Autoblog

Autoblog Podcast #215: With Mike Austin from Car and Driver

Dan Roth — Tue, 01 Feb 2011 17:30:00 EST

Filed under: Podcasts, Etc., Chrysler, Honda, Nissan, Subaru, Electric

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Chris, Zach and Dan are joined by Car and Driver's Mike Austin for Episode #215 of the Autoblog Podcast. We talk about the Nissan Leaf being named the European Car of the Year, the 2012 Ford Focus and Chrysler's 'S' Branding. It's an hour and thirty two minutes of sidebars, topics and your Q&A finishes it off. Thanks for listening!

Autoblog Podcast #215: With Mike Austin from Car and Driver

In the Autoblog Garage:

2011 Nissan Leaf
2011 Mazdaspeed3
2011 Subaru WRX
2011 Subaru WRX STI
2011 Honda Pilot

Hosts: Dan Roth, Chris Shunk, Zach Bowman

Runtime: 01:32:56

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Autoblog Podcast #215: With Mike Austin from Car and Driver originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 01 Feb 2011 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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First Drive: 2011 Subaru Impreza WRX fills out with big bro's wide body

Zach Bowman — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sedan, Performance, Subaru, First Drives

2011 Subaru WRX - Click above for high-res image gallery

My, how the 2011 Subaru Impreza WRX has grown. The plucky little sedan has gone off to summer camp and returned as a full-figured looker. Now donning its bigger sister's widebody dress and uprated wheels at all four corners, there are few tells this thing isn't fully capable of stopping at a moment's notice. And all we can say is: It's about time.

Even though the WRX has always had plenty of pep and other worldly grip, its outer shell never quite managed to hint at the go-fast fun lurking underneath its sizable hood scoop. No more.

Gallery: 2011 Subaru WRX: First Drive

Continue reading First Drive: 2011 Subaru Impreza WRX fills out with big bro's wide body

First Drive: 2011 Subaru Impreza WRX fills out with big bro's wide body originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 19 Jul 2010 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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John Haugland Rally School - Driver's education for the terminally slow

Zach Bowman — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 11:57:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Performance, Hatchback

John Haugland Rally School with Subaru - Click above for high-res image gallery

Our goal here is pretty simple: drive consecutive laps around a varied and technical rally training course without killing 63 year-old world rally competitor and all-around good guy John Haugland. You see, the man has been brave enough to strap himself into the copilot's chair of the same race-prepped Subaru WRX STI that we've been charged with wrangling, and judging from the relaxed look on his face and his calm tone of voice, he doesn't quite get the mortal danger he's placed himself in. He must have excellent life insurance.

Haugland has trained some of the world's best rally drivers, including the guano-crazy-fast Petter Solberg, but today, he's trying his best to impart a minute fraction of his encyclopedic knowledge on the art of going faster to a handful of journos just outside of Oslo, Norway. The idea here is that Subaru wants us all know as much as we can about flinging the beauty of all-wheel drive around a rally course before we get introduced to the 2011 WRX and WRX STI next month. To that end, we spent about 20 minutes in a classroom where the underlying message went something like this:

Forget everything you know about proper driving lines, car control, traction and speed. You're in our sandbox now.

Gallery: John Haugland Rally School

Continue reading John Haugland Rally School - Driver's education for the terminally slow

John Haugland Rally School - Driver's education for the terminally slow originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 02 Jul 2010 11:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: 2011 WRX STI sedan runs 'Ring in 7:55, quickest ever for Subaru

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 03:00:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Sedan, Performance, Videos, Subaru, Specialty

2011 Subaru WRX STI sedan at the Nürburgring - Click above for high-res image gallery

Quick: What's the fastest production sedan in the world? Does it wear a Mercedes-Benz, Audi or BMW badge? What about the Porsche Panamera Turbo or the Cadillac CTS-V? There's no doubt that each of these vehicular behemoths is capable of ripping off some fast times on a race track near you, but Subaru is out to prove that its new 2011 WRX STI sedan has the chops to keep pace with the best from the rest of the world.

To prove its point, Subaru recently sent test driver and four-time World Rally Champion Tommi Mäkinen out to the famed Nürburgring Nordschleife course in Germany with a 2011 STI test car. According to reports, the vehicle used in this testing was equipped with a few significant upgrades including a larger turbocharger that normally sees duty in the Japanese R205 model and some lightweight aluminum bits, but one thing is for certain: the 7:55 lap time is a mighty impressive result.

For those keeping track of such things, the previous best lap set by a Subaru WRX STI was in 2004 at 7:59.41 and the new mark set by Subaru - albeit with a prototype, not a production car - is quicker than any of the aforementioned competition. Best of all, there's a video of one entire lap around the 'Ring and you can find the in-car footage after the break.

Gallery: 2011 Subaru WRX STI at the Nurburgring

[Source: Subaru]

Continue reading Video: 2011 WRX STI sedan runs 'Ring in 7:55, quickest ever for Subaru

Video: 2011 WRX STI sedan runs 'Ring in 7:55, quickest ever for Subaru originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 09 Jun 2010 03:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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New York Preview: Subaru WRX goes widebody for 2011

Damon Lavrinc — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 22:01:00 EST

Filed under: New York Auto Show, Sedan, Performance, Hatchback, Subaru

2011 Subaru Impreza WRX - Click above for high-res image gallery

Since the introduction of the third-generation Impreza, Subaru has been making incremental improvements to the rally-bred WRX, first with a significant bump in output for the 2009 MY and now the adoption of the STI's widebody design for 2011. And not only does the five-door model benefit from its pumped-up sibling's sheetmetal, but the sedan gets a much-needed testosterone injection to boot.

With a 1.5 inch-wider track front and rear, the 2011 Subaru Impreza WRX's stance is decidedly more aggressive, and with firmer rear subframe bushings pulled from the STI and wider 17x8-inch wheels wrapped in 235/45R17 rubber, the 2011 'Rex is assuredly stickier than its predecessor.

The cosmetic mods don't end with the widened fenders, as the front fascia receives a restylized front lip spoiler, partnered with a larger, blacked-out grille and intakes. The whole package only increases the curb weight of the WRX by 34 pounds, and coupled with the "265-horsepower" turbocharged 2.5-liter flat-four, the 2011 WRX has the goods to back up its looks... no matter which body-style you choose. Full details in the press release after the jump and expect a slew of shots from the floor at the New York Auto Show.

Gallery: 2011 Subaru Impreza WRX

Continue reading New York Preview: Subaru WRX goes widebody for 2011

New York Preview: Subaru WRX goes widebody for 2011 originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 22 Mar 2010 22:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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LA 2009: Subaru Impreza WRX STI Special Edition is sportier, less expensive

Drew Phillips — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 12:29:00 EST

Filed under: LA Auto Show, Performance, Hatchback, Subaru

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

So often, the tag of "Special Edition" comes with a not-so-special price increase. Fortunately for Subaru fans, the newly-introduced Impreza WRX STI Special Edition is actually less costly. At $32,995 it's actually $2,000 cheaper than the base price of the standard STI.

Of course, buyers of the Special Edition will have to go without certain features, namely HID headlights, premium audio, and automatic climate control. It's not just a de-contented package, though, as the car also comes with the suspension from the spec C model in Japan that includes a thicker rear stabilizer bar, stiffer bushings and stiffer springs.

Initially, each car will be painted in Aspen white with the charcoal-colored 14-spoke wheels also cribbed from the spec C. Just 125 examples will be built in the first quarter of 2010, although Subaru says that more will be available later in the year in additional colors. High-res gallery below, pricing press release available after the jump.

Gallery: LA 2009: 2010 Subaru Impreza WRX STI Special Edition

Continue reading LA 2009: Subaru Impreza WRX STI Special Edition is sportier, less expensive

LA 2009: Subaru Impreza WRX STI Special Edition is sportier, less expensive originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 03 Dec 2009 12:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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