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Comments
http://www.just-auto.com/news_detail.asp?art=50111
Any how, given they were selling redaged Suzukis as Justys in Europe, this can't be any worse.
-juice
I also found an odd story - in Japan, Subaru's releasing a health & beauty R2 Refi that emits vitamin C through the air conditioner, apparently releases amino acids through the seat fabric (?), and has special filtering glass.
Here's the Subaru of Japan link... once there, click on the gray bars across the bottom of the page to see these features.
http://www.subaru.co.jp/r2/refi/concept/
-juice
-juice
*put in the upgraded 173 hp engine and ETC
*remove the moon roof and increase headroom by 2"
*increase leg room by 1" in front (seat mod)
*need the 5 speed auto tranny/VTD
*increase mpg on N/A car by 2 mpg manual, 1 mgp auto
Keep the sticker at about $23k.
Would the above mods be better than a Beca based Baja that would have to come in at $28k+ ? It looks like that price level is hindering Ridgeline sales, and a Beca Baja would compete directly with the Ridgeline. OTH, there are plenty of Tacoma and Frontier sales that could be canabalized at the $23k level.
I hate to see the Baja go away without a real attempt to improve it.
John
Bob
It's like the VW Cabrio. You know they'll replace it with something very different.
-juice
http://www.evworld.com/blogs/index.cfm?page=blogentry&authorid=12&blogid=112
My favorite part is the last sentence by Infante: "Timing for the US market launch has not been determined." Hmm... to me that implies that he expects there to be a US market launch.
I don't think it would cost much less than an Impreza 2.5i.
-juice
The other benefit would be that you're driving an emissions-free vehicle.
Plus your range is very limited, which would be OK for someone like me who has a spare car.
I'd only bite if you can drop the top. Plus this would have to be a very low priced vehicle, $10k ideally but $14k tops and that's loaded.
-juice
The emissions happen, they just happen remotely.
So to be picky, but it is not zero emissions, it is remote emissions.
Did you know that the Outback PZEV sold in California qualifies as a PZEV because it emits the equivalent of what an electric car would (remotely)?
So an electric "ZEV" is not any cleaner than a PZEV Outback.
-juice
Still, for me it would be fine. My commute is 13 miles each way, so I need 26 miles of range, let's call it 60 so I could do 2 days and have a little left over to run an errand on my way home.
-juice
I'm keeping my 98 Accord just to have a 2nd car around. Normally I commute on bus, but sometimes I need a car to do some errands when my wife is using the Outback. R1e would be terrific for that.
I just heard from someone who recently went to a Subaru focus group, and was presented with a couple of possible revised front ends for the Tribeca. This person felt that one of the front-end designs was just so-so, whereas the other looked really great.
The one he liked looked, if I understand him correctly, like somewhat of a combination of the new Forester grille, with the soft "rounded" elements also found on Infiniti and the Murano.
I believe this is a 1-piece grille, rather than the current 3-piece unit. Supposedly it has thick Forester/Inifiniti-like horizontal bars, with a chrome ribbon at the top with the logo in it.
It will be very interesting to see how Subaru explains this about face, and to see if they just "threw in the towel," or if this is still just another evolutionary step of the original aircraft-inspired design concept.
Not sure when (or if) this will take place. My guess is we'll see it on the '08 model, but that's just a guess.
I have to honest with you, when I first saw the new Forester, I was wondering why they didn't incorporate the 3-piece grille like they did on the Impreza. Now I'm wondering if Subaru might be considering offering two different (but related) front ends? Mercedes does this. Their sedans have always had a more formal upright crosshatch patterned grille, whereas their trucks and sports cars have always featured the 3-point star as the main grille focal point.
No word on whether this will also take place on the Subies. The Tribeca has been by far the most controversial looking, far more so than the current Impreza's rendition of that design theme. As they say: stay tuned...
Bob
Makes sense, in light of the new 7-passenger RAV4.
Bob
~Colin
That would certainly pave the way towards my wife even considering a Tribeca in the future.
Ken
My concern is how will Subaru promote this change without them looking like idiots. They've got to come across as if they know what they're doing, and not as just a bunch of stumble-bums, just grasping for straws.
Bob
Bob
In the mean time, Saab has jumped all over the airplane thing. Now if Subaru tries to build a marketing campaign around airplanes and that ugly nose, they will just look like they are copying Saab.
I hope they do just throw in the towel on the new nose. I thought that Subarus already had distinctive and identifiable designs, especially on the Outbacks, which I personally think are very attractive.
There's nothing wrong with the airplane "concept," it's the "execution" that needs work.
Bob
Bob
Forget it, Subaru. Leave the seven passenger seating to Tribeca (which itself isn't even all that adequate).
As for the Forester, I'd like to see it happen. I've been asking for a Grand Forester since 1998.
Would it overlap with the Tribeca? Not so much.
Keep it utilitarian, it won't cost as much nor would it be as nice inside. The RAV4 certainly has my attention, so I'd love to see Subaru's response, and I can't afford a Tribeca, not now anyway.
I hope that unlike Toyota Subaru would offer both sizes, regular and long wheelbase. I have a feeling they'll have to make it taller to accomodate a 3rd row. Package it like the Mazda5, small on the outside, big on the inside. I think they'll have to ditch the rear strut suspension for better packaging, which would be yet another bonus.
Forester + 10" wheelbase stretch + 3" height increase + compact multi-link rear suspension = a lot more sales than the Tribeca could accomplish.
-juice
It's funny, right now I'd want another Forester, but I'll admit we could use a 3rd row for the occasional time when we car-pool and take other kids home from pre-school.
I'm just not sure that's often enough to justify the extra cost of a bigger vehicle I'd have to live with the rest of the time.
-juice
A Forester with those measurements would be "bigger" than a Tribeca. That would give the Forester a 109.4" wheelbase, and the Tribeca has a 108.1" wheelbase.
Bob
Highlander is bigger than an RX330.
Pilot is bigger than an MDX.
And of course both do *more* volume at lower prices.
Keep it simple, utilitarian. I'd rather not have painted bumpers and climate control, for instance. Nor do I need power seats, stuff like that.
-juice
1) get some new buyers
2) lose some current owners.
I would be in the later category. If I wanted something bigger, I would have bought something bigger back then.
The question then is whether the new buyers outweigh lost sales. I would likely pick up a Mazda5 if the Forester gets significantly bigger.
John
Bob
It's not unprecedented, Suzuki did it with the Grand Vitara and XL7. Toyota is doing it with the RAV4, only they are selling them in different markets.
I like the Mazda5 too, but no AWD is a biggie. CR rated it very highly, their new top rated tall wagon.
-juice
No word yet about production models.
Bob
That would be a nice Xmas gift...
-juice
-juice
I would be really tempted if we had a Spec B wagon coming our way.
John
John
-juice
Leave the 2.5 & 2.5T to performance versions.
Bob