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Interest Rates, Leases, Specials July 1- August 3, NW region. 4.9%
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News,
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News,
Reviews,Updates, Articles
Nothing to
do with Subaru but RIP Karl Malden ... Billy Mays, Michael Jackson, Farah
Fawcett, Ed McMahon, Dr Jerri Nielson.
7/1 interest
and lease rates now available on 2010s
7/1 June sales
totals 18,620 up 3.4% from 18,007 last June and down only 1% YTD.
That's big news, Subaru is still only the few car companies that
were up for June 09 over zJune 08, and doing very well YTD. Most everyone
else was down compared to June 08: Toyota -31% (-38% ytd), Honda -29% (-40%
ytd), Nissan -23% (-33% ytd), Ford -10%, BMW -20%, Mazda -42% to
13,729, Porsche -66% to 902 (-36% ytd. Hyundai is doing well with 64,788
for June 09, -17% from June 08 and only -9.4% for the year!
June 09: Forester
6,090 ( the top seller at 36,158 for the year up a modest 45 over last
June), Outback 3,721 (-21% because the 09 clearance and $2000
rebate started months ago was a success and the supply is now very low
but 10s are now out), Impreza 5,041 (+24%), Legacy 2,984 (+28% and dealers
still have a good supply, new July's new Legacy rebates have jumped), Tribeca
784. Total Tribeca sales for the year 3,437, down 49%. Yes there
will be a 2010 Tribeca 7 passenger.
6/29 cup
holder arms race- '... at one point ashtrays occupied the
space that cup holders do today, a Lincoln from the late 1950s had five,
with lighters ..
... I attended a
model debut for the 2009 Subaru Forester in which some of the product development
people boasted that they had created a new breed of cup holder specifically
designed to accommodate 24-ounce bottles..
There used to be
a cadre of car lovers who believed that power windows were a waste of money
and that anything other than an AM/FM radio with two speakers was a distraction
from the pure thrill of driving.... cars have become for many people things
they don't just get in and out of. ... They like to have entertainment
options. They want a designer or an engineer to have thought about seat
ergonomics. If more than one person in a family is driving, they want seats
that can remember different driving positions. They want steering wheels
that telescope and tilt. Passengers want to be able to customize their
temperature zone, be it front or back seat. They want seats that are heated
and cooled... Inside is the new outside. And to give thanks for this, we
only need utter a single, simple phrase: cup holder' read the
article
6/27 SoA
better off because of its niche status. "We shouldn't have the ups
and downs like everyone else," (SoA chief) Doll said. "We kind of
bat out singles."
Subaru's niche is
smallish, rugged crossover vehicles for outdoorsy people of comfortable
means. Even its sedans come with standard all-wheel drive. About 21 percent
of buyers pay cash. The company sold 187,699 cars in 2008, and it now holds
a 1.9 percent market share, its record high...
As an import brand,
Subaru was battered by a weak U.S. dollar in the '80s. Prices for its cars
skyrocketed, and sales collapsed. On corporate performance charts, the
period from 1987 to 1994 is labeled "Valley of Despair."
Subaru climbed out
with the introduction of its hit Outback wagon, memorably promoted by Crocodile
Dundee star Paul Hogan...
The company's strategy
as it waits out the downturn is to lay down a groundwork of strong fundamentals,
including extra-attentive customer service. "Customers have long memories,"
he said, "particularly when times are tight." the
article
6/26 advertising,
is Subaru's Love Your Car ad campaign silly and effective or demeaning
and effective, and if it's effective does it matter? Subaru
'...has an entire campaign devoted to the theme of "love" as the prevailing
emotion evoked by its products. There's even an ad on YouTube.com called
"Love Letters," in which real Subaru owners read personal letters about
their attachments to their cars...
...what bugs me is
our cultural fixation on feelings as the basis for every sort of decision,
from which car we park in our garages to which candidate we elect to public
office.
As a society, we're
much less interested in what something does than in how it makes us feel.
This is why a Subaru is all about "love" while a campaign for the Cadillac
CTS featured Kate Walsh pondering the question, "When you turn your car
on, does it return the favor?" Um ... yuck.
If Thomas Paine made
the 18th century famous as the "Age of Reason," American marketers and
media must certainly be responsible for our current "Age of Emotion." ..
I'd like to think
Subaru buyers are more emotionally mature than their car company believes
them to be. When they say, "I love my Subaru," I'd like to think it's shorthand
for "it's reliable ... it's safe ... runs great ... gets good gas mileage."
By hijacking "love,"
Subaru has reduced its buyers to a trite and emotionally immature lot,
and quite honestly, they haven't done much to uplift the idea of love,
either. Ah, but in the "Age of Emotion," love is everything. Reason, not
so much...' read more from MaryBeth Hicks at the Wa.
Times
6/25 Cash for Clunkers
- President Obama signs the Cash
for Clunkers bill - officially it's the Car Allowance Rebate System
(C.A.R.S.) .
6/24 The 2010 Outback
and Legacy
now on car lots.
Cobtact your local dealer
to set up a time to stop in. These are all new.
6/22 JD Power 90
day new car problem survey for 2009. 'J.D. Power and Associates
2009 Initial Quality StudySM (IQS) released today. Overall, the industry
average for initial quality is 108 problems per 100 (new) vehicles (PP100)
in 2009, down from 118 PP100 in 2008... Lower PP100 scores indicate a lower
rate of problem incidences and higher quality.' read the press
release, ratings
The Top 10: Lexus
with 84 PP100 Problems (per 100 cars sold). Porsche, Cadillac, Hyundai,
Honda, Mercedes, Toyota, Ford, Chevy, Suzuki.
Subaru is #28 on
the 2009 list with app 130 PP100cars sold. At the bottom is Hummer, Jeep,
Saab, Smart, Land Rover, and Mini.
6/21 Forester review
'In the car business, a well respected company named Automotive Lease Guide
publishes estimates of the future, used-car value that today's new models
will command. By its reckoning, Subaru cars rank second to the top in holding
their worth as they age. That's because Subarus age very gracefully, so
that shoppers looking for a good used car pay extra for them.
"We have fabulous
brand loyalty that is the envy of most other manufacturers," said Aaron
Singer of Singer
Subaru (in New Hampshire), echoing a fact well known in the auto trade.
One big reason for those conquests is the 2009 Subaru Forester. The company's
top-selling model by a wide margin, the 2009 Forester came out 13 months
ago. Redesigned and updated, the new Forester arrived just when many shoppers
began looking to downsize from hulking sport-utilities and other extravagant
models to more moderate vehicles that offered some thrift and practicality.
"It came out right
when gas prices were climbing up to $4 per gallon," said Singer. "It was
exactly what people were looking for at exactly the right time."
The Forester is classified
as a compact crossover, competing squarely against the popular Honda CR-V
and Toyota RAV4. They're the two top sellers in the category. But the Forester
boasts of some very impressive distinctions. Motor Trend magazine named
it the 2009 Sport Utility of the Year. Kiplinger's Personal Finance magazine
selected Forester as its Best New Crossover, while Parents magazine placed
the model on its list of Best Family Cars for 2009..
Today, Singer no
longer sees many buyers trading-in enormous SUVs for a Forester. By now
a lot of drivers have already unloaded those once popular giants. Instead,
people are exchanging second-tier, medium-sized sport-utilities like the
Ford Explorer and Jeep Grand Cherokee, said Singer. His dealership also
sees a trend in Forester buyers trading-in mid-sized sedans, such as the
Honda Accord and Toyota Camry.
"People are looking
for all-wheel drive and adequate space, but good gas mileage," Singer summarized.
Even better, said
Singer, the company's momentum should accelerate more, as Subaru brings
out fully redesigned and updated re-makes of its Legacy sedan and Outback
wagon. The official unveiling of the new 2010 versions is scheduled for
September, but Singer hints that you should start looking for them next
month.
"They've done an
incredible engineering job with these new models," he claimed. "They've
made them bigger inside, almost the same size outside, with better gas
mileage, more power, and more creature features. How have they done it?
It appears to be genius to me." read the
article by jeffreyzygmont.com
6/20 Subarus and
other top brands hold their value well. 'Automotive Lease Guide announced
that Japanese carmakers led by Toyota, Honda, Nissan and Subaru were the
top performers among mainstream brands in ALG's Spring 2009 Perceived Quality
Study. Hyundai and Ford showed the strongest year-over-year improvement,
while Lexus, Mercedes-Benz and BMW ranked the highest among luxury brands
and overall. The top five mainstream brands were Toyota, Honda, Nissan,
Subaru and Volkswagen, while Lexus, Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Porsche and Acura
ranked highest among luxury brands...
The top performers
also have industry-leading residual values, as Toyota, Honda, Nissan, and
Subaru have all recently won multiple ALG Residual Value Awards for individual
models..' the
article
6/19 Cash For Clunkers
bill passes.
Will Subarus qualify?
Yes Subarus will qualify. More information will be coming soon but it seems
at least the 4 cylinder models will qualify for the required 22mpg minimum
combined city-hghway EPA rating.
What's a Clunker?
To qualify, it must be 1. driveable 2. insured and registered for the previous
year 3. get a combined MPG of 18 or less
How much will I get?
If the new car is at least 4mpg improvement in the combined EPA rating,
you get $3,500. 10mpg+ improvement gets $4,500 voucher.
How do I find the
EPA ratings? Get the MPG on the new car you want to purchase and on your
Clunker Vehicle
MPG
When will it start
'That is unclear. The legislation takes affect as of July 1, 2009. However,
it will take time for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
(NHTSA) to work out details of the program and set up a procedure for dealerships
to get registered with the program. So, it may be a few weeks, or as long
as a month, before buyers will be able to participate.'
more Subaru
Clunker information here.
6/16 2010 Outback
and Legacy are expected at dealers starting in July
6/11 Crash tests
-
Subaru and most other cars don't do very well on the combined bumper test
by IIHS, testing 6 mph full-width and 3 mph corner impacts. Subaru bumpers
are designed to meet the standard 5mph full-width impact, your common bump
in a parking lot or heavy stop-and-go traffic.Corner bumps, on the other
hand, leave softball sized dents on most cars these days because most bumpers
offer little internal corner support. And that is probably IIHS's point
in doing a 3mph bumper corner test...
From IIHS- '4 tests
(front and rear full-width impacts at 6 mph and front and rear corner impacts
at 3 mph) produce the kinds and amounts of damage that commonly occur in
low-speed collisions. Each vehicle is run into a steel barrier designed
to mimic the design of a car bumper, with the barrier's plastic absorber
and flexible cover simulating typical cars' energy absorbers and plastic
bumper covers. These tests are designed to drive bumper improvements that
lead to better protection from damage in a range of real-world crashes.'
> Test results scores,
from best to worse are 'G' good, 'A' acceptable, 'M' marginal, and 'P'
poor.
> Results in the
final 'overall weighted average damage' column of the midsize
car category are: 2006-2009 Legacy $2080. This is better than
the 06-07 Accord $2373, 06-09 Jetta $2499 and 06-08 Maxima $2562, all which
rate 'P' for Poor. Doing slightly better with a 'M' for Marginal
rating are the 06-09 Galant $1042, the lowest amount, 07-09 Camry $1221,
07-09 Fusion $1325, 06-09 Volvo S40 $1442.. No car in this category
rated either A or G (the best)...
> Results in the
final 'overall weighted average damage' column in the small
car category are: 08-09 Impreza $1435 for a 'M' Marginal rating.
This is similar to the Mazda 3 $1183, nd Nissan Sentra $1234. The lowest
damage amount and an 'A" rating was to the 08-09 Focus $691 and Scion Xb
$892. Getting a bottom 'P' Poor rating was the 09 Corolla $1872, 06-09
Civic $2015, 06-09 Prius $2652, 06-09 Rabbit $2727... for more on
crash tests, child seats etc, click here- safety
6/10 2010 Foresters
and brochures arriving at dealers . 'Premium Lite' - is that an easy
to use name for the new 2010 base Premium without the All Weather
Package? See the new Paprika
color
6/9 Cash For Clunkers?
Not yet but there is progress. The House passed a bill and now it goes
to the Senate which has a different version. There will be economy
standards for both the new car and clunker, and amounts paid will depend
on the new car and clunker, and there would be registration requirements
to prevent buying a clunker just to flip it.
It seems Subarus
would qualify for the new car based on their EPA economy ratings. If this
all comes together, the soonest it could go into effect would be late summer/fall.
6/7 New STI Exhaust-
SPT catback 3" exhaust, gain up to 10hp. Replaces center pipe and muffler.
Fits 09/08 STIs. Available factory installed on 09s.
6/6 More on Oscar
winner Robert De Nero's Subaru Legacy advertisement
'As the boxer Jake
La Motta, he roared the word “Why?” almost 40 times, his bare fists pounding
cruel desolation on to the stone walls of Dade County Stockade.
Nearly 30 years and
two Oscars later, Robert De Niro looks a little different in his latest
performance. He jaunts out of his house, nods archly into the rearview
mirror, and takes off in a Subaru Legacy. Speeding through unidentifiable
Arcady, he passes a sheep. He nearly grins. The words “Love Your Life”
fill the screen...
Fade to nausea.
The 30-second advert
is a horror that can mean only one thing in these dark economic times:
arguably the finest actor in Hollywood has become a star hawking a reasonably
priced Japanese family car.
In honour of their
hard-won thespian megastar, the manufacturers of Subaru, Fuji Heavy Industries,
have not skimped on production values. Compared with Harrison Ford’s pub-based
touting of Kirin lager and Nicholas Cage’s sedentary, crimson-suited pitch
for pinball machines, De Niro’s spot is high art. The director of photography
is Bob Richardson, a two-time Oscar-winner, and the background music is
by the Scottish rock band Travis.
Fuji Heavy keep the
numbers vague, but it is thought that the star of Goodfellas and Cape Fear
was paid about $1.2 million (£750,000) for approximately ten seconds
of on-screen appearance.
De Niro’s decision
to take the Tokyo shilling, say Japanese advertising industry analysts,
is surprising on several levels — not least because De Niro has been in
hot demand from Japan for many years but has previously resisted. Many
other Hollywood stars before him have given in to the temptation of easy
Japanese money: Brad Pitt, Sir Anthony Hopkins, Jodie Foster and Sir Sean
Connery feature prominently on the list, but more than 100 other stars
of music and screen have trodden the same embarrassing path...' the
article
6/5 10 Foresters
and
brochures starting to arrive at dealers (slowly)
6/4 Subaru electric
car goes on sale, 170 cars available in Japan. 'Japan always
gets the latest tech developments before the rest of the world, a fact
reaffirmed by Subaru's move to sell an electric car this July in, you guessed
it, Japan. This battery electric vehicle, built on Subaru's Stella mini
car, doesn't sound particularly impressive from its specifications, but
Subaru is the first major automaker bringing an electric car to market
this decade, preceding the likes of Mitsubishi and Nissan in their efforts.
The Stella EV stores
electricity in a lithium ion battery pack, powering a 47 kilowatt motor.
Range is only about 56 miles, with a top speed of 62 mph. Subaru claims
a recharge time of 15 minutes at a quick charging station, or 5 hours at
a 200 volt AC outlet, which are typical numbers for current technology.
Subaru plans on selling
just 170 units of the electric Stella from late July until March 2010,
the end of its financial year. Price is set at 4,725,000 yen, equal to
about $49,000 at current exchange rates. Buyers will get a subsidy of about
$14,300, according to Subaru's press release.' the
article
6/3 May Sales
total 17,505, down 5% compared to May 08 ( which was 18,436). Year to date
sales are off -2% at 74,686 for the firdt 5 months of 09 compared
to 76,088 in 08. This is really very good compared to other companies.
May sales by model:
Outback 3,400 -25%, Legacy 3,022 +53%, Tribeca 671 -45%, Forester
6,171 -4%, Impreza 4,241 -1%. The 2009 Legacy is up strongly. Is this because
of the attention and press for the new 2010 and people realize Subaru does
make a good sedan, or is it because people are snapping up 09s becuase
they don't want the 10? Forester sales are holding up. Rebates would help
move the 09s as the 10s start arriving soon but no rebates were announced
for the 09 Forester on June 2nd.
Other sales totals
to compare to Subaru for May: General Motors sold 190,881 cars in May
09 vs 268,892 May 08, a –29.0% drop. Subaru would be happy to sell 191,000
for the entire year, and that's what GM sold this past month. Subaru is
a niche car, and not a big company. Toyota sales for the month were down
40% to 152,583 from 257,406 May 08; Honda dropped 41% to 98,344 from 167,997
in May 08; Ford sold 161,197 in May 09 vs 217,268 May 08 a minor
–25.8% compared to Toyota and Honda; Chrysler went bankrupt but still sold
79,010 in May 09 vs 148,747 May 08 a –47% drop. The worst drop for the
month was Suzuki, down -75% to 2,585 from 10,364 May 08 (ouch!).
6/2 2010 Outback,
Legacy model-color selection announced
5/30 many new 10
Outback images finally
uploaded.
5/27 advertising-
who can use England's singing sensation Susan Boyle. 'Which Marketers
Might Want Susan Boyle Singing Their Praises? U.K. Creatives Weigh In on
Potential Brand Partners for 'Britain's Got Talent' Sensation..
Despite a recent
makeover, Susan Boyle is still recognizable as the singing sensation who
surprised the judges at her audition with a stunning rendition of "I Dreamed
a Dream" from "Les Miserables," which attracted a YouTube audience of 60
million. Simon Cowell's close TV aide and former girlfriend, Sinitta, has
suggested Ms. Boyle could become Britain's answer to Oprah...
Mr. Young said she
has potential appeal for brands that are judged by appearance rather than
content. "When we first saw her, we thought she shouldn't be up there.
Then we heard her singing, and we overcame our prejudices. There's an element
of surprise and a hidden talent that would be right for brands with an
ugly exterior....
#5 Subaru. "The cars
get uglier every year," Mr. Young said, "but everyone who looks beyond
appearances and actually drives a Subaru is a massive fan because the performance
is so amazing. You can't help but hate it until you drive it -- and then
you can't help but love it." the
article
5/24 WRX review
in 3 parts from Jalopnik '... Wes Siler, our road test
boffin, keeps saying the 2009 Subaru WRX mixes power and practicality,
outdoing every other performance car on the market. He's also got a big
mouth; let's see if he's right. In fact, Wes talks about it so much I've
decided I have to hate the WRX...
.. Then you hit the
3k (rpm) mark and things take off. The WRX goes from a standstill to 60
MPH in approximately 5.4 seconds, which makes it only three-tenths of a
second slower than both the Challenger R/T and Nissan 370Z. I'm convinced
after driving it the Subaru goes from 0-to-20 MPH in 4.4 seconds and makes
up the rest in the last second when the turbo kicks in. On dirt, squirming
sideways under power, it feels even faster..
.. Looking over the
hood of the WRX you see the massive hood scoop. It's not a distraction.
It's more like the sight on an assault rifle - and all I want to do is
keep pulling the trigger...
The 2009 WRX is both
faster and more fun than either its mid-$20K price tag or its awkward looks
justify. Now I just need to make it home before anyone from my church group
sees me... ' read all of pt
one
Part two '.. Yesterday
(pt one), we discovered what happens when you take the 2009 Subaru WRX
off the beaten path, but what happens when you drive it anywhere else?
The Subaru does not
put its best face forward...
Turbo lag is often
considered a negative, but in this case it gives you enough time to grab
onto something before the car lunges forward. With a conservative 0-to-60
MPH time of 5.4 seconds, there's very little both cheaper and faster...
.. Considering the
sporting credentials of the WRX you wouldn't expect it to be comfortable.
You'd be wrong. It's downright cushy over typical roads and, when the road
disappears, you're anything but jarred despite the low ride-height and
thick front and rear stabilizer bars...
Thirty years from
now we find it hard to imagine a WRX is going to be polished and parked
alongside the pretty metal in some beachfront Concours. Instead, people
competing in LeMons endurance racing will be scouring used car lots and
the internet for this car...' pt
two
'..Why you should
buy the 2009 WRX: You've got the need for speed but also the need for a
car you can live with, the need for a car you can afford to fill up..
Why you shouldn't
buy this car: You've got the need for speed but also the need to drive
a car that looks like it was built for an adult, the need for smooth roads,
the need for big engines, the need for loud noises and the need for something
impractical. pt
three
5/23 Eastside Subaru
reopens under new management in Kirkland, Wa
5/22 Subaru to
buy closed GM or Chrysler dealers? 'Japan's Fuji Heavy
Industries Ltd said on Friday that turmoil among U.S. dealers who face
losing their contracts with Chrysler and General Motors Corp could present
new opportunities for the maker of Subaru cars. Shares of Fuji Heavy
fell 3 percent after the Mainichi newspaper reported that the company was
looking to take on some Chrysler and GM dealerships.
The global slowdown
has forced Chrysler into bankruptcy and burned cash at GM, and they plan
to shutter hundreds of dealerships.
More dealers may
be open to switching to Subaru-brand cars as they fight to survive, Fuji
Heavy spokesman Shinichi Murata said.
"It wouldn't be strange
if the current business climate yielded more opportunities," he said.
Fuji Heavy, popular
with flat-four all-wheel-drive technology enthusiasts, bucked a shrinking
market in the past year and logged flat sales in the United States.
The company, which
16.5 percent held by Toyota Motor Corp, launched its revamped Legacy series
earlier this week and has forecast its operating loss would expand six-fold
to 35 billion yen ($371 million) this financial year...' from Reuters
5/21 Subaru
hybrid? All of a sudden there's a lot
of talk and rumors about a Subaru hybrid coming in a few years based
on Toyota's Prius technology. The new
CAFE and emission standards starting in 2012 will certainly shake up some
boardrooms as intended, changing the way car companies think and the cars
Americans are offered. Subaru of America has for years played peek-a-boo
with hard news of diesels for the US market, dropping hints and tidbits
along the way to maintain interest even though Subaru.
s loyal buyers always
tend to be green and there's strong curiousity for any new model with improved
green economy. Now comes rumors of a hybrid.
These new national
EPA fuel standards may finally accomplish the goal - only 3 days after
Obama's speech and poof- here is news (well, more rumors anyway) of a Subaru
Hybrid developed with 16% partner Toyota's Prius technology. Still, there's
no word on the diesel - perhaps we'll see it in 2010 in a 2011 model mated
to a automatic CVT transmission since Americans don't buy a lot of manuals.
The CVT will be in the new 2010 Legacy and Outback available this summer.
Here's the article on the Subaru
hybrid from wired.com and WSJ.
5/19
Before PZEV there was 'California spec' for cars that met that state's
tough emission and fuel economy standards. Slowly those standards were
adopted by other states including CT, NJ, NY, MA, ME, RI, VT, PA, OR, WA
resulting in 2 emission standards, with Fed spec cars supplied to the rest
of the country. Subaru's own Outback, Legacy and Foresters have been sold
in the 2 versions with a slight price increase for PZEV for years.
The new national
CAFE (corporate average fuel economy) and emission standard will lead to
a 30% reduction in carbon dioxide and other emissions by 2016. Vehicles
sold in 2016 will have to average 35.5 mpg, up from 25 mpg today. The new
single national standard will simplify things for car makers, and are estimated
to cost $1300 but that will be offset by better mileage.
Here is the White
House statement from 5/19/09 'President Obama today – for the first
time in history – set in motion a new national policy aimed at both increasing
fuel economy and reducing greenhouse gas pollution for all new cars and
trucks sold in the United States. The new standards, covering model years
2012-2016, and ultimately requiring an average fuel economy standard of
35.5 mpg in 2016, are projected to save 1.8 billion barrels of oil over
the life of the program with a fuel economy gain averaging more than 5
percent per year and a reduction of approximately 900 million metric tons
in greenhouse gas emissions. This would surpass the CAFE law passed by
Congress in 2007 required an average fuel economy of 35 mpg in 2020...
(this) represents an unprecedented collaboration between the Department
of Transportation (DOT), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the
world’s largest auto manufacturers, the United Auto Workers, leaders in
the environmental community, the State of California, and other state governments..'
the
White House statement
5/18 Washington
State sales tax exemption for most hybrid cars repealed, now ends August
1st.
'The sales tax exemption
for cars with highway mileage of at least 40 miles per gallon took effect
Jan. 1, but was repealed during this year's legislative session. The exemption
ends Aug. 1. Hybrid vehicles will still be exempt from the separate 0.3
percent motor vehicle sales tax until Jan. 1, 2011. New cars that run on
fuels such as natural gas, propane, hydrogen or electricity will continue
to be exempt from all sales taxes through Dec. 31, 2010.' Seattle
Times
5/18 Eastside Subaru
of Kirkland, Washington is being sold to Bruce Titus Nissan of Olympia,
said Mark Johnson, whose company is advising Rainier Automotive Group on
the dealership sales.' more
5/17 WRX vs. Evolution
GSR, from Canada. 'Pocket rocket shootout.. There is no shortage
of hot little sedans and hatchbacks out there these days, but there
are only a few that can offer all-wheel drive alongside turbo power. Until
recently, the Subaru Impreza WRX was one of the only major choices available,
drawing many fans for its bulletproof drivetrain and overall balance between
poise, power and price. Now, Mitsubishi has stepped forward with another
option for Canadians – the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution – and comparisons
between the two are inevitable.
Subaru Impreza WRX265
(in the US WRX model)
Subaru has been heavily
involved with rally racing for years, and the WRX version of Subaru’s popular
Impreza line acts as an intermediate step between the commute-friendly
Impreza and the hard-core WRX STI – a 300-plus hp rocket that’s all about
performance, both down a straight line and in the corners...
Subaru’s new WRX265
puts (you guessed it) 265 hp to all four wheels from a 2.5-litre DOHC four
cylinder boxer engine equipped with a high-pressure turbocharger and intercooler.
With a curb weight
of 1,440 kg, the WRX has a very good power-to-weight ratio –meaning it
will scoot along very well indeed once the turbo kicks in somewhere around
1,200 rpm. The Subaru’s larger engine (the Lancer Evolution runs a 2.0-litre
powerplant) provides engine torque lower in the, and more evenly across,
the rev range.
The Lancer Evolution
has its own race-oriented history, having battled in the World Rally Championship
for many years to a good deal of success. Unlike the WRX, which operates
at a lower turbocharger boost rate than the STI, the Evolution GSR I drove
runs virtually the same engine as the top-end MR trim – the only major
difference being the GSR’s five-speed versus the MR’s impressive twin-clutch
SST transmission. This means the Evolution GSR puts the same 291 hp and
300 lb.-ft. to the road surface as the MR. That’s a significant jump in
pony power over the WRX265, but the Evo also weighs in 155 kg heavier,
reducing its weight-to-power advantage somewhat.
But a horse for every
five and a half kilos is still pretty impressive, especially once one has
worked the engine up close to 2,000 rpm, where the real ‘Wahoo’ quotient
is found. Keeping the Evo in this sweet spot is relatively easy, thanks
to the aforementioned close-ratio gearbox that drops just shy of ‘notchy’.
The transmission and clutch setup is less forgiving than the Subaru’s but
you’ll likely find yourself relishing the challenge of making that perfect
shift.
With experience on
the track with this little go-kart last fall, I can tell you that that
the Evolution is one lively ride when pushed hard...
The Lancer Evo’s
interior is comfortable enough, but its cockpit and general layout is a
little less unified than the WRX’s. The general quality of the materials
seems to fit lower on the quality scale, too, although the car’s sport
seats are outstanding for spirited driving. The view out the back window
suffers a split personality thanks to the large spoiler attached to the
trunk lid, and the view to each rear quarter is less than ideal. But who’s
going to be looking out the back much? It’s not like there are many cars
likely to catch you.
In a nutshell ...
There’s no question
the Lancer Evolution GSR is a blast to drive – and that its cold-weather
performance is almost as stellar as its warm-weather fun factor. But the
GSR currently lists with an MSRP of $41,498. There’s also a whole range
of ground effect and appearance accessories listed that will allow you
to spend literally thousands more to ‘personalize’ your ride even further.
The Subaru WRX265 starts at $33,995 (plus delivery charges), a mere $3,000
more than the 224-hp ‘standard’ WRX.
When you throw in
the better visibility, interior quality and ride quality, the Subaru can
provide plenty of fun on a much more frugal budget...' from
autonet.ca
5/16 Forester goes
off road and lives to tell about it '...Subaru is many things
to many different kinds of people, but they've always stayed true to the
cause of all-wheel-drive in sensible automobiles.
Subie sells every
one of their cars with it, and they get a lot of credibility because of
that fact, but we decided to put that tradition to the test and take it
to the brand spankin' new Rocks And Valleys off-road park in Harrison,
Michigan even before its grand opening on May 16th... For all intents and
purposes its just another tall wagon with all-wheel-drive. Yes, that's
true, but for a tall wagon this thing kicks some major trail...
The Forester we had
was a 2.5X, a mid-range model with a non-turbo four cylinder, but even
on the steepest grades we were not for want of more power. In fact, we
almost want to toss on some real off-road tires and see what it can really
do, the thing was damn impressive. Out on the lumpy, bumpy trails the Forester
soaked everything up and had us outpacing the bouncier Jeeps, lending us
our first few points of credibility. Then we hit the technical stuff out
in the forests, we had to fold in the mirrors at some points things were
so tight, and again, the decent turning radius, torquey engine and well
programmed all-wheel-drive kept us going....
Truthfully, we didn't
expect the Subie to be as good as it was. We thought we'd be funny guys
and go get the thing stuck and have it hang up on steep hills and then
point and laugh at the wimpy soft-roader. We came out with a certain degree
of respect, so did all the Jeep guys who were with us. We're thinking Subaru
should offer "Mud Patina" as a delivery option... ' the article from Jalopnik
5/15 There are
~600 Subaru dealers in the US, how does that compare to other companies.
Chrysler had ~3200, closed 789 leaving ~2400, GM has ~6000 dealers and
plans to close 1600 including 500 Saturn, Saab and Hummer dealers.
Here's what the
average of new cars each sold in 2008: Toyota/Scion has ~1200 dealers
and each sold ~1,500 cars in 2008, Honda 1,1100 cars per dealer, Lexus
1,150 cars per dealer, Nissan 762, Ford Co. (overall) 286 per dealer, Ford
dealer 477, GM 219 (overall), Chevy 459, Acura 538, Chrysler 181, Hummer
167 Land Rover 170 (autonews,
WSJ)
Subaru has ~600 dealers
and in 2008 sold 187699 cars, averaging ~313 cars sold per dealer in 2008.
5/13 what manufacturers
spend on rebates, incentives, special financing '.. No
matter what happens with the (proposed) cash for clunkers idea, automakers
are working had to push new vehicles. The average incentive in the U.S.
was $3,031 per vehicle sold in April, up $680, or 28.9 percent, from April
2008, according to Edmunds.com. ..Cadillac spent the most on incentives
in April, at $5,675 per vehicle sold, followed by Infiniti at $5,504. Scion
spent the least, $160 per vehicle sold, followed by Subaru at $884.
Premium sport cars
had the highest average incentive cost, at $6,540 per vehicle, followed
by large sport utility vehicles at $4,797. Subcompact cars had the lowest,
at $1,060.
Analysts suggest
one reason deals are so good now is the glut of new vehicles on lots.
Manufacturers are cutting production dramatically during the summer. General
Motors, for instance, is closing four plants that build trucks and SUVs
from mid-May to mid-July, suggesting that once inventory is reduced, prices
will go back up. Even foreign brands, some of which are not used
to relying on heavy incentives, are finding them necessary to boost sales.
Nissan and Infiniti
spent $2,779 in incentives per vehicle sold in April, compared with $1,796
in April 2008. Hyundai and Kia spent $3,591 in April, compared with $2,156
in April 2008...' the
article
5/11 New engine
factory 'Fuji Heavy Industries has begun building a plant
for environment-friendly engines within the compound of its factory in
the town of Oizumi in Gunma Prefecture for completion by the end of this
year, company officials said Friday. The new plant will produce a new generation
of horizontally opposed engines to power passenger cars that will be put
on the market in 2010, they said.
Fuji Heavy is curbing
capital spending as it expects a group net loss in the current business
year to March 31, 2010, for the second year in a row. But the company decided
to build the new plant in order to help make its passenger cars more environmentally
friendly, the officials said.' read
the article
5/4 2010 Forester
prices and Option Packages announced. For all 2010 models, Subaru is now
offering factory Option Packages, aka model ugrades. Some of the features
standard on prevous years may now be part of a Option Package. For example,
the All Weather Package is Option Package #02 on the 2010 Outback Premium
but it was standard on the 2009 SE model (which the Premium replaces) so
not all 10 Outback Premiums will have the All Weather Pkg.
5/1 April sales
total 15,649. Legacy 2,561 (+36%), Forester 5,955 (+12%), Outback 3,293
(-20%), Impreza 3,273 (-20%), Tribeca 567 (-59%). Overall down 7% from
16,711 in April 08. The Forester is up, and one of it's main competitor,
the CRV is down 33% for April 09/08 and down 25% for the year.
Subaru Canada total
2,050, the best month ever, the previous record month was July 08. Forester
sold 806, Impreza 961 in April 09..
Chrylser goes bankrupt,
and Ford had a strong month at 133,979 which puts it back into the #2 spot
behind GM (with 172,150) and ahead of Toyota for the first time since March
08. Other sales numbers: Toyota 126,540, Honda 101,029 with the Ridgeline
down 71.5% and Element down 65.6% for April 09/08, Nissan 47,190, Hyundai
33,952, Suzuki 2,543, Mitsubishi sold 3,919, Land Rover 3,324, Jaguar
1,785, Porsche 1,853, Mercedes 14,565, Smart car 1,345, BMW 15,705, Mini
3,657, Kia 25,606, Lincoln 5,973..
4/30 Subaru sponsors
Dining Out For Life. April 30, 2009. More than 3,500 restaurants
in over 55 cities donate a portion of the proceeds from one special night
of dining to licensed AIDs service agencies in their city. Nearly $4 million
dollars a year is raised. It's for a good cause and restaurants like
the business. So eat out April 30th, find
your city and restaurants here.
A
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