Subaru Wants To Expand Its STI Line-Up In The Near Future

If there’s one thing we want from Subaru, is more (real) STI-branded automobiles.
The Japanese car manufacturer’s high-performance superstar is – for quite some time now – the WRX STI (also known as the Impreza WRX STI in some markets). Granted, the STI division has tuned and tweaked quite a lot of various Subaru models in its fairly brief existence, but only focused its undivided expertize on the aforementioned model.
Still, after creating a motoring cult around the iconic product, the only thing left for Subaru is to expand its high-performance line-up, as Yoshio Hirakawa – Subaru STI boss – stated in an interview with Motoring that he wants more standalone models, aftermarket parts and differentiation between STI products:
"My dream is to make STI a truly global brand. To do this we need more cars, more models. We will launch two new models per year."
That’s a big leap from the current offering (which contains one model), and it could include a STI-branded Legacy (Liberty in Australia) and a BRZ, which could arrive as early as 2016 in some markets – according to the Australian magazine’s report. The BRZ beckons for a proper turbocharged STI version since its launch, but such a performance package was impossible due to crash test incompatibilities.
Still, Yoshio Hirakawa hinted that his team was working on a potential “advanced technology” that could make the BRZ STI production-compliant, such as an electrically-powered turbocharger – which is considered “one option to overcome these challenges”, as he revealed:
"This is a sensitive subject. But it is under study for the STI model.”
Whatever the future holds for Subaru’s STI-division, one thing is certain; Subaru Tecnica International will continue building balanced, high-performance cars, as Hirakawa pointed out:
“We must not be only power, but also quality; feel on the road. Better sound. Better ride”

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Subaru Impreza Concept Sparks Some Controversy In Tokyo

The first time Subaru sold a hatchback version of the Impreza anywhere other than Australia, it was already 2007 and people were wondering what on earth they were thinking.
That 3rd generation Impreza wasn't exactly stunning to look at. The press went after them for designing such a utilitarian car for something that was supposed to appeal to people looking for a sporty ride. Now that we know they might be looking to deliver yet another dynamic hatchback, all we can hope is that this concept will represent the production version very...very accurately.
The overall shape of the body is pretty muscular. The car looks low and wide, and those aggressive front fascia design elements would definitely make their way onto the real thing if we had our way.
The grille looks pretty straight forward, so no practical reason why they would change that. The headlights however feature a rather complicated design which might be altered for practical purposes. The wheel design might change, the door handle design will definitely change and so might the wing mirrors because of their small size.
The rear of the concept car looks impressive as well. There are plenty of vertical design lines and those taillights blend in wonderfully with the shoulder line.
Overall, we're looking at design cues borrowed from both the Impreza WRX Concept as well as the Legacy Concept - more so the latter. However, waiting for everything we see here to materialize might turn out to be somewhat of a wild goose chase, though hoping for a handsome and aggressive-looking Impreza hatchback won't hurt anybody.
Subaru does have a legacy (no pun intended) to uphold with this car and fans as well as potential customers alike need to be satisfied with the final product.

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2016 Nissan Altima priced from $22,500

2016 Nissan Altima priced from $22,500

The 2016 Nissan Altima just went into production and now the company has announced the model will be priced from $22,500 in the United States.
The entry-level Altima 2.5 is sparsely equipped but it features  “Zero gravity" front seats, a 60/40 split folding rear seat and a four-speaker AM/FM/CD audio system.  The model also has a push-button ignition, power windows / locks and Bluetooth connectivity.
The Altima 2.5 S costs an additional $400 but it rewards buyers with automatic headlights, a six-speaker audio system and an infotainment system with a 5-inch display.
Buyers looking for sometime sportier can opt for the $24,470 Altima 2.5 SR which features tinted headlights, a rear spoiler and 18-inch aluminum wheels. The model also has fog lights, an eight-way power driver's seat and unique interior trim.
Customers will also be able to order the Altima 2.5 SV and Altima 2.5 SL which start at $25,460 and $28,570 - respectively.
All the aforementioned models are powered by a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine that produces up to 182 bhp (135 kW) and 180 lb-ft (243 Nm) of torque.
If that's not powerful enough, the $27,390 Altima 3.5 SR and $32,090 Altima 3.5 SL have a 3.5-liter V6 that develops 270 bhp (201 kW) and 251 lb-ft (339 Nm) of torque.

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Honda CLARITY FUEL CELL arrives in Tokyo ahead of next year’s launch

Honda CLARITY FUEL CELL arrives in Tokyo ahead of next year’s launch

Honda has introduced the production-ready CLARITY FUEL CELL on the dawn of the 44^th Tokyo Motor Show.
Set to hit the market early next year in Japan and later on in select European markets, the new hydrogen fuel cell sedan from Honda was originally unveiled last week, but now we also have the technical specifications. It is 4,895 mm long, 1,875 mm wide and 1,475 mm tall and can seat up to five people inside the spacious cabin which was obtained by minimizing the space needed by the powertrain that according to Honda has a size comparable to a conventional V6 engine.
Speaking of which, the thickness of each cell has been reduced by 1 mm (20%) which makes the fuel cell stack 33% smaller compared to the one implemented by Honda in the original FCX Clarity. At the same time, the output has increased and now stands at 177 PS (130 kW) while the power density is up by a massive 60% to 3.1 kW/L.
Thanks to a 70 MPa high-pressure hydrogen tank, the CLARITY FUEL CELL has a maximum range of more than 700 km (435 miles) based on the testing done with the JC08 method. Once the tank is depleted, a full refill will take around three minutes which is almost as good as a conventional gasoline/diesel refill.
As for the design, it certainly takes time getting used to, but the shape of the vehicle is the result of in-depth testing to elaborate an aerodynamic body teamed up with full LED headlights and 18-inch alloy wheels. The striking exterior doesn’t continue on the inside where the cabin has a conventional layout that you will find on most of the company’s recent models.

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Subaru WRX STI S207 limited edition storms into Tokyo with 328 PS

Subaru WRX STI S207 limited edition storms into Tokyo with 328 PS

Subaru has unleashed today in Tokyo a high-powered WRX STI S207 special edition limited to 400 units exclusively for Japan.
The newest iteration of the Subaru’s iconic high-performance sedan is even more desirable as there are literally dozens of mechanical tweaks, with the most important one being the revised 2.0-liter turbo boxer engine that now delivers 328 PS (241 kW) at 7,200 rpm and 431 Nm (318 lb-ft) of torque between 3,200 and 4,800 rpm. Compared to the regular WRX STI, it’s up on power by 20 PS (15 kW) and 38 Nm (28 lb-ft) thanks to a new ECU and reworked twin scroll ball bearing turbocharger. It also has a performance muffler with lowered back pressure coupled to a different rear exhaust pipe.
Some of the added bits and pieces are actually exclusive to this model and include Bilstein front struts, rear dampers and coil springs, along with a new mesh front grille, larger front under-spoiler, metallic side sill moldings and a new rear bumper. Additional goodies that you won’t find on the regular WRX STI include a different instrument panel, engine switch button, shift knob and revised Recaro heated front bucket seats.
The list of changes doesn’t end here as the JDM-spec Subaru WRX STI S207 special edition also has an upgraded Brembo braking system and a quicker steering-gear ratio (11:1) while the Vehicle Dynamics Control and Active Torque were fine tuned specifically for this model. It rides on STI-designed BBS 19-inch black forged alloy wheels shod in 255/35R19 tires and at the back it has gained a dry carbon spoiler exclusive to this limited-run model.
Customers are able to order the car with a Crystal Black Silica, Crystal White Pearl or WR Blue Pearl paint and Subaru says 100 units will be reserved for the NBR Challenge Package Yellow Edition in Sunrise Yellow that comes with black mirror caps, side sill moldings and yellow side sill plates with the “S207” logo.

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