefier looks, a giant wing and (woo!) gold wheels.
Those spiffy BBS wheels and WRC rally-ready matching WR Blue paint won't necessarily be around forever, though - Subaru is offering this package (along with unique interior trim) on the STI Launch Edition, limited to just 1,000 units. And cool as it may look, there's far more to love about the new STI package.
Power comes from a 2.5-liter turbocharged boxer four-cylinder engine, sending 305 horsepower and 290 pound-feet of torque to all four wheels via a six-speed manual transmission. (Launch Edition models even get a short-throw shift kit, which will likely be available as a dealer-installed accessory thereafter). Unlike the standard WRX, a do-it-yourself 'box will be the only transmission available. Subaru is employing its new - *ahem* - Multi-Mode Driver Controlled Center Differential version of the Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive, which, in addition to a standard 41/59 torque split, uses things like torque vectoring, and, when put in manual mode, allows the driver to select one of six center differential locking levels. In other words, the STI should be incredibly sharp on the road - sharper than ever before.