The Japanese of Subaru have teased a carbon fiber roof version of the Subaru Impreza WRX STi built only for the Japanese Domestic Market. We believe Impreza WRX STi tS is JDM-only because when you click the English portion of the Subaru website the infos about the carbon fiber roof version is no longer there.

For those that have no idea what Subaru Impreza WRX STi is all about we need to add that this car is the perfect combination between a street cart and a rally one, ready to be there for you both when you want to “play” and use it to drive your kids at school. Moreover the magnificent four-wheel adjustable drive train we all love.

Subaru Impreza WRX STi is powered by a turbocharged 2.5-liter boxer engine capable of developing 300 HP and 300 lb-ft of torque. The engine resources combined with the six-gears manual transmission are capable of neck-braking accelerations, as Impreza WRX STi sprints from 0 to 60 mph in just 5.2 seconds.

Again for the ones not knowing too much about Subaru, tS stands for “tuned by STI” and again STI stands for “Subaru Tecnica International.” Even though you are not fan of Subaru we are sure that this brand new Subaru Impreza WRX STi tS will had you drooling, just like it does to us, here at Mibz.com.

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Subaru exhibited at LA Auto Show the Impreza Design concept, a sedan coupe which anticipates the future design lines of the model with the same name.

Subaru looking the recipe for success at Los Angeles Auto Show, where today unveiled a futuristic concept, designed to reflect the new design direction that will reflect the future Impreza.

The concept, called right Impreza Design, displays a more European look, with a slightly curved body, with aggressive lines, ingredients that make from the new Subaru appearance an exhibitor of robustness and sportiness. According to the press issued by Subaru, the new concept tries to combine the elegant appearance of a sedan coupe with the aggressive look of performance model.

Although the prototype front grille is already on the current Legacy, the lights lines, the air intakes lines and the hood lines are new items that we will probably see on the next series products.

It is good that the guys from Subaru has decided to expose the Impreza Design concept in sedan version, the version which enshrined the first generation model, launched in 1992. The Japanese seeks to remove the hatchback version, with five doors, which drew much criticism from fans and apparently not has the same commercial success.

Under the hood of the concept displayed at LA Auto Show is a 2.0-liter engine, with four-cylinder, derived from 2.5-liter boxer engine, a best-seller on the U.S. market. The engine is connected to a CVT transmission, the one that announces a new generation of automatic gearbox, ready to debut on Subaru Impreza.

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Subaru will launch the next six new models by 2014, following its expansion plans. The most important model is likely to be the sports coupe, developed in partnership with Toyota.

Given that all major automakers are preparing a serious expansion of the range in the next three years, Subaru does not lose ground on the old continent.  Japanese automaker  promises 6 models by the end of 2014.  The first step in this regard will be made this year in November, with the debut of the Los Angeles Auto Show, where the Japanese will present a revised Forester.

The most important year will be  2012, when no fewer than three new releases Subaru car will reach showrooms in Europe. . It’s the new model generation Tribeca and the third survivor of the Impreza series, drawn by Osamu Namba, chief designer of Japanese, which aims to create a family versions of popular  of Subaru’s most representative models.

Also in 2012 will arrive the first completely new model prepared by Subaru, a surprise that many called  already as the famous counterpart of the Toyota FT-86. . Unlike the project brother, the Subaru coupe will adopt propeller of the current 2.5-liter gasoline Impreza STI.

Also next year, Subaru will offer hybrid versions of its customers, under Japanese models body will be included propulsion trains supplied by Toyota.  The last set of awards is expected in 2014, when the public will get acquainted with the Legacy and Outback facelift.

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FT-86 Coupe,  developed by Toyota with Subaru, could be used as a starting point for a future Japanese model: a Sedan Coupe.

Presented  at the Tokyo Motor Show, in 2009, on concept stage, the FT-86 coupe, developed by Toyota  in collaboration with Subaru, could give birth  in the future to other models. Pending on release of several Japanese concept, the international press talks about the possibility of launching to a secondary body, rear wheel drive platform.

Rumors are plausible as possible, given the automaker need to cushion  production costs, already reduced by working with Subaru.  According to unofficial information, it is a coupe sedan, scheduled to appear on the market no earlier than  the future FT-86 series coupe mid-career.

The coupe development will mainly depend on the sedan success  , sedan being seen as an emergency option, designed to make sales in the event of a failure, of the three-door brother.

Mechanical package will be provided by  Subaru, while the engines range will include a petrol boxer, for200 HP, connected to the six reports CVT transmission. For more powerful versions, Toyota will bring the equation of  3.6 liter unit of the current Subaru Outback .

Hybrid variant is not excluded either, Subaru remin to develop over the next three years a hybrid boxer, that will be slightly more efficient than currently proposed Toyota range.

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The automakers BMW and Subaru will have to do a recall in the U.S.A. The models called into service by the two automakers are: BMW 5 Series GT, Subaru Legacy and Subaru Outback.

The German automaker BMW and the Japanese from Subaru will have to do a recall in the U.S.A. The models affected by this recall into service are the BMW 5 Series GT, Subaru Legacy and Outback. The Germans would recall in service 6080 copies of 5 Series GT and the Japanese are required to check 809 cars.

The NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) officials have warned the German automaker to a problem arising from fuel level indicator. The sensor indicator may take the wrong information and it will display a larger amount than the existing fuel tank. Until now, the guys fro BMW has not identified a correct method to remove the problem but the easiest solution would be the sensors or the tank replacement.

The Japanese from Subaru have a slightly more delicate problem. The units which are coupled to a manual gearbox don’t have an outlet for placing the transmission fluid. The lack of such liquid can destroy the gearbox. The solution found by the Japanese to solve this problem is to create an opening to allow the filling transmission fluid.

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MINI will compete in WRC in the next season. The iconic brand debut will happen somewhere in mid season in 2011 and the used car is based on the Countryman model and will be prepared by Prodrive.

MINI and Prodrive will announce this week the WRC program that it will effect starting from 2011 season. The first MINI WRC car will be based on the Countryman model and will be developed by the specialists from Prodrive, the same brand which handled the development of the Subaru WRC car. The testing of the new model will begin soon.

It seems that the car racing will be launched in Rome just before the Italy-Sardinia Rally, next year. The new model will compete in the first four stages of the 2011 season.

Prodrive did not want to confirm these plans, but a press conference is ready for this week.

The Norwegian, Mads Ostberg is possible to become the first official MINI pilot in WRC. He will handle the initial testing of the car racing. Ostberg is one of the loyal customers of the Prodrive brand. He did not accept any offer from big WRC or IRC teams, preferring to compete with a private Subaru Impreza prepared by Prodrive.

MINI has also competed in the 60s at the highest level with the classic model and succeed to win The Monte Carlo Rally in 1964.

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Subaru has always been know for it’s quirky look, with it’s unique design, and while most of us look at Subaru cars as .. not the most beautiful out there, fans are loud and proud about the whimsical imagery of the brand. Still, in the past years Subaru management seems to have cooled down the eccentricity approach of their design teams, and cars like the Legacy or Impreza are less strange and “out of the box”. Some hardcore Subaru fans may have not liked the more mainstream approaches, but sales have boosted.

Subaru Hybrid Tourer Concept front

Like we already informed, Subaru did not only manage to pass the financial crisis but actually has grown when even the likes of Toyota and Ford were going down. Subaru and Hyundai were the only makers in the world that have managed to increase sale figures in 2009.

But what about the future, now that Subaru’s position is undoubtedly consolidated?

Subaru’s new design boss Osamu Namba claimed in an Auto Week interview that they are now looking to loose  odd designs once and for all, with cleaner lines that appeal to a wider audience. Namba joined Subaru back in 2008 after spending a decade heading his own design firm, and he’s said to be working on the next-generation Impreza; his first production Subaru.

Subaru Hybrid Tourer Concept, an example of more mainsteam design

A perfect example is Namba’s newest design, the Hybrid Tourer Concept from the 2009 Tokyo Motor Show, featured in the photo gallery below. Will the Japanese maker create the perfect compromise: moving on from the old patterns while maintaining it’s loyal fanbase? To be honest I can’t name one single Subaru that I like, design-wise, but I it would be a loss indeed if Subaru would just evolve slowly into “another Asian maker”. Diversity is hard to come by in these testing times, so let’s hope the more mainstream approach won’t mean the death of that specific mix of what drivers love about Subaru: all-wheel drive, rough driving experience and freckly image.

What do you think? New, old or a compromise? The comment section is all yours.

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The revival of the Supra name on a sports model is supported by Akio Toyoda, the president of Toyota. The official already give green light to the new project, but the shareholders are opposed.

Even if they have problems with reliability, Toyota is not giving back from the great projects. Akio Toyoda, the Japanese automaker president, said recently that he wants a descendant of the ancient and legendary Supra. The development project got the green light from Toyoda, but much of the company’s shareholders oppose such a model.

If he succeed to reach an agreement with the Board members, Toyoda will bring on the market the model that all fans dream more than four years, the development process will go in parallel with the delayed FT-HS coupe concept, developed in partnership with Subaru.

About a Supra future currently there are no details, but the specialists talk about a V6 gasoline engine, assisted by an electric unit. The electric unit will be responsible for the propulsion of the sports model, which hopes to bring in Toyota showrooms the passionate customers of sports models.

The Toyoda’s dream is to bring on the market a descendant of Supra. He dreams to the years when he spent a lot of time on the Nurburgring circuit, with the old generation of sports model. Back then, he said that he wants a more powerful car than Supra and he wants to be more involved in the development process.

Until we are able to see a survivor’s name as the Supra, Toyota intends to launch in the near future the successor of the famous MR-2, the roadster who retired several years ago. The propulsion will be provided by a 1.5-liter gasoline engine and an electric, powered by batteries.

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Subaru and Cosworth will work together to develop a four cylinder boxer engine, the 1.6-liter with turbo. The unit will help the Japanese to return in motorsport.

Subaru and his partner Cosworth are currently in discussions to develop a new propeller powered by gasoline. Most likely, the two partners will give rise to a turbocharged four-cylinder boxer engine with a capacity of 1.6-liters.

The unit could see the light until 2012, and will debut in the Impreza model range engines. But the engine could serve a more noble purpose, namely the back of the Japanese automaker in world motorsport landscape. With such a powerful engine, Subaru could run again in rally competitions such as the WTCC and WRC, of course if it receives the FIA agreement.

About the unit is not currently known if the boxer will be derived from the current 1.5-liter and 107 HP, reserved to the economic Impreza version. Subaru and Cosworth is not the first collaboration of its kind, not much the Japanese revealing a special edition of Impreza, more exactly STi CS400.

It seems that the Japanese get along well with the guys from Cosworth and we hope to bring also on market a lot of intelligent engines.

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Subaru has announced that they wants to penetrate the hybrid-electric market, but this step will not be made by the Japanese until 2013.

The Subaru officials announced that they are considering to entering on the hybrid market and electric cars, but no sooner than 2013. Nick Senior, one of the Subaru executives said that the Japanese company working in collaboration with Toyota to produce a hybrid version of the FT-86 concept, but it is not ready to be presented.

Subaru Hybrid

As the cars that using alternative fuel, Nick Senior believes that these models will increase the market next year, but is conditioned by the government subsidies. Latest hybrid from Subaru is the Tourer Concept prototype, that was unveiled last year at the Tokyo Motor Show and has a particular chassis. It has two electric engines, one in front and one rear of the car, having the extra energy regeneration system from braking and a start-stop system.

In normal mode, the main source of power is four cylinder boxer engine, which is assisted power during acceleration of the engines that develop 27 HP (at rear) and respectively 13 HP. Although some of the solutions presented by Tourer Concept are very interesting , it is just a prototype and will be removed in the next version number. However, some items that have debuted this car will be implemented on future Subaru models.

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