Subaru Signs MoU to Manufacture Compact SUV

Subaru’s parent company Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd. (FHI) today announced that it has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Tan Chong Group for the local production of an unnamed compact SUV in Malaysia.

The only compact SUV in Subaru’s current range is the Forester, though the vehicle in question may be the upcoming Impreza-based crossover that was previewed by the XV Concept (pictured above) at the 2011 Shanghai Auto Show in China this past April.

The Japanese automaker said an initial assembly of 5,000 vehicles per year will begin in October 2012 at an existing production facility of Tan Chong Motor Assemblies Sdn. Bhd (TCMA). The vehicles will be sold in Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia through the Tan Chong Group’s Subaru network.

FHI established a partnership with Tan Chong Group in 1987 when the latter was appointed the Subaru distributor in Singapore. The Tan Chong Group has since expanded the sales and distribution network of Subaru vehicles across ASEAN countries that now include Cambodia, Southern China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam.

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VIDEO: Subaru in the Midst of Saudi Women Driving

Last month, a 32-year old woman named Manal al-Sharif was arrested in Saudi Arabia for committing the crimes of… driving and posting a video on Youtube urging other women to drive too.
This is strictly forbidden by the Wahhabi sect of Suni Islam which is Saudi Arabia’s religion, as women are not allowed to apply for a driver’s license or mix with men (e.g. in service or gas stations) or even leave the home without male company.
Even though al-Sharif was released 10 days later, her arrest resulted in a group of women named "Saudi women for Driving" to campaign in favor of lifting the ban on women’s driving in the Kingdom.
US Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, has publicly supported the group who defied the royal family’s regime by driving in Saudi Arabian streets on June 17.
Now the group is putting pressure on Subaru and its parent company, Fuji Heavy Industries, to leave the country until the prohibition is lifted. The Japanese company was selected because it is considered progressive and has marketed its products to women. It is also quite possible that the group’s next targets will be Cadillac and Hyundai, the two brands of cars driven by al-Sharif.
Fuji Industries and Subaru spokesman, Kenta Matsumoto, commented that the company’s Saudi Arabia dealer’s “haven’t received information of any campaigns. We only have dealers, not factories, in the country and our annual sales are limited to 300-400 units”.

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VIDEO: Subaru Impreza WRX STI’s Record Run at the Isle of Man TT

After seeing the growing the attention and interest on Mark Higgins' record lap time -and not to mention, a very close call with a wall during the practice runs- in a U.S. specification 2011 Impreza WRX STI 305HP at the historic Isle of Man TT Mountain Course, Subaru’s American arm issued a new video of the event.
The former British Rally Champion achieved speeds of up to 162 MPH (260 km/h) and a lap time of 19 minutes 37 seconds over the 37-mile track, which runs through several small towns with trees, stone walls, and buildings and includes more than 200 corners.
The video highlights Higgin’s lap that averaged 115.356 MPH, while the British driver also talks us through a chilling moment at Brey Hill when he momentarily lost and then regained control of the WRX STI at more than 150 MPH (241km/h).
Aside from the necessary safety modifications such as a Lifeline fire suppression system, Hockley Motorsports roll cage, and motordrive competition seats, the WRX STI was also fitted with Mintex brake pads (but with stock calipers and rotors), a louder open exhaust to warn spectators of its arrival, and retuned springs and dampers to accommodate the numerous high-speed jumps on the circuit. In addition, Subaru’s engineers turned off the car’s speed limiter.
Commenting on the event that marked the test runs, Higgins said:

"We were only able to get two practice runs and on our second practice I had the biggest 'moment' of my career. We had a passenger on the run and so coming into Bray Hill at more than 150 MPH, the extra weight compressed the suspension more than on previous runs and shifted the Subaru to the left and then right as I corrected--it was a real tank slapper. The whole thing went by so quickly that we never slowed below 110 MPH, and then we were back on the power. It was amazing and the helicopter shots really show just how hairy it really was."

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All-New 2012 Subaru Impreza

The New York auto show hosts the world premiere of the fourth generation Subaru Impreza, showcased in both 4-door and 5-door body styles. Developed under the Subaru’s concept of “Redefining Value, Redefining Class”, the new Impreza is allegedly more fuel-efficient and fun to drive, while offerings better interior space, despite having the same exterior dimensions as the outgoing model.
The wheelbase has been enlarged by 25 mm, the bottom end of the A-pillar has been extended 200 mm toward the front and the door structure has been redesigned, with all these changes resulting in increased shoulder and elbow space, extra foot room for the rear passengers and an improved field of vision for the driver. Naturally, cargo space is larger in the sedan with Subaru claiming that it can transport four golf bags, while the hatchback can accommodate three.
Mechanically, the base U.S. models feature Subaru's Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive system and the third generation 2.0-liter boxer engine, mated either to a 5-speed manual, either to the new Lineartronic Continuously Variable Transmission.
Rated at 148 horsepower (22 less than the outgoing model’s 2.5-liter unit) and 145 lb-ft (197 Nm) of torque, the smaller engine achieved a preliminary in-house fuel consumption rating of 36 mpg (6.5 liters/100 km), a record for a U.S.-market AWD production car. This is also due to the vehicle's low weight (1,320 kg/2,910 lbs), the optimized aerodynamics and the standard low-rolling resistance tires.
Subaru says the exterior design follows the “Smart & Classy” concept, with the result being an elegant but somewhat understated look. The car's styling highlights include the hexagon grille with spread wings in the center, “hawk eye” headlights and bulged wheel arches, with the latter being a reference to all-wheel drive capability.
The new Impreza's interior appears to be inspired by German cars, with ergonomically placed controls and a classic setup. The three-spoke steering wheel and the round speedometer and rev counter add a hint of sportiness, but nothing to get excited about. Subaru didn't offer any details on pricing and launch dates.

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Honda, Nissan and Toyota Donate $3.75 Million Each for Japan

The massive earthquake followed by the even more devastating tsunami that struck the north-east coasts of Japan last week has brought together the country’s biggest automakers including Honda, Nissan and Toyota, which announced today that they will donate $3.75 million each for relief and recovery efforts in communities affected by the disaster.
In addition to the contribution in money, Nissan said it is also studying further relief efforts including complimentary provision of vehicles, such as trucks and forklifts, donation of medical supplies and daily commodities including blankets, antiseptics and masks, gift matching donation from Nissan employees, promotion, and support of blood donation activities.
Honda announced that it will donate a total of 1,000 power generators along with 5,000 gas canisters to the people left without electricity, while Toyota is considering the provision of goods and services as needed.
The three automakers have also announced the closure of some of their factories in Japan. From March 14 through March 20, Honda will suspend all production activities at its plants in Sayama, Saitama, Ogawa, Tochigi, Hamamatsu and Suzuka, plus all facilities in the Tochigi area, where damage was more serious. From March 15 through 20, Honda will also suspend production at the Kumamoto factory.
Nissan announced that operations at the Tochigi and Iwaki plants are suspended until March 18, while the Oppama, Kyushu, Shatai and Yokohama plants will be closed until March 16. As for Toyota, officials announced that the Hokkaido, Tohoku, Miyagi and Iwate plants are closed, with all employees having been evacuated to safe areas. The factories will remain closed at least until March 16.
Other automakers affected by the earthquake include Mazda, Mitsubishi, Subaru and Suzuki, which have either suspended or slowed down production because of supply shortages.

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Subaru Rear-Wheel Drive Coupe Concept

Subaru has released the first-ever teaser picture of its eagerly anticipated rear-wheel drive sports car concept ahead of its debut at the 2011 Geneva motor show on March 1. Even though Subaru's original ghost sketch of the car shows only a darkened outline of the front end, we managed to significantly brighten up the photo through some photoshop trickery and reveal the coupe's shape in full detail. At least from this picture, the Subaru study appears to differ in styling from its Toyota FT-86 sibling sporting a more curvy and less angular design.  

The Subaru variant will keep the same front-engine, rear-wheel drive layout as the FT-86, which will also be revealed in a more production ready form at the Geneva Salon. Power of course will be provided by Subaru's horizontally opposed boxer engine, but we'll have to wait until the Geneva Salon for more specific details.
On a side note, a couple of weeks ago the car was initially referred to as “Subaru Rear-Wheel Drive Sports Car Technology Concept”, but now, the Japanese automaker says it has changed the name to "BOXER Sports Car Architecture”.
The coupe concept will be joined in Geneva by the Impreza study that was first shown in LA last November and the Trezio, which is a re-badged version of the Toyota Verso-S mini MPV and will be offered in Europe with a 1.3-liter gasoline and 1.4-liter turbo diesel engine.

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