AutoblogGreen

Subaru offers a few more details of Advanced Tourer Concept hybrid

Sebastian Blanco — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 08:02:00 EST

Filed under: Hybrid, Subaru, Tokyo Motor Show

Hot on the heels of the LA Auto Show (full coverage days coming up next week), the Tokyo Motor Show will shift the auto industry media's focus over to the land of companies that have taken quite a hit this year (see: Earthquake, Japan and Flooding, Thailand). The troubles have rippled through the industry, but that doesn't mean that we can't look forward to better times. To that end, meet the latest green vehicle idea from Fuji Heavy Industries: the Subaru Advanced Tourer Concept car.

An update of sorts to 2009's Hybrid Tourer Concept, the Advanced Tourer Concept uses a downsized 1.6-liter direct fuel injection turbo engine and a lithium-ion battery feeding energy to all four wheels through a Lineartronic continuously variable transmission. (That's how we read the line "Subaru's original hybrid system has been developed to harmonize with the Symmetrical AWD technology," anyway.) Two years ago, Subaru's concept used a 2.0-liter turbo boxer mill.

Subaru has said it will go hybrid with its own technology (and not Toyota's) in 2013, but there was no official word on exactly when or how (in what model) the Advanced Tourer Concept might hit showrooms, but those of you waiting for an AWD Subie hybrid now have another concept to lust over. Like it?

Continue reading Subaru offers a few more details of Advanced Tourer Concept hybrid

Subaru offers a few more details of Advanced Tourer Concept hybrid originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Tue, 08 Nov 2011 08:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2013 gas-electric Subaru to feature mild hybrid setup, not Toyota's tech

Eric Loveday — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 13:00:00 EST

Filed under: Hybrid, Subaru

There's no questioning that Toyota dominates the hybrid vehicle segment. So of course Subaru wants to ditch Toyota's Hybrid Synergy Drive technology in favor of its in-house-developed mild hybrid system for the automaker's first-ever hybrid vehicle.

According to Just Auto and contrary to expectations, that's the route Subaru will reportedly follow with its scheduled-to-launch-in-2013 hybrid vehicle. The model has not been named, but the new hybrid will most likely be the Legacy and will launch in Japan. Some reports continue to speculate that either the Impreza or Legacy will be first in line to get the gas-electric tech here in the States in 2014.

Back in 2009, Subaru displayed the Hybrid Tourer, a project it worked on with Toyota, at the Tokyo Motor Show. That concept, which never made it to production, used a direct injected version of Subaru's 2.0-liter turbo boxer engine. Maybe Subaru's classic "hybrids are not worth the money" video was more descriptive of the company's mindset than anyone knew.

Continue reading 2013 gas-electric Subaru to feature mild hybrid setup, not Toyota's tech

2013 gas-electric Subaru to feature mild hybrid setup, not Toyota's tech originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Thu, 29 Sep 2011 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2012 Subaru Impreza: America's most fuel-efficient AWD vehicle priced from $17,495*

Eric Loveday — Fri, 19 Aug 2011 15:55:00 EST

Filed under: MPG, Subaru

2012 Subaru Impreza - Click above for high-res image gallery

America's most fuel-efficient all-wheel-drive vehicle, the 2012 Subaru Impreza, starts at an almost-unbelievably low price of just $17,495 (*plus $750 for destination). That's right, the up-to-36-miles-per-gallon rated 2012 Impreza checks in at well below $20,000.

Subaru has announced pricing for its redesigned Impreza, with the four-door 2.0i equipped with a five-speed manual transmission starting at $17,495. Opting for the Lineartronic continuously variable transmission (CVT) means you'll have to pay at least $18,495 for the four-door and $18,995 for the five-door hatchback, but it's only the CVT trans-equipped Imprezas that return an estimated 27 mpg city and 36 mpg highway, so the $1,000 price bump, in our humble opinion, is worth every penny. Your wallet will most likely agree, but do the math before buying.

2012 Impreza Buyers can upgrade their all-wheel-drive rides by opting for the 2.0i Premium package ($18,795), Sport Premium ($20,295) or Limited ($21,595). New for 2012 is a Sport Limited model.

The 2012 Impreza will hit dealerships in November of 2011. Continue past the jump for pricing details on the all-wheel-drive lineup of completely redesigned Imprezas.

Continue reading 2012 Subaru Impreza: America's most fuel-efficient AWD vehicle priced from $17,495*

2012 Subaru Impreza: America's most fuel-efficient AWD vehicle priced from $17,495* originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Fri, 19 Aug 2011 15:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Confirmed: Subaru to launch first-ever hybrid vehicle in 2013

Eric Loveday — Thu, 07 Jul 2011 16:55:00 EST

Filed under: Hybrid, Subaru, Japan, USA

Subaru Hybrid Tourer concept - Click above for high-res image gallery

Subaru has officially confirmed it will enter the hybrid segment in 2013 with the launch of an undisclosed gas-electric vehicle. Reports point to some sort of Subaru vehicle, packed with Toyota's hybrid technology, debuting over in Japan in 2013. For the record, Subaru has not announced whether this hybrid vehicle will be U.S.-bound.

Some reports claim that Subaru's fuel-sipping vehicle will be loosely based on the automaker's Hybrid Tourer concept that debuted at the Tokyo Motor Show back in 2009. While others speculate that it will be either the Impreza or Legacy that gets Toyota's gas-electric technology. Regardless, Subaru's first-ever hybrid vehicle will makes its debut in 2013.

Photos copyright (C)2011 Jonathon Ramsey / AOL

[Source: Fuji Heavy Industries]

Continue reading Confirmed: Subaru to launch first-ever hybrid vehicle in 2013

Confirmed: Subaru to launch first-ever hybrid vehicle in 2013 originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Thu, 07 Jul 2011 16:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Subaru's zero-waste scheme a money maker, job saver

Eric Loveday — Fri, 10 Jun 2011 08:53:00 EST

Filed under: Manufacturing/Plants, Subaru, USA

The clever zero-waste Subaru of Indiana Automotive (SIA) factory in Lafayette, IN, has, on several occasions, gotten awards for doing its part to clean up the environment. Distinctions include winning the EPA's Gold Achievement Award back in 2006, pumping out more than 100,000 Partial Zero Emissions Vehicles and operating for nearly four years without taking out the trash (as in, they didn't generate any).

But the real surprise is that Subaru's zero-waste scheme is a money maker and a job saver. In its 22-year history, the SIA factory has rolled out more than three million vehicles and has never resorted to layoffs. Instead, it's given workers a pay rate increase every year since its inception. Dean Schroeder, a management professor at Valparaiso University, called the plant a "strict dollars-and-cents, moneymaking-and-savings calculation."

Back in 2002, SIA set a five-year target of becoming the first zero-landfill automotive factory in the U.S. Tom Easterday, Subaru of Indiana's executive vice president, told Automotive News (sub. req.) that:

Everyone quickly saw the green dividend of not wasting anything. You reduce packaging, negotiate a better deal from suppliers, and everyone then shares in the savings.

Get this: the factory's workers even get bonuses, including the grand prize of a Subaru Legacy, for assisting SIA in eliminating packaging and unnecessary steps on the assembly line. How's that for a perk?

[Source: Automotive News - sub. req.]

Subaru's zero-waste scheme a money maker, job saver originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Fri, 10 Jun 2011 08:53:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2012 Subaru Impreza to get estimated 36 mpg highway

Eric Loveday — Sat, 09 Apr 2011 13:37:00 EST

Filed under: MPG, Subaru, New York Auto Show

2012 Subaru Impreza - Click above for high-res image

Subaru is set to officially reveal the 2012 Impreza at the New York Auto Show towards the end of April. Ahead of its debut, the automaker has released a single profile shot of the four-door version of the soon-to-be released Impreza.

Subaru's extremely brief press blurb doesn't reveal much in the way of specific details on the upcoming Impreza, but it does say that the vehicle "will deliver 36 miles per gallon highway, the highest fuel economy [manufacturer's estimate] of any all-wheel drive car on sale in the United States." To put that estimate into perspective, the current 2011 Impreza, when fitted with a 2.5-liter engine and five-speed manual transmission, is officially rated at 27 mpg highway.

We're told that both the four-door and five-door versions of the 2012 Impreza will take to the stage at the 2011 NYIAS and you can bet that we'll be on the scene in New York to capture live shots of the unveilings.

[Source: Subaru, Green Car Reports]

Continue reading 2012 Subaru Impreza to get estimated 36 mpg highway

2012 Subaru Impreza to get estimated 36 mpg highway originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Sat, 09 Apr 2011 13:37:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Subaru Nordic mulling natural gas conversions for Legacy, Outback

Eric Loveday — Mon, 14 Feb 2011 08:58:00 EST

Filed under: Subaru, Natural Gas, Europe/EU

2010 Subaru Legacy 2.5GT - Click above for high-res image gallery

Subaru Nordic (SN) has, according to a report from The Local, announced its desire to open a manufacturing plant in western Sweden. There's some indication that SN is eying a vacant Saab site in the city of Trollhattan and word is that compressed natural gas (CNG) conversions for the Legacy and Outback models are part of the automaker's plan.

SN communications director, Thomas Possling, told The Local that a final decision will be made within months, but he declined to discuss specific details. However, Possling did indicate that SN is actively working with BRC Gas Equipment, a manufacturer of CNG conversion kits and perhaps coincidentally, a renter of a vacant Saab facility.

Possling pointed out that SN operates independent of Subaru Japan, stating:

The thing is, the project is a Swedish project, it's not Subaru Japan or [parent company] Fuji Heavy Industries. It's a Nordic area project with BRC. From Subaru Japan, we only have technical support. They are not involved in this project in any other way.

Therefore, it's expected that the Legacy and Outback models would undergo the CNG conversions after being shipped in from Japan and offered, in limited numbers, in Sweden and Finland.

Photos by Chris Paukert / Copyright (C)2011 AOL

[Source: The Local]

Report: Subaru Nordic mulling natural gas conversions for Legacy, Outback originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Mon, 14 Feb 2011 08:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rumormill: Subaru hybrid headed to U.S. in 2013

Eric Loveday — Mon, 17 Jan 2011 18:53:00 EST

Filed under: Hybrid, Subaru

Subaru Hybrid Tourer Concept - Click above for high-res image gallery

Subaru finally appears ready to enter the hybrid segment. This conclusion stems from numerous rumors and reports that the Japanese automaker, which has strong ties with Toyota, aims to launch it first hybridized vehicle by the end of 2012. However, Subaru's tight-lipped approach prevents us from confirming what vehicle the automaker will use to introduce its hybrid to the world. Initial speculation puts the fuel-sipping technology into either the Legacy or Impreza platform. Additionally, Reuters claims that Subaru's hybrid is coming in 2012 and will be U.S.-bound sometime in 2013.

On the sidelines of this year's Detroit Auto Show, Reuters prodded Tom Doll, chief operating officer of Subaru of America, seeking insight into the automaker's hybrid plans. Doll stated, "We're going to need something at some point, even (only) to say we have it because that enhances our brand image in the market." Subaru is, of course, not officially confirming the launch of any hybrid vehicle, so we'll just have to stay tuned.

Gallery: Subaru Hybrid Tourer concept

[Source: Reuters]

Rumormill: Subaru hybrid headed to U.S. in 2013 originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Mon, 17 Jan 2011 18:53:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Production of Subaru Stella electric to end in 2012?

Eric Loveday — Tue, 04 Jan 2011 08:59:00 EST

Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Manufacturing/Plants, Subaru, Japan

Subaru Stella electric - Click above for high-res image gallery

In 2012, Fuji Heavy Industries, the maker of Subaru-branded automobiles, intends to halt minivehicle production. The exact timing of the suspension has not been announced, but it seems likely that when Fuji Heavy withdraws from the minivehicle segment, the automaker's only electric vehicle, the battery-powered Subaru Stella, will cease to exist.

Fuji Heavy introduced the ¥4.73 million ($58,028 U.S. at the current exchange rate) plug-in Stella back in July of 2009. The electric minivehicle was initially offered for fleet use and most of the models shipped out to Japanese corporations and local governments. Production volume of the electric Stella is low, as the automaker intends to sell only 400 units by the end of March 2011, but the battery-powered mini is Subaru's only plug-in offering, and losing it would, at least temporarily, knock Subaru out of the electric segment. Is that where an automaker wants to be right now?

Gallery: Subaru Stella EV

[Source: The Japan Times]

Report: Production of Subaru Stella electric to end in 2012? originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Tue, 04 Jan 2011 08:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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LA Preview: Subaru will present new "Confidence in Motion" green concept

Sebastian Blanco — Tue, 02 Nov 2010 10:57:00 EST

Filed under: MPG, Subaru, LA Auto Show

Subaru is teasing a concept for the LA Auto Show under the new "Confidence in Motion" slogan. Will it be a plug-in, a hybrid or just a more efficient ICE vehicle? We have no idea (yet), but the president and CEO of Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd., the maker of Subaru vehicles, Ikuo Mori, will take the stage in LA soon enough to spill the beans. All Subaru is saying right now is that "Confidence in Motion" is meant to "enhance the Subaru brand." It's also, apparently, meant to send a strong green message:

Subaru will proactively address global environmental issues and the demands of ever-maturing automobile use. Subaru believes automobiles should be more than just a means of simple transportations. They should also be a source of enjoyment, and enjoyment rests on a foundation of peace of mind. These two inseparable values are central to the Subaru experience. As customer expectations are diversifying, Subaru will foresee these needs with independent thinking and continue to offer enjoyment and peace of mind without losing sight of the essence of what an automobile should be.

Yeah, we're not sure what to make of that, either, but we'll get all the details on November 17th direct from Los Angeles.

[Source: Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd.]

Continue reading LA Preview: Subaru will present new "Confidence in Motion" green concept

LA Preview: Subaru will present new "Confidence in Motion" green concept originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Tue, 02 Nov 2010 10:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Toyota, Subaru turn to Toray for carbon fiber body panels

Eric Loveday — Tue, 12 Oct 2010 18:58:00 EST

Filed under: Emerging Technologies, Subaru, Toyota, Green Daily, Lightweight

Toray Industries, a leading producer of carbon fiber material, will begin supplying both Toyota and Fuji Heavy Industries (parent company of Subaru) with the lightweight product for use on upcoming vehicles. Toyota will reportedly use the carbon fiber to produce hoods and roofs for the Lexus LFA, a limited production sports car, and Fuji Heavy will offer optional carbon fiber roofs on several of Subaru's sportier offerings.

Carbon fiber is expected to become quite common in the automotive market and Toray's revolutionary production method, which substantially reduces costs, will make the material more accessible to automakers. Carbon fiber is touted for its weight-reducing qualities, which allows automakers to trim mass from vehicles and increase fuel efficiency at the same time. Toyota kicks off production of the LFA this December and the company claims that the unique sports car will become the first mass-produced, Japanese-built auto to employ carbon fiber body panels

[Source: Green Car Congress]

Toyota, Subaru turn to Toray for carbon fiber body panels originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Tue, 12 Oct 2010 18:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fuji Heavy unveils third-generation Subaru Boxer engine; claims 10% boost in efficiency

Eric Loveday — Wed, 29 Sep 2010 18:36:00 EST

Filed under: MPG, Subaru, Green Daily

Subaru's Third-Generation Boxer Engine - Click above for high-res image

Subaru first deployed its horizontally opposed Boxer engine back in 1966. Twenty-three years later, the second-generation Boxer debuted in the 1989 Legacy. Now, after 21 years of success, Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd. (FHI), parent company of Subaru, is ready to reveal the third-generation Boxer engine.

Third-generation improvements are aimed at improving fuel efficiency and driving performance. This all-new Boxer mill features a lengthened stroke, a compact combustion chamber, optimized intake ports and employs an EGR (exhaust gas recirculation) cooler. Additional modifications include the use of lightweight internals, an AVCS (active valve control system), improvements to the cooling system and a compact oil pump.

The third-generation Boxer engine maintains all of the benefits of the horizontally-opposed layout: compact, low center of gravity and lack of vibration, but the mill now boasts a claimed 10-percent improvement in efficiency and the ability to meet looming emissions standards. FHI will build the latest Boxer engine at its newly-constructed factory within the confines of its Gunma Oizumi Plant.

[Source: Fuji Heavy Industries]

Continue reading Fuji Heavy unveils third-generation Subaru Boxer engine; claims 10% boost in efficiency

Fuji Heavy unveils third-generation Subaru Boxer engine; claims 10% boost in efficiency originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Wed, 29 Sep 2010 18:36:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Toyota to build Ractis subcompact for Subaru

Eric Loveday — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 11:01:00 EST

Filed under: MPG, Subaru, Toyota, Green Daily, Lightweight

Toyota Ractis - Click above for high-res image gallery

Starting this fall, Subaru of Japan will add a subcompact model to its lineup of vehicles courtesy of Toyota. The Nikkei is reporting that Toyota will supply subcompact cars on the OEM level to Fuji Heavy Industries, parent company of Subaru. For Toyota, the decision to supply finished vehicles to a rival Japaneses automaker is a company first. Toyota currently holds a 16.5 percent stake in Subaru and that has undoubtedly impacted its decision to supply vehicles to one of its main competitors.

Information on the Toyota-Subaru subcompact deal is sparse, but the Nikkei writes:

Toyota is expected to supply the Ractis subcompact, which is available with a 1.3- or 1.5-liter engine. It will likely make some slight modifications to the vehicles destined for its partner when the Ractis goes through a full remodeling. About 10,000 units will likely be shipped to Fuji Heavy a year. Subaru decided to receive subcompacts from Toyota on the view that demand for such low-priced, fuel-efficient vehicles will grow. The current Subaru lineup does not include any 1.3- to 1.5-liter models. Plans also call for Toyota to provide technologies for hybrid vehicles.

If the deal pans out, Toyota will benefit from increased sales of its Ractis model, while Subaru will profit from the immediate availability of a fuel-efficient subcompact. In addition, the deal will allow Subaru to focus solely on its highly successful lineup of core vehicles.

Gallery: Toyota Ractis

[Source: Nikkei -- sub. req. via Green Car Congress]

Report: Toyota to build Ractis subcompact for Subaru originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Tue, 29 Jun 2010 11:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Subaru to offer diesel engine option on next-gen STi

Eric Loveday — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 09:01:00 EST

Filed under: Diesel, Subaru, Green Daily

2010 Subaru Impreza WRX STI Special Edition - Click above for high-res image gallery

Hey, if Mitsubishi is doing it, then Subaru might as well follow along, right? In case you missed it, Autocar reported that Mitsubishi will employ a diesel hybrid powerplant in the next-gen Evo XI scheduled for debut in 2013. It looks like Mitsubishi will rely solely upon the diesel hybrid to propel its Evo XI down the road, but Subaru has chosen the less risky path by offering a diesel option for its 2012 Impreza STi.

Autocar reports that the next-gen STi will be offered with a hopped-up version of the company's 2.0-liter turbocharged diesel currently offered in Imprezas that aren't U.S. bound. The move to diesel power is driven by those pesky, stringent emissions regulations that are quickly closing in. According to Autocar's "inside sources," the diesel mill will not be the lone engine option. Apparently, Subaru is also considering a downsized four-cylinder powerplant, possibly the company's 1.5-liter, an engine which currently sits between the fenders of base Imprezas found in markets outside of the U.S. For both the Evo and STi, the move to diesel will undoubtedly create quite a stir but if the choice is either efficient diesel power or axing the model, then the right decision has clearly been made.

[Source: Autocar]

Subaru to offer diesel engine option on next-gen STi originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Thu, 17 Jun 2010 09:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Subaru VP says sales boosted by efficient powertrains, safety and value

Eric Loveday — Mon, 12 Apr 2010 13:02:00 EST

Filed under: Subaru, Green Daily

2010 Subaru Legacy - Click above for high-res image gallery

Consumer downsizing is a term automakers use to describe the current trend in car buying. In the real world, it means searching for small, efficient cars to replace gas guzzling behemoths. For Subaru, this trend continues to lift sales up at a remarkable rate.

Subaru has witnessed a 40 percent sales increase from last year and reported 2010 first-quarter sales of 57,494 units, a three-month all-time sales record for Subaru. The company's recent introduction of the continuously variable transmission (CVT) has increased mileage ratings across most models and contributes to near best-in-class efficiency. The company doesn't credit all of its recent sales successes to efficiency alone, since miles per gallon can only get you so far (ba-da-bing!). Subaru executive vice president Tom Doll told Ward's Auto:

Our cars have always done well in the used market. Our cars have always done well in crash-testing. But now we're finally being recognized, and that's driving a lot of people to take a look at our products. And we've got cars with all-wheel-drive capability and outstanding fuel economy - what's not to like? And in this market today, when people are coming out of SUVs and trucks, we're filling that void.

Subaru has reported sales gains in eight of the past ten months and appears to have found that magic formula for success in a weakened economy - efficiency, safety, resale value and positive vehicle reviews. Mix all four just right, add a pinch of something special, and sales just might skyrocket.

[Source: Ward's Auto]

Subaru VP says sales boosted by efficient powertrains, safety and value originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Mon, 12 Apr 2010 13:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Subaru still considering diesel boxer engine for U.S. if fuel price drops

Eric Loveday — Sun, 11 Apr 2010 09:23:00 EST

Filed under: Diesel, Subaru, Green Daily

Its hard to believe that we first reported that Subaru could bring its much-anticipated diesel engine here to the U.S. over three years ago. Between then and now, the company has remained indecisive due to high diesel fuel prices and stringent emissions requirements here. Needless to say, the diesel boxer is still nowhere to be found stateside, but this might change soon.

The company's first horizontally-opposed boxer diesels have rolled out in Europe, and Subaru's executive vice president Tom Doll said the diesel engine is a hot seller over there, so much so that Subaru total sales are increasing. Doll tempered our excitement by saying Subaru is not confident that the U.S. is ready for the oil burner just yet and that bringing the powerplant here will require a lot of things to fall into place perfectly. Doll told Ward's Auto what will need to happen:

The emissions requirements in the U.S. are significant. And given the price of diesel fuel, where it is right now, it really does not pay to bring the vehicle into the U.S. We're trying to see what happens. As the market sorts itself out, we'll get ready, and then look at bringing the car (here).

Our chance of getting this powerplant seems slim but new CAFE regulations requiring upwards of 35 miles per gallon by 2016 could convince Subaru that the time to offer Americans a diesel is now.

[Source: Ward's Auto]

Subaru still considering diesel boxer engine for U.S. if fuel price drops originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Sun, 11 Apr 2010 09:23:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rumormill: Subaru Impreza Hybrid coming in 2012?

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 08:03:00 EST

Filed under: Hybrid, Subaru

Subaru Hybrid Tourer Concept - Click above for high-res image gallery

This much we know: Subaru is ready to get into the hybrid marketplace. This much is a given following numerous rumors and reports that the Japanese automaker, which is currently tied at the hip to Toyota, wants to have its first hybridized vehicle on the market by 2012. Further, Subaru showed off its Hybrid Tourer concept at the Tokyo Motor Show late last year.

Here's what we don't know: What vehicle will Subaru use to introduce the world to its hybrid drivetrain? Initial speculation put the fuel-sipping technology into the larger Legacy platform, if for no other reason than the fact that the Legacy is Subaru's flagship sedan in the States. What's more, the aforementioned Hybrid Tourer concept wasn't exactly a little car.

Now, though, Road & Track is reporting that the next-gen Impreza, due quite fortuitously in 2012, will be Subie's first hybrid. We'd be shocked if Subaru's hybrid tech wasn't borrowed from Toyota, which is undoubtedly the world leader in hybrids, and it seems equally as likely that Subaru's favored flat-four Boxer motor would be featured. Besides that, we're in the dark.

Gallery: Subaru Hybrid Tourer concept

[Source: Road & Track]

Rumormill: Subaru Impreza Hybrid coming in 2012? originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Fri, 05 Mar 2010 08:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rumormill: Subaru planning to revive SVX with coupe version of Hybrid Tourer

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 08:06:00 EST

Filed under: Hybrid, Subaru, Tokyo Motor Show

Subaru Hybrid Tourer Concept - click above for high-res image gallery

Might Subaru's Hybrid Tourer concept point the way forward to a revival of the iconoclastic SVX from the Nineties? According to AutoExpress, that's a definite maybe. The British motoring mag suggests that the conceptual Hybrid Tourer that's just about to get its debut at the Tokyo Motor Show is a harbinger for a range-topping luxury performance coupe from the Japanese automaker.

If true (and we're not exactly holding our breath), the new coupe would slot well above the expected rear-wheel drive coupe that will share its underpinnings with the upcoming Toyota FT-86, possibly selling for twice the price of its lesser sibling. A turbocharged 2.5-liter boxer four-cylinder engine would provide motivation, though a hybrid model with a drivetrain similar to that of the Tokyo-bound concept may also be possible.

Gallery: Subaru Hybrid Tourer concept

[Source: AutoExpress]

Rumormill: Subaru planning to revive SVX with coupe version of Hybrid Tourer originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Wed, 14 Oct 2009 08:06:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Tokyo Preview: Subaru releases more pics of Hybrid Tourer Concept

Sam Abuelsamid — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 13:02:00 EST

Filed under: Hybrid, Subaru, Tokyo Motor Show

Subaru Hybrid Tourer Concept - click above for high-res image gallery

Subaru has just released a bunch of new images of its Hybrid Tourer concept that will debut next week at the Tokyo Motor Show. The gull-wing wagon/hatch/shooting brake thingy is Subaru's first major cut at a hybrid and the first from anyone using a boxer four cylinder engine. A pair of electric motors provide regenerative braking, pure electric drive and blended electric boost. A lithium ion battery pack provides the energy storage.

Subaru has been working with their partners at Toyota to produce this new hybrid architecture and it will likely appear in production vehicles in the next few years. Besides the hybrid system, the concept also includes a new direct injected version of its 2.0-liter turbo boxer engine that will also probably appear in production vehicles before long.

Gallery: Subaru Hybrid Tourer concept

[Source: Subaru]

Tokyo Preview: Subaru releases more pics of Hybrid Tourer Concept originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Mon, 12 Oct 2009 13:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Tokyo Preview: Subaru Hybrid Tourer looks ready to take flight

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 01:39:00 EST

Filed under: Hybrid, Subaru, Tokyo Motor Show

Subaru Hybrid Tourer Concept - Click above for high-res image gallery

Subaru is adding a green tint to its renowned all-wheel drive technical know-how at the Tokyo Motor Show next month with the Hybrid Tourer Concept. Three separate power sources will share the duties of propelling this concept, depending on the specific set of circumstances.

Naturally, a horizontally-opposed "Boxer" engine - in this case displacing two liters and boasting a turbocharger and direct injection - sits under the hood and sends power to the front wheels when necessary. A Lineartronic CVT transmission is used to promote maximum fuel efficiency.

As is the case with Toyota's Hybrid Synergy Drive, an electric motor is mated up to that gasoline engine and acts as a 10 kW motor when power is needed and a generator to recharge the lithium ion battery pack the rest of the time. A second electric motor sends 20 kW of power to the rear wheels under low-speed driving conditions and when maximum power is required. Because no driveshaft is required to connect the rear differential to the front-mounted engine, Subaru has managed to keep a flat floor for the rear occupants.

Besides the high-tech powertrain, Subaru's Hybrid Tourer Concept sports concept-appropriate touches such as giant wing-like gullwing doors that offer access for both the front- and rear-seat passengers and a dashboard that moves up and down to offer the driver a perfect view ahead. Want to know more? Check out high-res image gallery below and click past the break for the official press release.

Continue reading Tokyo Preview: Subaru Hybrid Tourer looks ready to take flight

Tokyo Preview: Subaru Hybrid Tourer looks ready to take flight originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Wed, 30 Sep 2009 01:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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