Subaru Crew Cafe

kens · May 2005

That's one nice looking vehicle. It kind of looks like a Mazda 6 blended with a Nissan Murano. Mazda does have a nice conservative yet distinctive styling across it's family line. Subaru could use to learn a little from their styling department.

And is that navi for real? Holy air traffic control monitor, Batman!

Ken

rsholland · May 2005

what you see here is the concept car, not the production version, which I'm sure will be toned down a bit.

Bob

robr2 · May 2005

I concur - I will venture to guess that cost to manufacture a round LCD screen must be astronomical when compared to buying off the shelf components.

njswamplands · May 2005

purchased a 24" widescreen in lcd dell 2405fpw. ahh 3 monitors in 12 hours, someone hide my cc

hmm portable nav next hehehehehe

ateixeira · May 2005

Dumb name for a very good looking SUV. I liked it from the minute I first saw it, which is RARE for me as you folks know.

Should be smaller than the Tribeca. Rear door handles are too high for my kids! And the 3.5l Duratec had better be ready by then 'cause 200hp ain't enough for that thing.

Supposedly Mazda will sell it along side the Tribute, i.e. it will not replace that model.

-juice

robr2 · May 2005

Dumb name for a very good looking SUV.

No dumber than B9!

I'd venture the rear handles are not in their final location.

locke2c · May 2005

bob, I used the wrong term. I meant "embedding". I believe that edmunds still dislikes us to embed images that we don't personally own, requesting that we link instead.

what I wanted to do was to put that image right in my reply, but instead I put the link. and then I made it all as clear as mud.

~c

locke2c · May 2005

how much did you pay for the 24" widescreen? where'd ya find the coupons? email me at the addy in my profile if this isn't TH-friendly discussion. (i think it should be ok?)

~Colin

ateixeira · May 2005

I liked MX-Crossport, just not CX-7.

What's that, Crossover Xover 7 seater?

Colin: in the Cafe, anything goes. Even names of other brands' cars.

-juice

ladywclass · May 2005

njswamplands · May 2005

ok teach, it is 'of' i know, it is the cc making me do typos

njswamplands · May 2005

ladywclass · May 2005

DOGGONIT ... I posted and what I said didn't post !!!

what I SAID was .... "takes nj's cc away from him and goes looking for more bargains online!"

rsholland · May 2005

Bob

robr2 · May 2005

The JDM market is wild!

I wonder if terazzo is an option?

rsholland · May 2005

Many more pixs over at nabisco. I'd be very surprised if it's real hardwood. Most likely it's just paneling of some sort, but still...

Bob

kenoka · May 2005

Definitely not real hardwood. And who would want the headache of real wood in a car anyway? But then again, who would want the headache of carpet in a car?

I like the trend toward versatility and utility in the JDM. It sure does make for some funky looking cars, but it really serves the needs of the buying public better than most three box designs.

ateixeira · May 2005

I like the versatility of the seats, like how the 2nd row is reversable.

Now that is boxy!

Headlights remind me of the Tribeca's...

-juice

njswamplands · May 2005

jon_in_ct · May 2005

There's no really appropriate existing discussion for this kind of stuff, so I'll post it here.

http://jon.in.ct.home.att.net/SubaruDealersMeeting.pdf

This appears to be the tele-prompter script from the executives' presentations at the national dealers' meeting last week. The executives, in order of appearance, were:
KUNIO ISHIGAMI - SOA President, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
KYOJI TAKENAKA - FHI President, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
IKUO MORI - FHI Senior Vice President, Chief General Manager of Subaru Overseas Sales & Marketing
FRED D. ADCOCK - SOA Executive Vice President, Sales
THOMAS J. DOLL - SOA Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer
BILL CYPHERS - SOA Vice President, Sales
RICK CROSSON - SOA Vice President, Marketing

rob_m · May 2005

... options will include little area rugs, and curtains!

Rob M.

rsholland · May 2005

Thanks Jon. I think this is a very important PDF, with a lot of useful info. I've posted it over in the "Subaru's fortunes sinking - can they turn it around?" thread too (News & Views area). Here are some quotes that I pulled out that I think answer a lot of questions Subie owners may have.

rsholland, "Subaru's fortunes sinking - can they turn it around?" #255, 27 May 2005 8:55 am

Also, there is has been a rather "spirited" discussion going on over here. I think perhaps some Subie fans here may want to add their thoughts, as it pertains to Subaru's future and game plan for success.

Bob

fibber2 · June 2005

Disappointing announcement yesterday from the last of the 'unique' PC maker. I wonder if their OS will run on Intel chips, or if they will become just another commodity wintel maker?

Steve

tsy · June 2005

Yup- the next version of OS X will be called Windows.

I think I'm going to buy a new Powerbook before they change.

tom

kens · June 2005

Apparently, Apple was already hedging on the fact that they may someday switch to Intel and OS X was designed with Intel compatibility from the get-go (according to a quote from Jobs).

I've been peeking in some Apple/Mac forums and it's interesting to read all the anguish from the decision. While I can understand the symbolism of not being part of the Intel empire, does it really make that big a difference? Doesn't the average Mac user buy a Mac for the OS and cool form factor?

Ken

rsholland · June 2005

As a MAC user, I don't see a problem. If future MACs are better for the switch, so much the better. From what I've read the current IBM chips run hot, and as a result Apple has been having problems getting more powerful versions to run, especially on their laptops. Supposedly the Intel chip will solve that problem.

Bob

jfl · June 2005

The screen on my daughter's two year old iBook died last week. She took it into the Apple store. The tech checked it and said "We know exactly what's wrong. We are aware of this glitch and it will be repaired free of charge." They hooked up a monitor to it so she could download the HD "just in case".

She just wrote that she's gotten it back with a new motherboard and it's working perfectly with no data loss!

I think they just got a customer for life.

Jim

paisan · June 2005

I left the Mac arena because of the super expensive hardware. This could lure me back. Been waiting for this for about 10 years.

-mike

rob_m · June 2005

.. I have never used a mac. Rob M.

rsholland · June 2005

Just went to FitzMall to check prices on the Saab 9-2X, to see what effect the new GM employee discount program (for everyone) has had. Prices range from $19,4  a bit over $22K for the Aero model, which is the turbo (think WRX w/goodies). Those are really great prices!

Bob

ateixeira · June 2005

Yep, you can get a 9-2x Linear for $16.8k, an Aero starts at $19.4k, with the employee pricing.

Still, they reduced the rebates before doing that. The Aero's employee price used to be $17.4k before this promotion (May).

-juice

rsholland · June 2005

Interesting stuff here:

http://www.esri.com/news/arcnews/spring05articles/subaru-of-america.html

http://www.directionsmag.com/article.php?article_id=740

Bob

toboggan · June 2005

And it seems that most of the dead DRLs are on the drivers side (if my aging memory is correct).

MNSteve

njswamplands · June 2005

yes i continue this silly observation and i am still amazed at the number of dead driver side drls on gm suvs/pickups

twrx · June 2005

I'm not too pleased with the switch but I can live with it. I have used them since 1990. Apparently support for the Power PC models will continue for some time. Anyway I am still planning to buy an iMac G5 17" Superdrive model next month when I get back from vacation. The good news is that since it is a UNIX OS the diificulty in writing viruses vs. Windows will continue. Also OS X will still to my thinking be the easiest OS to use.

As to whether they will be cheaper, well I am not holding my breath. But on the other hand with my educational discount I have gotten their computers for $100 (both of my iBooks) to $250 (my original G3 tower) less than the list price. The iMac G5 will be $100 off. Oh and di you know that iPods are educational devices? I just bought my wife Susan an iPod Mini for $20 off through Apple's education pricing on their site.

TWRX

ateixeira · June 2005

That's funny, but it's only true if you're a music professor.

)

-juice

rsholland · June 2005

Because I also teach part-time, I too have gotten some incredible discounts on MAC stuff.

Bob

rsholland · June 2005

http://www.autoweek.com/news.cms?newsId=102588

ateixeira · June 2005

Looks like a Golf Plus standing on its tippy-toes! :-)

They gave it flares and a major suspension lift, that must have an air bag suspensions raised all the way in the first pic.

It's cute, but it looks kinda small. Touared is already not that big so it's gotta be small I guess.

-juice

rsholland · June 2005

I bet its size is very close to the Forester. It has a nice "meaty" look to it with those big tires.

Bob

ateixeira · June 2005

I think the upper body looks kinda cute and playful. And it stands up so high off the ground that is where my eyes focus.

-juice

rsholland · June 2005

Yeah, it appears to have good ground clearance. It appears (to me) to be more rugged looking than the Forester. I'm sure it has to do with the large tires and good ground clearance.

I like the looks. My concern is that it's a VW, and that carries a lot of negative baggage IMO.

Bob

ateixeira · June 2005

The way they describe the rear seats has me thinking RAV4, it's the same way, and also looks to be about the same size.

They'll use the Haldex 4Motion system, FWD-based, and probably the 2.0FSI engine. That should put it about half way between the base 2.5l and the 2.5T Forester engines.

-juice

p0926 · June 2005

Looks like a RAV4 that's been lifted 2" to me :P I bet neither the jacked-up look nor the beefy tires make it to the production model.

-Frank

ateixeira · June 2005

Yeah, the Touarge has rather tame tires compared to that concept (or test mule), I have to agree with Frank there. Maybe they'll make it oversized just to compensate.

The fender flares will make it to production, otherwise it's just a Golf Plus. An air suspension would be a first in this size class and price range.

-juice

rsholland · June 2005

I disagree, the Touareg has decent-sized tires. 255/60x17 (V6) and 255/55x18 (V8) standard. I bet the Golf-based model comes with tires ~ 235 in size.

Bob

ateixeira · June 2005

I meant street-oriented, as opposed to knobby or semi-knobby off road tires like that test mule seems to have.

-juice

rsholland · June 2005

Well, they get the job done. Even with those tires the Touareg is highly regarded off-road. Those tires are common on SUVs, in that they were designed specifically for SUV usage.

Bob

ateixeira · June 2005

Looked more closely and it's not the tires so much as it is the huge gap in the fenders that gives it the aggressive stance.

That would be pretty cool, to get that high for when you need it but sit a lot lower when you drive (check the other picture to see the big difference).

-juice

rsholland · June 2005

rsholland, "What can you Hemi?" #1, 18 Jun 2005 11:09 am

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