Subaru to Debut New Impreza G4 STI Concept Plus BRZ Black Edition and STI Studies at the 2012 Tokyo Auto Salon

Subaru has outlined its presence at the upcoming Tokyo Auto Salon 2012 with NAPAC (Japan Car Parts and Aftermarket Promotion Association) that takes place at the Makuhari Messe from January 13 to 15, 2012.

The new Impreza G4 STI Concept and a pair of new BRZ studies will highlight the Japanese automaker's stand at the show.

Starting with the Impreza G4 STI Concept and before you get overly excited, you may want to know that it is based on the regular JDM Impreza G4 2.0i-S sedan with the company's STI division adding several styling and performance goods.

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Next Subaru WRX to get a Turbocharged Version of the BRZ's 2.0-Liter Engine with Around 270HP

The pundits over at Motor Trend magazine are reporting today that a spokesperson from Subaru of America has confirmed that the next iteration of the WRX will mark a return to a smaller displacement 2.0-liter flat four engine instead of the 2.5-liter motor used on the current model.

The Subaru rep said that new engine would be a turbocharged version of the firm's FA20 unit found under the hood of the newly revealed Subaru BRZ and its Scion FR-S and Toyota 86 siblings, with a targeted output of around 270-horsepower.

The FA20 engine, which in naturally aspirated form produces 200-horses and 205Nm (151 lb-ft) of peak torque, is more compact than the 2.0-liter boxer from the FB family of engines used on the latest Impreza and Forester, while it also benefits from Toyota’s “D-4S” direct injection and port injection technology.

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If Looks Could Kill: Meet the 1999 Subaru Impreza Casa Blanca Limited Edition

Subaru is one of those automakers that will either bore you to death or irk you with the styling of its products, but scarcely, if ever, cause any excitement with its designs.

The Impreza series is a characteristic example going from boredom to controversial and vice versa not only with each new restyling, but sometimes even within the same generation.

Time to meet the Impreza Casa Blanca - a special edition version of the first generation Sport Wagon with the 1.5-liter boxer engine that was introduced in Japan in 1999 to address the craze consumers had for retro styled cars at the time.

And yes, you read that correctly: the Casa Blanca isn't a abomination creation from some unknown coachbuilder but an official Subaru product and it was produced from 1999 to 2000 in a limited run of 5,000 units!

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Subaru's New JDM Impreza Sport Hatch and G4 Sedan Break Cover in Tokyo

While the new BRZ coupe and the Sports Advance Tourer concept are the ones to watch out for at Subaru's Tokyo Motor Show stand, the Japanese automaker also revealed the much more important from a sales perspective, domestic market versions of its new Impreza. Read more »

Fiat Abarth 500 Takes on Subaru Impreza WRX STI on Italian Track [Video]

The Abarth 500, especially when fitted with the 'essesse' performance package that lifts the 1.4-liter turbocharged engine's output to 160-horses, is a capable little beast for its size and price, but is that enough to challenge a previous generation Subaru Impreza WRX STI on the racetrack?

Well, as any driver with some experience on the circuit will tell you, it’s as much about the car as it is about the person sitting behind the wheel. That said, the Abarth 500 shouldn't come close to an STI in the right hands but it's plausible under certain circumstances.

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Subaru Unleashes Crown Jewel of JDM Impreza STi Series with New S206 [51 Photos]

The good news for those wanting to burn some cash on a hot set of wheels is that Subaru has unwrapped a new special edition version of its Impreza STI sports sedan called the S206. The bad news isn't that only 300 will be built, but that all cars will be only available in Japan.

Billed by Subaru as the "crown of STI tuned cars", the new Impreza WRX STI S206 follows on from previous “S” versions, such as the S203, S204 and S205.

So what's special about the new STI model? Well, for starters, the S206 employs exclusive Bilstein dampers, STi coil springs, a flexible front tower bar and draw stiffener, which promise to further improve the car’s precise and quick cornering response.

The S206 rides on a new set of 19-inch BBS aluminum wheels, which have been designed exclusively for this model, and are shod in Michelin Pilot Super Sport tires.

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From 0 to Crash in 18 Seconds: Subaru Impreza STI Track Racer Bummer

Imagine this: you're all suited up, complete with racing helmet, gloves and shoes, bolted in the racing bucket seat of a Subaru Impreza WRX STI with your buddy by your side to experience the thrill of a life time on the race track.

But alas; as soon as the flag goes down your STI stalls and the engine shuts off. Your friend chuckles but no worries, just turn the key and fire up the turbocharged flat four and let's take it from the start.

Okay, we're ready now and yes, 18 seconds later you've reached the final cone and you can unleash the awesome power of Subaru's boxer engine only to…crash into a wall! On the bright side, you may have just set a new track record for the fastest crash ever…

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Subaru Shows Off Custom, Classic and Racing Cars at 2011 SEMA

The Specialty Equipment Market Association show in Las Vegas doesn't seem to inspire Subaru as much as one would expect.

The company's offerings are limited to a couple of racecars including the WRX STI with which Mark Higgins set the fastest production car lap at the Isle of Man this past summer, a pair of 2012 Impreza models accessorized with genuine Subaru parts, a Kicked Audio WRX STI hatch and a fully restored 1986 XT 4WD Turbo coupe.

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JDM 2012 Subaru Impreza G4 Sedan and Sport Hatchback Detailed in Brochure Shots

The first pictures and details of the Japanese domestic market [JDM] 2012 Subaru Impreza have emerged online thanks to a set of brochure shots that were leaked before the official presentation on November 30.

As most of you probably expected, the JDM model is a carbon copy of the North American version of the new Impreza, which goes on sale in the States next month. In Japan, the hatchback model will carry the Sport designation while the sedan will be called G4.

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IAA 2011: Subaru Launches Impreza-Based XV Crossover

Subaru lifted the wraps off its new competitor in the small crossover segment at this week's Frankfurt Motor Show. The Japanese firm's Nissan Qashqai rival is based on the Impreza, but comes with a different body style and a jacked up suspension that provides close to 220mm or more than 8.5 inches of ground clearance.

The compact sized model measures 4,450mm in length, 1,780mm in width and 1,570mm in height and will launch in Europe with a choice of three boxer engines, including 1.6-liter and 2.0-liter gasoline units, and a 2.0-liter turbo diesel.

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Subaru Continues Slow Striptease of Impreza-Based XV Crossover

The slow drumbeat carries on in advance of the official world premiere of the new 2012 Subaru XV crossover at next month's Frankfurt auto show, with the latest teaser photo providing us an unobstructed view of hatchback model's rear and side profile.

The Impreza-based XV, which could make it into North America as a replacement to the Impreza Sport Outback, was displayed as a concept model at the 2011 Shanghai Auto Show earlier this year.

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Subaru Announces Pricing for New 2012 Impreza, Starts at $18,245*

The all-new 2012 Subaru Impreza will arrive in U.S. showrooms in the beginning of November, and the Japanese carmaker announced today that its starting price will be $17,495 before the $750 destination charge (*$18,245 total) for the base four-door Impreza 2.0i with a manual gearbox, meaning that the starting price remains unchanged over the outgoing model. Read more »

Subaru Teases Frankfurt-Bound XV Crossover

From the moment we saw the XV Concept at the Shanghai Motor Show last April, we knew that it was a thinly disguised study of Subaru’s new Impreza-based crossover. And we were right: the Japanese company announced today that the production version of the XV will make its world premiere at the opening of the Frankfurt Motor Show on September 13. Read more »

Subaru Signs MoU to Manufacture Compact SUV in Malaysia

Subaru’s parent company Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd. (FHI) today announced that it has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Tan Chong Group for the local production of an unnamed compact SUV in Malaysia.

The only compact SUV in Subaru’s current range is the Forester, though the vehicle in question may be the upcoming Impreza-based crossover that was previewed by the XV Concept (pictured above) at the 2011 Shanghai Auto Show in China this past April.

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Mark Higgins to Race Subaru Cosworth Impreza STI CS400 Against Supercars at Pageant of Power

Subaru will take on a wide array of supercars including the Ariel Atom V8, Lamborghini LP570-4 Performante, McLaren MP4-12C and Noble M600 at this month’s Cholmondeley Pageant of Power, which is billed as “the UK’s biggest celebration of power and speed”.

The Japanese company will compete in the race with its limited-edition Cosworth Impreza STI CS400, driven by none other than Mark Higgins, the former British Rally Champion who recently set the production road car lap record for the Isle of Man TT circuit in an Impreza WRX STI

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Subaru Sets New Isle of Man Lap Record with Standard Impreza WRX STI

Subaru has managed to break the long-standing lap record for a production vehicle at the Isle of Man TT circuit set 21 years ago on June 6, 1990, by the late Tony Pond in a Rover 827 Vitesse, with a production-spec Subaru Impreza WRX STI saloon driven by former British Rally Champion Mark Higgins. Read more »

Too Close for Comfort: Subaru Impreza WRX Flips Over Right in Front of Spectators in Canada

A fun track day at the Toronto Motorsports Park near the town of Cayuga in Ontario, Canada, almost turned tragic for both the driver and many of the spectators gathered behind the safety wall when an older generation Subaru Impreza WRX flipped over after exiting a corner.

From the video, it looks like the driver of the Impreza took the corner wider and faster than he was ready for and as a result crashed into, or rather ran over, the safety haystack near the wall, which acted as a launching ramp lifting the car into the air only inches away from the spectators. The car then landed on its rooftop several feet away.

According to eyewitnesses, the driver of the Subaru, who was wearing a helmet, was shaken but...not stirred. But enough talking already. Follow the break to watch both the incident as it happened and the aftermath.

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Forza Motorsport 4: Here’s how they Record Car Engine Sounds

Long gone are the days when video game developers used simple electronic instruments to emulate car engine sounds for their racing games. Now, thanks to a dramatic increase in video games sales, which of course resulted in huge budgets, developers can justify the costs of recording the actual sounds of each car featured in their games.

For those of you wondering how it’s done, the tech-savvy crew over at Electricpig were invited to Redmond, Seattle by the creator of the Forza Motorsport gaming series, Turn 10 Studios, to witness the recording of a previous generation Subaru Impreza WRX STI.

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New Subaru XV Concept Teased Ahead of 2011 Shanghai Auto Show

In the run-up to the Auto Shanghai 2011 that takes place in China from April 21 through 28, Subaru has released the first official photo of a brand-new crossover study called the XV Concept. The Japanese company did not give out many details on the concept simply stating that the XV is a stylish proposal for a crossover model. Read more »

All-New 2012 Subaru Impreza: First Official Photo of the Production Version of the LA Show Concept

At last year’s LA Auto Show, Subaru unveiled an impressive concept for the new Impreza hinting at the production model that would follow. Now it’s time for the Japanese company to give us our first glimpse of the all-new 2012 Impreza, which will receive its world premiere in both 4-door sedan and 5-door hatchback version at the 2011 New York International Auto Show (April 22- May 1).

For now, all we get is a single view of the 2012 Impreza sedan’s side and the promise from Subaru that the new design will provide “a roomier interior and improved levels of comfort and refinement” with the company adding that it will deliver up to 36mph on the highway (equal to 6.5 lt/100km).

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