Subaru has unveiled its North American WRX STI specs at the LA Auto Show. The engine is a 2.5L H4 producing 305hp and 290lb-ft/lbs of torque.

The Scooby has been outfitted with an updated version of their Driver Controlled Center Differential (DCCD) AWD system. Power can be distributed between 41/59 to 50/50 front/rear. There’s three automatic modes, track, street, and snow, with a manual mode that can override the system. A driver selectable stability control system comes standard to keep things in check should the driver find themselves in a hairy situation. Brembo brakes and massive vented brake rotors ensure that the WRX STI stops on a dime.

The 2008 Subaru WRX STI is priced to begin at $34,995 American, making it one of the most affordable high performance year round daily drivers on the market.

[Source: Auto North]

Well, folks. What can I say? Its Saturday, my internet connection is about as sketchy as the guy with a moustache parked in a rusty brown van outside my house with binoculars aimed at my window, and there’s not much going on in the automotive world today.

Therefore, I decided to hit up the Tube of You and try and find some content interesting enough for y’all to keep subscribing to my RSS feeds. I know, I know… its a hard life.

This video shows a clip of Ken Block jumping a Subaru WRX STI over 170 feet.

Retardiculous, eh?! Make the jump to see another video of Block’s latest…uh…jump and then a bunch of Kiwi’s snowboarding.

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“There are many opinions. But currently, the voices calling for diesels are stronger than the voices for hybrids,” said Ikuo Mori, president of Subaru parent company Fuji Heavy Industries, while talking to Automotive News Europe. The diesel-powered Subarus are slated to go on sale in Europe shorty after they are debuted at the 2008 Geneva auto show. Subaru says that there are no immediate plans to import the diesel vehicles to North America, and its possible we may not even see any on this side of the pond until at least 2012. Perhaps this is due to difficulties in meeting strict emissions standards in some states like California and New York. We broke the news yesterday about Mercedes-Benz becoming the first diesel vehicle manufacturer to pass California’s stringent emissions standards. To reduce investment outlays, Subaru plans to build the engines on the same line as gasoline engines. This is possible thanks to the unique structure of the symmetrical AWD drivetrain.

Subaru is collaborating with Toyota to jointly develop hybrid technology. Mori didn’t give a time estimation for when Subaru will put hybrids on the road, but he stated the company would not do so until their lithium-ion battery technology is perfected first. Subaru is also collaborating with Toyota on a small, rear wheel drive sports car.

It seems like most automakers are putting more emphasis on developing diesel vehicles for the North American market right now than Hybrids. This could be a result of the production costs involved, and the fact that hybrid vehicles depreciate much more rapidly than regular vehicles.

Either way, we’re excited to see that diesel alternatives are becoming readily more available from all manufacturers. Expect diesel infrastructure to improve as a direct result.

[Source: The Auto Channel]

Now that we’ve brought you up to date on the Subaru WRX STi, we can formally introduce you to the Subaru Exiga Concept. Scheduled to bow at the Tokyo Auto Show in a couple of weeks, the Exiga is a funky looking AWD wagon from Subaru that could indicate the future styling of the company’s utility offerings.
The Exiga concept rides on a 2750mm wheelbase, and is powered by a turbocharged 1994cc Boxer 4-cylinder engine. The rest of the technical specifics has not yet been released.

Subaru execs claim that the interior of the vehicle is supposed to evoke the feel of riding in a luxury yacht. You can tell from the interior photos, since everything is clad with white leather, there’s about a hundred flat pannel screens, and the cabin looks extremely expensive. You can pretty much gamble on the fact that, should this car ever make it to production, that stuff will be among the first to go. The same is probably true of the overly aggressive (but sexy) front fascia.

More pictures below.
[Source: Left Lane News ]

Ladies and Gentlemen, we are happy to announce that Subaru has officially released images and specs of the new Imprezza WRX STi. Well, let me clarify, they have only release the JDM specs thus far, but it’s more than enough to make us happy!

Subaru execs have remained fairly silent on details, but we can report that the new STI makes use of a 16v 2.0L boxer engine with a twin-scroll turbo mated to a 6-speed manual. Subaru hasn’t confirmed any numbers, but power output is allegedly pegged at 304 horses and 311 lb-ft of torque. (In the Japanese-market model.) Hi tech gadgetry such as SI-DRIVE, multi-mode Drivers Control Center Differential (DCCD) and Vehicle Dynamics Control (VDC) will be standard features.

The WRX STi has a massive hood scoop, helping only to accentuate the aggressive and muscular lines on the car. The stance is wide and menacing, and we’re sure that the quad-exhaust is going to sound simply harmonious when the throttle is fully opened.

Look for the car to make its debut in Tokyo in a couple of weeks!

[Source: Subaru]

A few days ago we reported about Subaru’s teaser pictures of the new WRX STi, set to be revealed about a week’s time. Now a video has surfaced of the Soob making its rounds on Germany’s Nurburgring by Car Magazine. It gets better! The car was barely dressed, as in, there was not a lot of camo to be found on it. Only the sides and a little bit of the front facia were shrouded in black fabric, making it very easy to see the car’s design.
We recommend heading over there to watch the video if only to hear the tires screeching, the engine growling, and the drool dripping from your big, goofy grin.

[Source: Car Magazine]

It seems that Toyota and Subaru are jointly developing a lightweight sports car. At least that’s what the word on the street is. A test mule was seen zipping around Toyota’s test track in Toyota City, Japan. The chassis looked to be derived from a shortened Subaru Legacy platform, and powered by the Soobie 2.0L flat-four engine. There is a possibility that if the car actually gets built, It could be using the Impreza 15S’s platform instead. The actual production model may see a smaller engine, likely a Subaru sourced 108 HP 1.5-liter boxer, making use of a RWD drive train. Toyota plans on keeping the coupe extremely light to ensure the best combination of fuel efficiency and handling potential with a curb weight target of 2,450 lbs. (Roughly the same weight as Saturn’s SC2 models from a few years back.)

More information and pictures after the jump.

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Subaru intends to lift the veils off its high thrills WRX STI at the Tokyo Auto Show on October 24th. In the mean time, they’ve decided to torture us with darkened photos of the beast in an effort to keep us drooling. Well, we think they’ve succeeded.
The horsepower rating of the STi is expected to be up at around 320 and torque will top out at 320 lb.ft. The only transmission will be a six-speed manual that will propel the car to 0-60 in 4.5 seconds.

‘Scuse me while I grab a towel….

(See more pics below)

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