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Comments
VW basically ensured the Jetta would ace crash tests, and it cost them less in the end.
-juice
27K for a 148 horse, FWD compact without NAV?
Joe
-juice
I had sent off an e-mail to FHI several days ago asking if there was an English version and am pleasantly surprised to receive a relatively personal response. It was nearly impossible to find a way to contact FHI on their website - even Subaru Global had no contact information.
http://response.jp/issue/2005/0824/article73577_1.html
Translated article:
Subaru Hybrid - With Miller Cycle a 20% Improvement in Fuel Consumption
One of the key devices in Subaru's new-style TPH system is the Miller cycle, employed alongside the horizontally opposed turbocharged engine.
The Miller cycle uses an expansion stroke that is greater than the compression stroke and is a technology that minimizes pumping loss, a big factor in internal loss. According to Subaru's development camp, matching the Miller cycle and low friction internals will result in a 10% more efficient engine.
The base engine is the EJ20 currently being used in the Legacy. This engine comes equipped with Active Valve Control System (AVCS), but the TPH engine will use that valve timing management and retard the valve timing to work with the Miller cycle.
An expansion stroke of 11 or higher is common for NA engines. The compression stroke, governed by AVCS, is variable between a minimum of lower than 8 and the upper limit which is the same as for normal turbo engines. "During times of high power output, the spec will be close to auto-cycle mode." (Subaru rep)
Since the displacement of the (Subaru's) engine is smaller than what is commonly used with Miller cycle, power and torque will be low. Subaru plans to utilize what it considers its forte, a turbo, in order to cope with the problem. Because the turbine's output decreases as a result from the Miller cycle, a turbine which provides higher flow than normal has been used.
The weak point of this new engine is the relatively low low-rpm torque as compared with normal engines. Thus the 15Nm TPH motor is assigned the duty of compensating for the deficiency. Combining the Miller cycle and TPH systems will result in a Legacy that maintains the current GT-turbo specs, while being able to obtain an approximate 20% improvement in fuel economy.
http://response.jp/issue/2005/0823/article73576_1.html
Translated article:
Subaru Hybrid - Starting with the new Legacy
Subaru announced their newly developed hybrid system on the 18th. In 2007 the hybrid system will be used on the new Legacy. Sales will be limited at first, but in the future Subaru will adjust their production plans according to market conditions.
With the new style hybrid unit - Turbo Parallel Hybrid (TPH) - a generator and motor are installed between the engine and transmission, making it s a parallel hybrid system. The transmission is a torque converter type AT and drivetrain is fulltime 4WD.
The TPH motor is mated to the engine and rotates at the same speed as the crankshaft. In principle and mechanism, it is similar to the motor assist (IMA) in Honda's parallel hybrid system, but Subaru's motor specs are rated at output of 10kW (13ps) and torque of 150Nm (15.3kgm) - compared to 15kW and 103Nm. Subaru stresses the importance of the higher torque spec.
Actually in 2003 Subaru showcased a powerful 100kW motor for their SSHEV system, but that project has been canceled.
- Kenzo Watanabe (Subaru HEV Development Dept.)
"For the forseeable future this TPH system will be Subaru's foundation for hybrid cars."
The reason for the switch from SSHEV to TPH was "purely a cost and product problem".
The SSHEV, which was highly dependent on the motor output, was too expensive. Instead, Subaru decided that a parallel system that uses a motor to compensate for the engine's output in the low-rpm region would result in lower costs and higher product appeal.
Bob
Turbo and hybrid? Should be interesting. Can't imagine that will be cheap, though.
SSHEV - was that from the B9 Scrambler?
Hey Brenda, cry with me, WAAAAAAAAH!
-juice
for example the crv and forester are in 2 different categories ( vehicle footprint which is wheelbase * track width ) forester is < 43 sq ft and the crv is in the 43-47 range. thus in 2008 the forest has to get 26.8 and the crv only 25.6. in 2011 the forester has to get 28.4 and the crv 27.0.
this declining mpg game has 6 categories with the current forester in the smallest and gm silverago in the biggest ( > 65 sq ft ) which needs to be in 2011 21.2 mpg.
forget the hybrid, stretch the current cars :P
Kinda like how Subaru introduced the H6 - high-end only.
Forester's track is about as wide as it will go, they'd have to stretch the wheelbase to fall into the next category.
Problem with only looking at wheelbase and track width is that you're not accounting for 2WD vs. AWD/4WD, so Subaru gets screwed.
-juice
John
Subaru is getting help for the batteries from NEC, it seems, and they descrive the parallel system as being similar to Honda's, not Toyota's.
-juice
juice: great job finding those articles! It's nice to finally have some substance to all this talk. Since this technology is being developed in Legacy, I think we'll see it here in the U.S., unlike the R1e. And wow - 2007's not so far away... one model year! Maybe this is the Frankfurt press conference.
From the Legacy brochure:
• 2.5i gets 205/50x17 tires, and not the 215/45x17 found on the L-GT. All the wheels are 7" wide, however.
• Like the '05 Legacy brochure, no info is provided for towing. This is the only Subie brochure that does not provide towing info.
• Nothing on the Spec B, which means it will get a separate brochure, I would assume.
Bob
But you can thank me. :P
Bob - odd about the tire size difference, hardly seems worth making them different, they're so close. Wonder which, if any, would allow a full-size spare to fit in the well.
-juice
Bob
The narrower tire probably helps fuel economy; every little bit is necessary for CAFE.
dave
http://www.fhi.co.jp/english/news/press/2005/05_08_18e.pdf
Before Colin jumps in and beats me over the head with an Algebra textbook (LOL)...
I think that's a BIG issue. People looking to spend less on fuel are the ones that this would matter most to. If the forced induction requires premium fuel, they would very likely lose interest. In this specific context, where the goal is efficiency and absolute lowest possible fuel cost, that would be a major no-no.
Cost? 2.0l with forced induction plus the hybrid battery and motor, what would all this cost? Could an Impreza wagon with all this compete in price with a Prius ($20-25k)? If so it might perform better and really compete well.
Power and Efficiency? How much power could they get out of a 2.0l Miller cycle engine? Maybe 200hp or so? With electric boost that would perform quite well. And how much mileage would it get? If they can get 23/30 with a 2.5l engine they would have to aim for 30/32 or so with a hybrid powertrain. It has to be significantly better.
Auto only is implied. It says the motor goes next to the automatic transmission. Civic offers a manual but most hybrids so far have been auto, I think that would be OK given the target audience.
-juice
My wife liked the Millenia but we ended up getting a 626 ES V6 for a lot less money that an S model would have cost us. About $10 grand.
-juice
Cost will go down if they can sell a bunch of these to other automakers. Longevity's the big seller here... 15 years/150k miles battery life is outstanding.
Juice found these! It looks like it's a 2-door! I like the Tribeca better.
Bob
Finally, it looks like the roofrack crossbars are slightly different from those found on our current US-spec Outback Sports. They appear to be like the flat optional crossbars offered here on other Subies.
FWIW, I very much like this color combo shown here. I've seen it on '06 Forester LL Beans, and it's very attractive.
Bob
Saabeca's rear looks a lot the same, dual exhaust and all. Look and even the fender flares and the lower cladding look the same.
I wonder if that's actually a 2 door or if it was chopped, the pic is blurry in that area. Even the roof is uneven. Wonder if Saab put that out to throw us off?
I don't like Saab's new "face", which the new 9-5 just got. Looks like a bunch of black-bladed cheese graters up front.
I'm a bit surprised, but the Tribeca looks better in every way.
-juice
Subaru will add minivan for U.S. in '07 or '08
Subaru plans to add a minivan to its U.S. lineup in late 2007 or in
2008. Based on the Subaru Legacy platform, the seven-seat vehicle would
be smaller and more affordable than the B9 Tribeca, says a source at
Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd., which makes Subarus.
Anybody (juice?) have the full article?
it sounds like it will be a small minivan, which is a big mistake IMO.
Bob
By the way, I got a change to see the B9 Tribeca as well! It´s the car that is going to be displayed on the Frankfurt Motor Show.
So what´s going to be changed for the B9 Tribeca Euro version? Besides from the obvious miles/km, farenheit/celsius, US navi maps/Euro navi maps convertions the lights have to be changed. Headlights as well as rear lights. The Euro B9 Tribeca will also have stiffer suspension and better brakes. It will arrive in Germany in summer 2006. A 3 litre 6 cyl. boxer diesel is also going to be available but perhaps not the first model year.
Bob
Bob
Bob
If they are smart they will style it conservatively so it can appeal to the folks turned off by the Tribeca's edgy look.
Diesel for Europe, interesting. 3l H6, too.
We had heard that we'd see an Impreza-based people mover, but this will be Legacy based. That's probably very wise.
I doubt we'd see it in Detroit in Jan 2006, Subaru will likely display it in Jan '07 for debut later that year. Maybe even New York if it won't be out until early '08.
-juice
-juice
"I think the reaction to the Impreza has been overwhelmingly positive. When people see the vehicle in the flesh, as they have in Japan, the reaction has been very strong," Senior says.
Yet strangely less than 2 years later the headlights were changed. Can this new nose really last long?
---
Btw Juice, do you have something against the Reply option? I was catching up and you're single-handedly unthreading the new (semi-)threaded discussion feature!
~Colin
Craig
-juice
however, I feel that the '06 STi has an extremely discordant look. the headlights are similar to the '04 but match poorly with the grille. the bulge in the hood does not integrate nearly as well with the grille as Mazda's design. I feel this is primarily because the grille is too small. if they wanted that shape they should've made it 75-100% bigger.
the grille is just wrong all around.
~Colin
-juice
It is very rare when a carmaker slaps a new look onto an old existing platform, and it looks 100% correct, and that's the case here too. When the all-new '08 debuts, the new look will be fully and properly integrated. That does not mean, however, that you will like that either...
My take is that Subaru did about as good a job as one could expect under the restrictions they were working under. Like Craig, I too think it is better looking than the '04/'05 model, and much better looking than the '02/'03 model; but that's just me.
Bob
I would say exactly the opposite: better than 02/03 (infamous bugeye I like everybody else hates) and MUCH BETTER than 04/05 (hyundai'ysh, as bland as it gets). I saw it yesterday on the road and I it was not as handsome as it looked on some pictures (I guess when you add nice lihting and shine it will always look better). Not too plain, but not as hot as one might imagine. The front looked to me like a decently executed mix of an older Alfa and Pontiac Vibe ( :confuse: - I can't help it, it just did), even if it is not really that similar. Just the daytime ligts seen in rear view mirror were just like Vibe. I would have to see one closer than just a glance on the road...
2018 430i Gran Coupe
Bob
2018 430i Gran Coupe
And their formula for the exterior refreshes have usually been the same -- new front end, tweak the tailights and leave everything else pretty much the same.
Ken
you can't rest your head on it comfortably without a helmet, it's too far back.
~Colin
Swap the headrests, front to rear and vice-versa.
The rear ones tilt forward, so you can actually use them while driving.
-juice
Bob
Ken
Bob
Somewhere, the WRX product planner probably wonders if they'll ever get it right! The funny thing is that the OB sport and Impreza models sort of just get dragged along for the ride. Can't remember us ever debating the looks of the OB sport front end, even though it arguably took the WRX theme (good or bad depending on your tastes) and made it even more love/hate. Say what you will about each generation WRX front end, but slap two-tone paint and some "sport" stickers on the car and it's going to galvanize people even more!
Craig