It is true that these type of campaigns can be rather cheap and yet extremely effective. However, they can also backfire. And in our opinion, that's the case with Subaru's effort to promote / convince us that the latest Legacy is the opposite of the so-called 'beige' mid-size sedans.
Starting with the chunky-monkey Legacy and Outback models that are relatively new, the only update to be expected is a mild refresh/facelift coming in the next three or four years.
Hopefully Subaru will decide on a corporate face that doesn't look like 'meh' and throw it on those two, because right now they're as beige as a Camry. I mean, if Volvo and Audi could make their crossover cars (the Cross Country and Allroad) look cool, why can't Subaru?
Mr. Quesada interned for Italdesign and received an M.A. in Transportation Design from the Universidad Politécnica de Valencia; he is obviously not a person playing around on the computer with a bong and some photoshop skills (to those people out there: feel free to keep sending stuff in, we don't mind).
The Subaru Celeno is Quesada's interpretation of a small Subaru with some BMW Visions EfficientDynamics thrown in. It's a sleek four-door coupe seen down the hypothetical line created by Subaru's own Hybrid Tourer.
The STI sedan is also offered in a Limited trim level with a starting price of $37,345 that includes leather-trimmed upholstery, 18-inch BBS alloy wheels, power moonroof and fog lights. The Impreza WRX STI Limited 5-door starts at $35,995, but comes only with the 18-inch BBS alloy wheels.
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The idea behind the Subaru Impreza Berlinetta was to create a high-performance two-seater sports car using the Impreza STI as base, but with a twist; the sedan's platform would be turned around, meaning that the turbocharged boxer engine on the Berlinetta would reside at the rear-end of the car.
The list of performance goodies includes a Bilstein suspension, strut tow bars, sport exhaust system, and 18-inch multispoke alloy wheels shod in 225/45 R18 rubber.
On the outside, STI's team added a front lip spoiler on both models, along with a discreet boot lid spoiler for the B4 sedan and a roof spoiler for the Touring Wagon.
For those keeping track, rally legend and Porsche test driver, Walter Röhrl, lapped the 'Ring with the 500HP Panamera Turbo in an unofficial time of 7 minutes and 56 seconds, while Cadillac's 556HP CTS-V clocked a 7:59.32 lap in 2008.
But there's a catch; the 2011 STI that lapped the 'Ring was in Subaru's own words, a prototype model. According to the company, the test car combined a series of production performance upgrades from the JDM-only R205 and C-Spec STIs including a larger turbocharger with some additional mods such as under body aero parts and aluminum fenders.
Starting with the Impreza STI's 2.5-liter boxer unit, Cosworth's engineers installed new high-performance pistons, connecting rods, head gasket and bearings. The tune-up also includes a remapped ECU, modified turbocharger and wastegate, and a custom exhaust system.
Subaru said in statement that there's a possibility a crack or split can occur in the CVT cooler hose resulting in a fluid leak. According to the Japanese maker, "if the fluid is completely leaked during driving, the vehicle will come to a stop, possibly resulting in a crash."
Both vehicles receive equipment enhancements including manual-folding exterior mirrors, while Premium and Limited models equipped with Harman/Kardon audio now feature XM Satellite Radio and a three-month trial subscription. There are also new available colors for both cars.
Prices for all Legacy models aside from the Limited trim versions remain unchanged for the 2011MY, and range from $19,995 for the base 2.5 to $24,995 for the 3.6R.
Considered by many as one of the most sought after limited edition Imprezas, the P1 was developed as a joint venture between Subaru UK, the Japanese firm's STI division and Prodrive, which was responsible for the automaker's WRC cars.
Based on the Japanese market Impreza Coupe, the P1 had significant enhancements engineered by Prodrive to the suspension, drivetrain, trim and aerodynamics.
