2007 Subaru Outback 2.5i Basic Wagon 4-door 2.5l on 2040-cars

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Subarus, straits, a shipwreck, and the end of the world

We've got one more short video glimpse at our Patagonia adventure before the big, final feature video goes live early next month. This time, it's a view of the end of our journey – and the end of the world. Crossing the Straits of Magellan took about two hours on our car ferry, and we saw penguins, orcas, and dolphins, which made the journey way more interesting. From there, we drove through Chile and crossed back into Argentina, stopped by the Desdemona – a 30-year-old shipwreck – and finally spent the night in Ushuaia, the southernmost city in the world (Antarctica only has bases, not cities). The next morning, our caravan ventured to Tierra del Fuego National Park, and we stood, as a group, at the end of the world – the farthest south any of us will probably venture for the rest of our lives. Have a look at our final, short video above. And again, stay tuned for the full experience film, which we'll bring you (along with hundreds of epic photos) early next month. Auto News Subaru Videos Original Video chile autoblog in patagonia

Subaru says Forester logs 8,000 JDM orders in first month, 4x expectations

The 2014 Subaru Forester is not on sale yet here in the US, but it has been on sale in Japan since the middle of last month. In that time, Subaru says that the 8,149 customer orders it has received have more than quadrupled the original expectation of just 2,000 units.
To go along with these impressive orders so far, Subaru has also provided a breakdown of exactly what initial customers are ordering, and based on the numbers provided, it would appear that early customers are choosing well-equipped models. This includes almost 90 percent of all models being ordered with the new Subaru EyeSight system, and while close to two-thirds of the Forester models are equipped with the base 2.0-liter engine, the turbocharged Forester 2.0XT is the most popular individual trim level accounting for almost 40 percent of the orders out of four available trim levels. It will be interesting to see if this trend continues as more Foresters hit dealers, but this is definitely a good sign for the compact crossover right out of the gate.
There's a brief press release after the jump that gives a full breakdown of customer orders so far in Japan.

Weekly Recap: Mazda's rotary revival ignites Tokyo Motor Show

Forty-eight years ago Mazda pioneered rotary engines in the Cosmo Sport. Mazda then honed the technology, won with it on the racetrack, and made it one of its signature features. If you're an enthusiast, rotary was a reason you like Mazda. It's a great part of the company's past. But until this week, that's exactly what we thought it was. History. That all changed with the reveal of the RX-Vision concept at the Tokyo Motor Show, which reignited the passions of the Mazda faithful. Suddenly, rotary was no longer a relic. The rotary concept shown in Japan was a front-engine, rear-wheel-drive sports car wrapped in the company's latest Kodo design language. It's powered by a Skyactiv-R unit (R for rotary), though specs were not disclosed. Mass production is "currently on hold," Mazda said, maintaining it never stopped development of rotary technology, even after the demise of the RX-8. Beyond that, we know nothing, other than the optimistic statement Mazda offered that: the "RX-Vision represents a vision of the future that Mazda hopes to one day make into reality." Put simply: we agree. OTHER NEWS & NOTES: Subaru previews next-gen Impreza While the Mazda concept was the headliner from Tokyo, Subaru's Impreza design study also stood out. The five-door concept is a signpost for the look of next-generation Impreza. It blends sportiness with functionality, and it's wrapped in a striking shade of 'high-luminance silver.' The fenders are flared to signal Subaru's all-wheel-drive capability, and the front has futuristic headlights that look like something from an Audi E-Tron concept. While most of this will be toned down in production, the concept suggests an elevated style for the Impreza, which is due as a 2017 model. Porsche adds potent GTS model to 2017 Macan line Porsche is giving the Macan crossover the GTS treatment, which will start at $68,195 when it goes on sale in March. GTS translates to more power, a sportier suspension, and interior and exterior design cues that sharpen the looks and reflexes of one of the most athletic SUVs on the market. Porsche recalibrated the 3.0-liter twin-turbo V6 from the Macan S to make 360 hp and 369 lb-ft, (up from 340 hp and 339 lb-ft in the S). It teams with a seven-speed PDK gearbox and all-wheel drive. An air suspension is standard. The body features a slew of black accents, and the standard 20-inch RS Spyder wheels are done up in a shade of satin black. The cabin gets leather, Alcantara, and GTS logos.