Car Corner

Anthony Fontanelle asked:

Subaru has more than just one reason to celebrate a milestone in the auto industry. First, 2007 marks its three-year anniversary of zero landfill status at its manufacturing plant, Subaru of Indiana Automotive. Second milestone to celebrate is the sale of its 100,000th PZEV or Partial Zero Emissions Vehicle.

Both milestones reflect the long-standing commitment of the Japanese automaker in safeguarding the environment. This fact is avidly enjoyed by Subaru’s clientele. “We are pleased to mark these milestones,” said Tomohiko Ikeda, the chairman, president and CEO, Subaru of America Inc. “At Subaru, we are committed to not only maintain an effective environmental management system, but also to integrate sound environmental practices throughout our business.”

In the Indiana Subaru plant, nothing is sent to a landfill. Why? Anything that is not recycled would result in more garbage sent to landfills than the whole Subaru manufacturing operations. The Subaru plant was the first auto plant in the United States to achieve the zero landfill status, with all its waste being either recycled, reused or converted to electricity for the city of Indianapolis.

The Indianapolis Subaru plant is also a designated backyard wildlife habitat. Deer, coyotes, beavers, geese, rabbits, blue herons, squirrels, ducks, meadowlarks and other animals live there in serene coexistence with the Subaru plant. In 2006, Subaru was awarded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Gold Achievement Award as a top achiever in the agency’s WasteWise program to eliminate waste and boost recycling initiatives.

Subaru also manufactures PZEV certified Legacy, Outback and Forester models, available for sale anywhere in the U.S. The PZEV certified, normally aspirated, Subaru Legacy, Outback and Forester models are SmartWay certified by the EPA. To date, Subaru has sold 100,000 Subaru PZEVs, which have ninety percent cleaner emissions than the average new vehicle.

Currently, PZEVs are the cleanest gasoline vehicles available. Additionally, they conform to emissions standards that are sometimes even cleaner than some hybrid or alternative fuel product lines. These vehicles have such taut pollution controls, with the burning of fuel so complete, that in very misty urban areas, exhaust out of the tailpipe can actually be cleaner than the air outside.

The Subaru Outlook, equipped with a 3.0 L H6, was launched at the 2004 Chicago Auto Show. The model carries similar model codes as the Legacy Wagon, BP9 for the 2.5 liter, and BPE for the 3.0 liter model. In Japan, the vehicle is officially called the Legacy Outback. The Outback received styling revisions for the 2008 model year. Saturn auto parts are modified to boost the vehicle’s appeal. It features notably enlarged, chrome-ringed grill and other cutting-edge parts.

The Subaru Forester is a compact crossover SUV released in the United States in 1998, based on the chassis of the Subaru Impreza. This year the Forester line was expanded to five models: the 2.5 X, 2.5 X L.L. Bean edition, Sports 2.5 X, 2.5 XT Limited, and the Sports 2.5 XT.

The Subaru Legacy, on the other hand, is a mid-size car launched as a larger, upscale sibling to the Leone or Loyale. In 1990, the vehicle was launched in the USA with a newly developed boxer engine layout called the EJ series.

According to the EPA, Subaru’s PZEVs are among the cleanest and most fuel-efficient vehicles available in the United States based on greenhouse gas emissions, air pollution, and overall fuel economy. Subaru PZEVs flaunt tight pollution controls and the burning of fuel is so absolute that in very smoggy urban areas, exhaust out of the tailpipe can actually be cleaner than the air outside. Subaru PZEVs are also U.S. EPA Certified SmartWay Vehicles. Also, Subaru PZEVs meet California’s exhaust emission standard.

Matthew C. Keegan asked:

Of all of the hundreds of vehicles on display at the 2008 Los Angeles Auto Show, one of the most intriguing to me was the compressed natural gas powered Toyota Camry Hybrid concept. Toyota, which had a press conference for their luxury Lexus brand during the press days which I attended (but not for Toyota or Scion) still managed to display the hybrid Camry, a car not like any other one at the show. But, the concept Camry could one day prove to be a very popular model if certain energy initiatives come to pass. Please read on to learn about the natural gas powered Camry and how this car could revolutionize the way that we drive.

Toyota is a leader when it comes to hybrid technology, producing the gas-electric Prius and other models including the Camry. But, a natural gas-electric hybrid Camry is a new idea, one that hasn’t been considered for production until now.

According to Toyota, compressed natural gas produces lower particulate emissions, nitrous oxide, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide and non-methane organic gases and less CO2 per unit of energy when compared to gasoline. It can also run at higher compression ratio and is quickly dispersed into the atmosphere should a leak occur.

Best of all, natural gas is one resource in abundant supply in the US and costs as much as 40% less than gasoline. So, why aren’t natural gas cars being produced?

That’s easy: the infrastructure for natural gas is currently not in place, with fewer than 1000 refueling stations nationwide. Under half of those stations aren’t open to the public, making refueling difficult if not impossible in some areas of the country.

If the federal government commits to expanding our natural gas infrastructure then the chances of the Toyota CNG hybrid going into production improves. This is something the next Administration will want to tackle as natural gas burns cleaner and reduces our dependency on foreign sources of oil, especially oil purchased from countries who are openly hostile to our way of life.

The displayed Camry concept is powered by the standard 2.4L, 4-cylinder engine found in base model Camry’s today. With Toyota Hybrid Synergy Drive, the gasoline fuel system is replaced with a compressed natural gas system, the main difference between the two hybrid Camry models.

Producing 170 horsepower, the CNG Camry Hybrid would get nearly identical fuel economy to the gas electric Hybrid, 33 combined fuel economy. Two compressed natural gas fuel tanks are stored in the spare tire well area of the car, safely removing the tanks from view. To make up for a lack of a spare tire, Toyota outfitted the Camry with Bridgestone run flat tires, but I could see a spare tire holder fitted into the trunk lid which would be a smart as well as attractive touch for the CNG hybrid Camry.

Alas, the CNG hybrid Camry will not go into production anytime soon, other than perhaps for regional availability in markets such as Southern California which can support these types of vehicles. With gas prices being so low again, a compressed natural gas car isn’t ideal right now but it could be when gas prices start climbing again next Spring. By then, the Obama Administration may have a new energy policy in place, one that embraces alternative fuel sources including compressed natural gas.

Copyright 2008-2012 — Matthew C. Keegan is the owner of a successful writing and marketing business based in North Carolina, USA. He manages several websites and is a contributing writer for Andy’s Auto Sport, a retailer of quality body kits and other fine aftermarket parts.

Anthony Fontanelle asked:

ESPN announced Friday that Subaru is the exclusive automotive and gold level sponsor of the X Games 13 to be held in Los Angeles, Calif. August 2-5, reported PRNewswire.

Terms of the sponsorship agreement said that Subaru of America, Inc. will provide ESPN with a 2008 Subaru Impreza WRX to be the grand prize awarded by ESPN to the “Subaru Most Outstanding Athlete of the Games.” ESPN will solely be responsible for choosing the recipient and administering the giveaway.

“We are very pleased to be an integral sponsor of X Games 13,” said Tim Mahoney, the senior vice president and chief marketing officer, Subaru of America, Inc. “Last year, we had such tremendous success in the rally competition that we dubbed the event the ‘WRX Games’ in a celebratory print ad.’ It is a perfect fit for our performance enthusiast customers that are always ready for action.”

The X Games is an annual multi-sport event with a concentration on action sports. The games are divided into seasons: the Winter X Games and the X Games. The former is held in January or February, while the latter in August. Competitors perform in various categories and styles, trying to win bronze, silver and gold medals, as well as prize money. This year, the 2008 Impreza WRX will serve as the grand prize to be awarded to the ‘Subaru Most Outstanding Athlete of the Games.’

The WRX, is an all-wheel drive turbocharged version of the Impreza. The Impreza WRX became popular to aficionados because of its superb performance and handling. The vehicle was originally introduced in Japan in 1992. Then it was launched in Australia and Europe.

The Impreza WRX is equipped with enhanced Subaru ball joints, radiator, filter and exhaust to complement the turbocharged 2.5L Boxer engine. Compared to the base Impreza, the WRX has larger brakes, bigger low-profile tires, and firmer, higher quality suspension components.

The Impreza WRX STI, formerly called the STi, is the highest standard-edition trim in the Impreza line. With the establishment of the Subaru Tecnica International (STI) division aimed at coordinating development for the FIA World Rally Championship and other motorsports, the Japanese company created the high-performance Impreza WRX STi. In 2001, the Impreze received a complete update to bolster performance, style, dynamics and handling. To stress, the five speed transmission, which was said to be one of Impreza’s weak points, was changed to a STi engineered six speed manual transmission.

Meanwhile, the Subaru Rally Team USA driver Travis Pastrana is set to defend the X Games gold medal. In 2006, Pastrana and co-driver Christian Edstrom earned the gold medal in the inaugural X Games Rally event. Pastrana will be back in action to defend his X Games gold medal in the rally competition.

Pastrana edged out a win over former Subaru World Rally Champion Colin McRae, a rally legend. Pastrana’s Subaru teammates Ken Block and co-driver Alex Gelsomino grabbed the bronze medal. The podium finishers drove Open Class Subaru Impreza WRX STI rally cars sponsored by the Japanese automaker and prepared by Vermont SportsCar.

The addition of Subaru to our roster of sponsors for X Games 13 comes at a great time after the success of last year’s debut of Rally Car Racing, said Rick Alessandri, the Managing Director of the X Games Franchise. “Partnering with Subaru is a terrific fit for the X Games audience, and we look forward to growing the relationship for future action sports events.”

This year, The Home Depot Center will host extra X Games competitions, while other events will return to STAPLES Center. For the complete information and schedule of X Games 13 rally events, enthusiasts can visit www.expn.com.

Matthew C. Keegan asked:


Unlike General Motors and Chrysler which have chose not to hold press conferences at this year’s L.A. Auto Show, Ford is using the show as an opportunity to roll out several new models including the Ford Mustang, Lincoln MKZ, Mercury Milan and the Ford Fusion. The centerpiece of the automaker’s next generation Fusion and Milan is hybrid technology, a first for Ford’s popular mid-size sedans.

The hybrid model is the biggest newsmaker as the 2.5L engine (paired with a six-speed automatic transmission) gets class leading city fuel economy, what Ford says will be 6 mpg better than the comparable sized Toyota Camry Hybrid. If that assertion holds up, then the Ford Fusion/Mercury Milan Hybrid will return 39 mpg in the city based on the 2009 Toyota Camry Hybrid’s EPA certified fuel economy of 33 mpg. In other words, the Ford twins will have the best city fuel economy of any car on the road, even beating out the Smart ForTwo and any diesel or other hybrid model.

For the driver who prefers something besides a gas-electric hybrid, the Ford twins offer three engine choices when the new models go on sale in Spring 2009: a 2.5L I4, 3.0L Flexfuel V6, and a 3.5L V6. Across the entire model line, six speed automatic transmissions are standard, helping to maximize fuel economy with these five passenger sedans. Ford says that this new combination will increase fuel economy by 17% with the base engine and 10% for the other engines, a trend in the right direction for an automaker scrambling to provide a much more fuel efficient fleet of passenger vehicles.

Will the Fusion Hybrid be the death of the Toyota Camry? Not hardly. The Camry remains the best selling car in America with approximately 500,000 units sold in good years.  However, Ford is making a strong case for buyers to consider the Fusion given that the Camry offers just a five-speed automatic transmission and its own hybrid now trails the Fusion in city fuel economy.

For Ford, which is reeling under stiff financial pressure, the new models cannot come soon enough. Perhaps consumers will sit up and take notice that Ford is in the fuel savings game to win.

Levi Quinn asked:


With the global financial crisis and the unstable gas prices, many people are now turning to fuel-efficient hybrid vehicles. The hybrid vehicles have less gas emissions, which will go a long way in reducing the effect of the emissions on the environment. The hybrid cars are fuel-efficient and those using them will be able to save on gas expenses. Another reason why hybrid cars are preferred is that they are much faster than the average cars. Buying of hybrid cars will depend on the reason why the person wants to have one.

It has been said that hybrid cars offer an excellent way of investing. People have been told that buying hybrid cars will enable them save on the expenses, which they would have otherwise used to buy fuel. However, since hybrid cars are expensive, the benefits will not be felt at once and may take a period of years, before one can feel the tangible benefits of the hybrid car. However, with advancements in technology the costs of the hybrid cars will likely fall. Those who cannot wait for that long should not buy the current high costs hybrid cars. 

Furthermore, the cars that will be produced with the improved technology are likely to be more efficient than the current ones. Apart from concerns about high gas prices, those who buy hybrid cars do so because of the need to preserve the environment. The amount of gas emissions released to the atmosphere by users of non-hybrid cars is on the rise.  However, if one is not driven by the need to preserve the environment and is not worried about the emissions their cars give out, then they are not the right candidates to buy hybrid cars.

Most of the hybrid cars are available in small sizes. This has been a factor that has made many tall people, who would have preferred using hybrid cars not to buy them. The comfort and the amount of space available in non-hybrid SUVs have prevented many people from using the hybrid cars. For instance, users of Prius have raised safety issues concerning the car model. This model has a curvy interior, which reduces the users’ headroom and can cause extensive injuries if an accident occurs. 

Even if the one decides to buy the hybrid car because of its potential to save on costs, it will be difficult to know the actual amount of money that will be saved. This issue arises since most hybrid cars do not have alternate non-hybrid cars. For example, the Prius can only be found as a hybrid car and thus it cannot be compared with any non-hybrid Prius car. Another reason why you should not buy hybrid is that, not all hybrids are the same. The ones that are fuel-efficient are normally expensive, while those that are not that expensive do not give the level of fuel efficiency desired. Those who are not technology minded or environmentally conscious should not worry about the trend of buying hybrid cars.

Anthony Fontanelle asked:


Since its introduction in the auto market in 1989, the Subaru Legacy has attracted the attention of many car buyers not only for its good looks but also because of its reliability and performance. For the 2008 model year, the Japanese automaker gave the Legacy a mid-generation upgrades.

On the outside, the Japanese auto manufacturer changed the front end of the Legacy. Although Subaru changed the looks of the front end of the car, the change is subtle. Among the changes made by Subaru to the Legacy are the headlights, revised grille and the new side mirrors. On the rear end of the car, changes were made to the rear bumper and taillights.

With the changes dome to the front end of the Legacy, it no longer looks exactly like the Subaru Outback. The changes though could not hide the similarity between the Outback and the new Legacy. Although some critics labeled the Outback and the Legacy as bland in design, there are also those who claimed that the clean lines of the Subaru Legacy is one of its strong selling points.

The powerplant of the Subaru legacy also received upgrades. The engine of the current generation Legacy is a 2.5-liter four-cylinder boxer engine. The upgraded engine provides mid-range torque thanks to the modifications made to the cam timing of the engine.

According to Subaru, the Legacy’s engine can produce as much as 170 horsepower and 170 lb-ft of torque. That power is adequate enough for the power need of the midsize car. Another engine available with the Legacy is a turbocharged version of the boxer engine. The turbocharged engine can produce as much as 243 horsepower and 241 lb-ft of torque.

A new feature for the Legacy, specifically for its drivetrain is the improved five-speed automatic transmission. Following the trend in the auto industry, Subaru gave their automatic transmission a paddle shifter. Precision engineered, the Subaru Legacy’s five-speed automatic transmission has a shifting time of 0.2 seconds, that time is considerably less than the 0.6 seconds shifting time for the previous transmission.

One of the most notable features of Legacy even previous models is its handling. Subaru engineers have been developing suspension systems for the Legacy which gave it good handling and steering responsiveness. With that, the Legacy can handle tight cornering even on high speeds.

Aside from the upgrades given by Subaru to the new Legacy, its looks and performance can be improved by using Subaru aftermarket parts. But even without the aid of these components, the Legacy with all the upgrades given to it by the Japanese carmaker is enough to make the Legacy worth every cent spent on it.

According to auto industry experts, the new Subaru legacy is a positive step for Subaru. The new Legacy is seen as the one to usher a new era for the Japanese auto manufacturer in terms of competing with established nameplates. The midsize Legacy is directly competing with the Toyota Camry, the Honda Accord and the reigning North American Car of the Year, the Saturn Aura. With the improvements made on the Legacy, the nameplate is on its way to being a serious competitor in its segment.

zee001 asked:


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