Heritage Blue for SOA's 50th Anniversary

Subaru of America is celebrating their 50th Anniversary so, to commemorate this, they're rolling out all kinds of special edition options for their lineup of vehicles.  We've already seen a handful of limited production models announced or rolled out for Subaru in 2017.  The Black Edition Foresters take an aggressive look on the humble crossover SUV.  The BRZ tS and WRX STI Type RA look to dazzle enthusiasts with more power and performance.  But there's one special release that will cover all of Subaru's models to celebrate 50 Years in the United States, and they'll don a new color: Heritage Blue.

2018 Subaru Impreza Hatchback in Heritage Blue

Available across all Subaru models, Heritage Blue will act as the 50th Anniversary Special Edition color.  This silver/blue color will be available in 2018 on the highest trim levels for Impreza, Crosstrek, Forester, Legacy, Outback, BRZ, WRX, and WRX STI in 2018.  The new Ascent does not look to be getting a 50th Anniversary color option, as they won't be available for sale until late May of 2018.  In addition to the special color, these will also have a commemorative "Subaru 50th Anniversary" silver badge on the fender with a Gold star (signifying 50 years) and special wheel finishes.  Inside, each model will have black leather upholstery, silver stitching, silver seatbelts, and special embroidered logos.

Production numbers are limited and vary from model to model.  With the exception of the Forester (which is based off a Touring trim level), all of the 50th Anniversary Models will be released in the Limited (leather) trim level.  Interestingly enough the production numbers all end in some kind of "50" for each car with the exception of the WRX, WRX STI, and BRZ, which are grouped together to equal 1,050 total built.

Production Numbers

US-built cars will be hitting dealers before their Japanese-built counterparts.  Expect to see the Impreza, Legacy, and Outback in Heritage Blue in December and January with the Crosstrek, Forester, BRZ, WRX, and WRX STI hitting retailer lots in February and March.

Photos Below are courtesy of MotorTrend

2019 Forester - News on the Next Generation

From it's inception in the late 90s, the Forester has been a standout staple of the Subaru lineup over the years.  It's been a class leader in reviews with each generation and is still the only vehicle to have landed MotorTrend's "SUV of the Year" award twice.  As such, the Forester is coming up on completing it's design cycle for this bodystyle and will be switching over to it's new 5th Generation design in October of 2018.  Here's a rundown of what we know now, as well as handling some speculation surrounding the latest incarnation of the beloved Forester.

The 2019 Subaru Forester will be built around the Subaru Global Platform (SGP), which already carries the Impreza and Crosstrek platforms currently.  Reductions in noise, vibrations, and ride harshness are noticeable improvements in the current models, so the Forester should easily follow suit with these kinds of changes.  New for the 2019 Forester will be a Direct-Injected Naturally Aspirated 2.5l Boxer Engine with a slight bump in power.  A Continuously Variable Transmission will send power through it's Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive system.  The new Forester exterior design shows that the window lines retain their boxy shape, much like previous generations, to continue it's excellent reputation for having stellar interior visibility.  More aggressive lines around the lower portion of the doors and around the fenders continue Subaru's latest designs.

Early Viziv Concept

The rumor mill has been spinning about the possibility of the 6-Speed Manual Transmission option going away.  If that's true, the Forester would be the third vehicle in Subaru's lineup to lose this feature, following the Outback and Legacy which did away with it in 2015.  With the market focusing more on pre-collision technology, it's likely that Subaru would follow suit and include EyeSight as standard equipment in the next-gen Forester.  EyeSight currently only works on vehicles equipped with a CVT, so the Manual would be phased out in favor of an All-EyeSight offering for the '19 Forester.

However, this has not been the case with the Subaru Crosstrek, which just picked up a new 6-speed option for it's latest version released earlier this year.  The Crosstrek was also marketed in other markets to have "all vehicles with EyeSight", but the US Market did not, so there's a chance that whatever rumor is spinning for the Forester losing it's manual transmission could be based on other markets.  The Forester is still currently sold with a 6-Speed option for the 2.5i (base) and 2.5i Premium models.  While demand is low in general for manual transmission vehicles these days, this is still a defining trait of the Forester when customers are looking for an All-Wheel Drive small SUV, so it would be surprising to see Subaru drop this option for the sake of saying that "all Foresters come with EyeSight".

METHOD for our Madness

When METHOD Race Wheels teamed up with Subaru Rally Team USA to create a tough-as-nails wheel for competition, they couldn't have asked for a better result right from the start.  David Higgins and Craig Drew secured a National Championship riding on the METHOD 501 Rally Wheels and the rest is history.

Coming up on 5 years later and fans of these durable rally wheels get to welcome another design to the family.  The 501 started things off in Rallying, the 502 got tougher, and
now the New METHOD 503 Rally got LIGHTER.

These 503s will be available in 17x8 +42 which will weigh in at 16.5 lbs per wheel.  There's also an 18x8 +42 size that will weigh 17.8 lbs. "Flow Form construction" cuts down on weight while maintaining rigidity and overall strength.  But unlike the 501 and 502, these lightweight wheels are intended for use in autocross events or track days.  They come in matte black or gold finishes and will include a carbon fiber snap-in center cap for each wheel.

These wheels are ideal for the Mitsubishi EVO, Ford Focus RS, and Subaru WRX STI, all of which are ideal to use on both loose surfaces and on grippy tarmac, so it's nice to have a METHOD option that rounds out that option.  Run 501s for daily use, some 502s for rallycross fun in the dirt, and 503s for that weekend at the track.  Come to think of it, I'm already 2/3rds the way there with that plan!

METHOD 503 Rally wheels are slated for release in February of 2018.  Just in time to show your love for your all-purpose machine on Valentines Day!

Rallycross Season Wrap-Up

The 2017 Rallycross Season for the Nebraska Region SCCA was a bit of a rollercoaster.  Battling weather, site conditions, and break-downs, the NRSCCA managed to have record-setting turnout, excellent course design, and even bring home some hardware from the National Championship.  All kinds of extremes highlight a busy season of racing in the dirt here in the Heartland, yet the overall feeling from this season coming to a close is how much we've managed to accomplish with our program.

In February, things got off to a muddy start.  The day before our very first event of the season , snow and ice covered the site.  It looked to be a slippery snowy setting for the coming event the next day.  However, a quick change in temperature turned that layer of ice into several inches of mud for a slip-n-slide Rallycross through a soupy course.  We ended up calling off the event mid-way through the day as competition was pretty impossible to carry out in those conditions.  To add insult to injury, the following month's event was also cancelled due to poor site conditions.  I wondered if we'd ever get to have a race!

Things turned around just in time.  In April we hosted a Super Weekend with a Rallycross School and Twilight Rally on Saturday and a full day of competition the following Sunday.  It was a great opportunity to get some well-needed seat time in and energize our faithful racers that had been waiting for two months to compete.  The entire event was a rousing success and looked to set things back on pace until the following event in May fell victim to yet another cancellation.  Bad timing with weather had made the site unusable for competition yet again.  Midway through our 8-race season, we had only managed to compete once.

The turning point for our season seemed hit right at the start of the second half of the season.  Our Rallycross event in July also coincided with the Boxers @ Baxter event, bringing Subaru Rally Team USA's Display Trailer Program to our patch of dirt in Greenwood, NE.  Despite record-breaking heat, fans and drivers got to check out Chris Atkinson's GRC Supercar and the rest of the display brought to us as the racing unfolded.  Food and Giveaways were provided by Baxter Subaru.  It was a great way to escape the heat and enjoy the event together.

Each event after that point went by pretty seamlessly.  Great course design, no weather delays or issues, and record-breaking attendance continued right into the final event in November.  The Nebraska Region SCCA also had a great showing at the DirtFish Rallycross National Championships held in the fall, including a class win by Doug in the Rally Bug.  It was a fantastic finish to a season that was off to a rough start back in February.  With the following the NRSCCA Rallycross program has recently been enjoying, it's a good sign of continued growth to carry us into the next season.

The only concern lingering after this whirlwind season is the condition of the site at I-80 Speedway.  With a reduced area to use, it was difficult to fully utilize the space.  Rough rutted sections, road construction debris, and poor timing with weather early in the season made this the only constant concern through the season.  Site renovations will be needed for the NRSCCA to continue utilizing the site.  There are plans to grade and seed the site that will hopefully allow us to utilize more areas so we're not constantly running over the same paths and inhibiting grass to grow back and hold the site together.  I know that with the momentum of the 2017 season propelling us forward, it will be important to address the site at I-80 Speedway for continued use.

Overall, and especially considering the poor luck with weather early in the season, the 2017 NRSCCA Rallycross Season has been a rollercoaster worth riding.  This would not have been possible without all the support from competitors, workers, and even spectators who came out to watch the action unfold at each event.  A big "thank you" to all those who helped us put together a fantastic season of racing!

Winter Mode: Hyper Blue STI

Sure, I've got two Subarus so I could technically leave my STI in the garage all winter... but what's the fun in that?  As such, I've upgraded my winter wheels for this season and I'm pretty stoked with how things turned out with this setup.  I've got Method 501 Rally Wheels with Michelin Pilot Super Sports for the summer and now Method 502 Rally Wheels with General Altimax Arctic winter tires for the snowy winter months!

While my summer wheels are 18s, these are 17s.  I figured more sidewall wouldn't be a bad idea and they clear my Brembo brake calipers perfectly.  The dimensions are 17x8 with +38 Offset so these Method Rally Wheels fill out the wheel wells nicely.  These include a hub ring for Subaru fitment (56.1mm hubs) just like the other Method 501s I have for summer.

The General Arctic Altimax winter tires have served me well before on other cars, so I lucked out when I found a set that had hardly been used.  This tire and wheel combo will not only serve me well in the wintertime with the STI, but also be a great set to use when I play in the dirt with the NRSCCA Rallycross program.  I plan on using this car more for racing in the coming season but I didn't want to scale down my brake calipers to fit 15" rally wheels and tires.  Winter tires seem to do well in rallycross competition, so we'll see how these do!

Overall I'm really happy with the setup and how it looks!  Now we just need some snow to play in and some rallycross events to enjoy!

Why did Subaru stop making the Baja? - Video

Since I purchased my '06 Baja Turbo last month, I've been getting all kinds of questions about it.  Some people didn't know Subaru built this thing in the first plac, but the majority of the questions ask "Why don't they make the Subaru Baja anymore?"  I kind of assumed it just didn't sell well, but I wanted to know more myself.

After some digging, I found a laundry list of things plaguing the Baja's lifespan from start to finish.  It was interesting enough to me to learn how things played out that I wanted to share it, so here's an explanation of how things went for the short life of the Subaru Baja.  Feel free to chime in if I missed anything!

Baja Blast: First Fixins

I've had this '06 Baja Turbo long enough to put plates on it, so I've been fixin things as I go.  Getting it safe, running right, and cleaned up has been my priority before I start having fun with modifications.  Right off the bat, there were 3 things that needed to get tackled.

Even before I could start to fix a few mechanical problems, this Baja needed a bath inside and out!  Years of dirt and grime caked the interior and exterior.  A good scrubbing and power wash got most of the outside done, but inside was a different story.  Carpet treatment, an air system flush and two "Chlorine bombs" got the cabin air breathable while the dash, door cards, and seats got the scrubbing of their life.  I wish I had taken a photo of the interior before I started, but it took me a whole two days to get it looking like this.

To be safe to drive around town the tires, brake pads, and brake rotors needed to be changed next.  While we had the wheels off to change out rotors and pads, I swapped on a set of 2016 Subaru Crosstrek wheels with winter tires on 'em.  They look great and will get me through the snowy months ahead!  Some of the bolts on the brake calipers were rusted stuck so we had to use some heat to break 'em free.  After new brake fluid and OEM Rotors and Pads, the Baja can now stop all 3,600 lbs of itself easily.

Now that the Baja can stop and I can breathe in it, the last major bit to tackle was under the hood.  It didn't take long to notice the radiator was starting to leak.  Signs of coolant sprayed under the hood tipped me off at first, but it became obvious that the problem was worsening quickly when the temperature spiked after a simple 15 minute trip.  We replaced the leaky radiator along with the upper and lower coolant hoses with OEM Subaru parts and filled it up with fresh coolant.  Haven't seen an issue since!

It's not the most exciting work, but it's important to get it running right before I start digging in with modifications and changes.  The suspension still needs work, but instead of straight replacing it, I'm considering a lift kit of sorts.  Now that the basics are taken care of, I can actually start planning that stuff out.  Stay tuned!

RS Finds a New Home

Sometimes when you buy a car you think "Man, I'm gonna keep this forever and never let it go".  That was the case for my 1999 Subaru Impreza 2.5 RS.  I remember picking it up in Detroit Lakes Minnesota after it had made the 22-hour journey from Washington State by way of Tino Fortunato and his All Fours Rally Team and thinking that very thing.  One year later and the story has changed all over again, but I think it's the right move.

A few weeks ago, the Subaru Stars aligned in a very odd way.  A good friend of mine had been in an accident with his older Legacy and insurance had totaled it.  He was looking for a car to replace it and I knew of a 2006 Subaru Baja Turbo that had just been traded in to the Subaru retailer that I work at.  When I mentioned it to him, he said "if I were to buy anything from ya, I'd want that RS."  That got me thinking.

When I bought my 2016 WRX STI two years ago, I've pretty much had two of the same kind of car.  Both my 2.5 RS and my STI were manual transmission sports cars, neither of which my wife could drive.  Neither really worked well to go run errands with or load stuff into and, if I ever needed to steal my wife's Forester to pick up something too big for my cars, she'd be stuck at home with two cars she couldn't drive.  So when he asked about buying my RS, things started to make sense.  Adding an automatic Baja to our Subaru family would still be fun to drive but be more practical to work with.  Plus, of the short list of people I would ever trust this gem-of-a RS with, he'd be one of them.

While I loved driving the RS everywhere, I knew it was the right thing to do and that he was the right person to own it.  We figured stuff out pretty easily and, after I had fixed a few things I hadn't had time to tackle yet, he brought the family over to take it home.  It made me proud that my mentor and friend was so excited to get into a Impreza RS like the one he had owned before, and even more proud to know that maybe the next generation will get to enjoy this Subaru classic.

Meet the Baja Blast!

I recently found a 2006 Subaru Baja Turbo that was in need of some TLC.  With the body in good shape, an accident-free title, and an affordable price, I managed to make it mine.  This one is an Automatic with a 2.5 liter Turbocharged Boxer and 114,000 miles on the clock.  The interior was really dirty and the drivers seat leather was torn, but after some serious cleaning, I got it back in good shape.  It needs some mechanical love but will be great once it's all caught up.  To get it, I had to sell my 1999 Subaru Impreza 2.5 RS Coupe, but it went to a good home and I'm excited to now have a fun AND functional car.  

There's a laundry-list of things I need to repair and replace to get it running right.  The brake pads, brake rotors, shocks, suspension bushings, and endlinks were all pretty shot so I've been going through those to fix em.  As with any vehicle that has lived it's life in Nebraska, the salted winter roads have not been kind to these components and some of the bolts have been troublesome to remove.  Still, I've been making good progress with these items and should have it riding right pretty soon.

Once I'm done getting the "Baja Blast" up to speed, I'll hopefully have a better idea of which direction to go with this in terms of modifications.  I think I've at least settled on the idea of not going any lower than stock ride-height, as I do like the 8.4 inches of Ground Clearance on this.  I've never had a tall Subaru before, so the idea of going off-road and having fun where my 2016 WRX STI can't go.  Light bars, lift kits, knobby tires, there's a lot to consider in this realm.  

It's nice having two different spectrums of Subaru-ness at my disposal.  The WRX STI is great on pavement and has a good time on dirt for Rallycross.  Plus I get my manual transmission fix with it and a good amount of power.  The Baja is a Blast in it's own way, giving me good ground clearance and hauling capacity while still delivering fun with it's turbocharged engine.  I feel like it's a good mix and look forward to enjoying both ends of the spectrum with these two.

Driving Music - Soundtrack of Speed

Long before I was hooked on Subarus, I was hooked on Music.  As such, whenever I have a long stretch of fun roads ahead, having a "soundtrack" to go along with it has been a must.  Especially after watching motoring shows, having the right tunes is key for my personal driving enjoyment.  Over several years my music library has been steadily growing and I've managed to make a few playlists of different genres of music to fit my mood every time I go out for a spin.  Anywhere I go, my trusty iPod is loaded up with the music that drives me.  Below are a few samples of what I listen to when I'm on the road!

ARA - Onwards and Upwards

The newly formed American Rally Association just finished up their inaugural 2017 season at the Ojibwe Forests Rally.  6 National Championship events built a short, yet exciting season for the upstart ARA.  With a down-to-the-line championship between the #199 Subaru of Travis Pastrana and co-driver Robbie Durant and the #75 Subaru of David Higgins and co-driver Craig Drew finishing out the rollercoaster season, the ARA certainly had highlights throughout the season to talk about.

Instead of resting on their laurels of the past season, the ARA went onwards and upwards just one day after the last event of the season, outlining plans for expansion of their National Championship for 2018 as well as the addition of Regional Rally events on the eastern and western coast of the United States.  In total, the National Championship for the American Rally Association will feature 7 races.  5 of the events we already know from the 2017 rally.  The 6th will add the Idaho Rally in September, and a 7th will be announced at a later date.  Here's the 2018 ARA Calendar as it sits currently.

National Championship

• Oregon Trail Rally April 20th - 22nd
• Olympus Rally May May 19th -20th
• STPR June 1st -2nd
• New England Forest Rally July 20th - 21th
• Ojibwe Forests Rally August 24th - 25th
• Idaho Rally Sept 14th - 15th
• 7th Event TBA

Junior Championship

• Oregon Trail Rally April 20th - 22nd
• Olympus Rally May May 19th -20th
• STPR June 1st -2nd
• New England Forest Rally July 20th - 21th
• Ojibwe Forests Rally August 24th - 25th

Keep an eye out for future announcements as the 2018 Season Approaches!

Diode Dynamics - STI Lighting

I've really liked the new "Angry Eyes" of Subaru headlights that have been featured on recent cars.  The LED "Boomerang" or "C-Light" that surrounds the hawkeye-style headlight designs adds a modern touch, but sometimes they aren't the brightest.  As a result of this, many of the Subarus that feature this kind of headlight design still need Daytime Running Lights (DRL) to be on because the C-Light itself isn't bright enough to function as one.  Some of the latest Subarus to come out (2018 on up) that have this feature are bright enough to act as a DRL, but in the case of my 2016 WRX STI... it just wasn't bright enough.  Until now!

Diode Dynamics carries a myriad of LED lighting products for vehicles.  The kit I got replaces the stock C-Light with a much brighter sharper light.  It's quite a bit of effort to install, as the light rests inside the headlight housing.  To reach it, the entire front bumper cover must be removed as well as each headlight housing.  While these lights were being installed, the orange corner reflectors were blacked out and the light was re-wired to activate the JDM Fog Light Bezel LED light, as the two lights turn on together.  The effect is a much sharper and more aggressive looking headlight assembly that doesn't look like an aftermarket modification.  These brighter C-Lights are easily visible during the daytime and are even more obviously bright at night.  It's a clean finish that really sets off the front-end.

I would recommend this to anyone with a 2015-2017 WRX or WRX STI looking to improve the look of their car while still giving it a clean stock appearance.  I would especially recommend this for anyone with a Base or Premium WRX, as the lights really transform the aggressive look of the headlight.  Plus, having the light apart gives you the chance to make other aesthetic changes.  It would have been a little tricky to do this install on my own not having any experience doing something like this, but I was lucky to know someone who had done this before with their car and had a helping hand.

2019 Subaru Ascent Details

After a hiatus from the 3rd-Row SUV segment, Subaru is bringing a competitive punch to the market in Spring of 2018.  This long overdue and highly anticipated family SUV has been teasing auto shows this past year with two different concepts being displayed toting the design features to come.  Built on the new Subaru Global Platform, the 2019 Subaru Ascent will have lots of goodies coming with it for growing Subaru families to enjoy.

At the heart of the Ascent lies a brand-new engine for Subaru.  Using a similar design to the Forester XT and WRX, the powerplant in the Ascent is a larger 2.4 liter Direct Injected 4-cylinder Boxer Engine with a Twin-Scroll Turbocharger.  Mated to a High-Torque Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT), it should deliver smooth and efficient power through it's full-time Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive system.  Power output is not known yet at this time, but the Ascent will be able to tow up to 5,000 lbs with this setup.

Subaru's EyeSight System, which hosts a suite of safety equipment, will be standard on all Ascent models.  Front and Rear facing cameras aid with parking visibility while Pre-Collision Systems keep an eye out ahead for any trouble.  It also has Rain-Sensing front windshield wipers and Steering Responsive Headlights.  Tie these in with the Ascent's fantastic cabin visibility along with crash ratings designed to meet current and future safety standards and this new addition to the family looks to easily continue Subaru's run of Top Safety Pick + Awards.

The big news with the Ascent is how BIG it really is.  For starters, the Ascent can jump up from it's 7-Passenger status to 8-Passengers with the option to replace the two center Captains chairs with a Bench seat for 3.  While the cabin's dimensions haven't been released, it's as big or larger than most of it's current competitors.  To accommodate all those passengers, the Ascent's interior is full of USB Charging points along with an army of Cup Holders to stow drinks for your crew.  Along with Dual-Zone Climate Control for the front, the rear passengers have their own controls and vents in a roomy cabin.  Above them is a massive two-piece power moonroof that nearly covers the entire ceiling, adding to it's already stellar visibility.  Apple CarPlay and Android Auto lie at the core of Subaru's Infotainment System on a large touchscreen radio with intuitive controls and sharp resolution.

Built alongside the American-built Impreza, Legacy, and Outback, the new Ascent will be a great addition to the Subaru lineup for 2018.  More details will be released later in the year so keep an eye out for updates!

Ojibwe will Decide ARA Championship

It's been a few years since a Rally Championship in the US came down to the line like this.  When the newly-formed American Rally Association (ARA) kicked off their inaugural season in early 2017, Subaru Rally Team USA had both of their driver duos ready to battle it out on even terms.  David Higgins and Co-Driver Craig Drew have won the last 6 National Championships with Rally America while Travis Pastrana and Co-Driver Robbie Durant have been making a more committed return to rally.  After 5 rounds battling it out in identical rally cars, the two teams have been locked in close competition and, after a crazy battle in New England, it looks to come down to the line!  Ojibwe will decide the ARA Championship!

The story so far between the #75 and #199 Subarus has been a rollercoaster so far.  Higgins and Drew took the first win at Perce Neige in Canada only to be edged out a few months later at Oregon Trail by Pastrana and Durant.  At the following Olympus Rally in Washington State, Higgins regained the lead with a dominant win and another win at the Susquehannock Trail Performance Rally.

At that point it was looking like the veteran team in the #75 Subaru would take the Championship until the New England Forest Rally when things got interesting.  It started with a rough finish to Day 1 when Robbie Durant was injured during the last stage of the day.  Unable to finish the rally, Subaru Rally Team USA employed the help of one of their crew, Greg Dorman, to sit in for Durant and finish the rally.  Day 2 was especially tough on the cars.  Higgins' lead disintegrated when the rear passenger wheel was ripped from his car.  During service, the crew was unable to make full repairs needed to get his car back to 100%.  With only a second separating Higgins and Pastrana, the #199 Subaru took the win to clinch the ARA Championship Points.

David Higgins and Craig Drew have won the Rally America National Championship 6 years in a row.  With Travis Pastrana's improvements and commitment getting results, he's got a shot to win it all at the Ojibwe Forests Rally.  It's too close to call and, with the unpredictable nature of rally, it's still anyone's championship to win!  When the dust settles in northeastern Minnesota, who will take the ARA Championship home?

Hyper Blue gets some Weave

I'm usually not a fan of unpainted carbon fiber parts on a car.  Unless it's a black or dark-colored car, the contrast between the carbon fiber and the car itself just isn't something I like, especially in the case of larger parts like a hood or a trunk.  I know there are others who do like that but it's just not usually something I'd go for.  I'm especially against the look of an unpainted hood on the 2015-2019 WRX and WRX STI because of the panel of paint between the hood and the grille itself.  It looks odd to me, so I had pretty much ruled out the idea entirely for my Hyper Blue STI.

The idea of hood vents, no matter how functional or useful they might be, had always been something I wanted to add to my car at some point.  However, the only two ways I had seen this achieved was with either a carbon fiber hood or cutting holes in the stock hood.  Neither option really seemed desirable until I saw what a fellow Hyper Blue STI owner had done with his.  He had painted the entire hood to match and left the vents on either side in carbon fiber.  A hint of weave showing through with the rest dressed to impress.  I loved the idea, found a hood, and got to work!

Paint-matching the factory Hyper Blue color was easy.  This car isn't that old so there's really no fade to worry about.  Plus the M3Y paint doesn't have any tricky metallic or pearl coat to mess around with so the only tough part was the vents.  The paint line around the vents after masking them off would've been easy to spot and feel if it wasn't done properly, so we sanded them down to have a nice finish when the clear coat was applied.  The end result was a crisp line between Hyper Blue and Carbon Fiber while maintaining a smooth glossy texture along those lines.

I'm incredibly happy with how this hood turned out.  The larger hood scoop is much more obvious and the side vents add some contrast and detail to the car.  Once I've finished building the new air dam to feed my top mount intercooler, it'll be even better.  For now, I'm just happy with how this aggressive hood has transformed the look of my car.

2018 WRX STI Changes

The 2018 WRX STI, hitting showrooms in July of 2017, has a few changes for it's following of enthusiasts to enjoy before the complete redesign in 2020.  Built on the platform that came out as a 2015 model, the new 2018 brings some extra bits to make this the best of the "last dinosaur": the EJ257.

Factory Recaro front seats (optional on the base STI and standard on the Limited) bring some stiffer bolstering to the cabin, along with more Piano Black accents all around.  A new top 5.9 inch screen reads out vehicle information (boost, fuel economy, etc) and combines it with the climate control display that was previously separate.

In keeping with the "Best performing STI ever" claims, this latest version features 6-Piston Brembo front calipers and drilled brake disks bring more stopping power to the STI, along with a revised inverted strut suspension all around.  These calipers are surrounded by massive 19-inch wheels wrapped in Yokohama Advan Summer Performance Tires.  Power remains the same, although a Type RA version coming later has a slight bump to 310 horses.

An odd omission to the 2018 STI is Fog Lights.  These have been standard on the STI for awhile, but earlier models did leave these out in favor of "covers" on the front bumper.  Much like the styling of the Focus RS and the Civic Si and Type R, the 2018 WRX STI has large vents or "intakes" covering these spots.

While these have been claimed to be "brake cooling" ducts, this is likely not the case.  Most of the vent is purely cosmetic, with only the lower corner of each actually has an opening with small duct work that pushes air up into the inside of the bumper cover.  The space the air is being pushed through is where the bumper would've had Fog Lights on it.  There aren't any changes inside the wheel well or engine compartment to make use of this air being funneled in to make use of these ducts, either.  Because there are no openings within the wheel well that could channel air from these ducts to the brakes, there's no chance for them to do any sort of cooling for the 6-Piston Brembo brakes.

The new LED Headlights also have the High-Beam function built within them unlike the Halogen High Beams having a separate housing on the previous version.  The Turn Signal now occupies the area where the High Beam once was, giving the front end a cleaner, more aggressive look.

As I've mentioned before, this new STI is the last time we'll see the older engine under the hood.  The next revision for the STI will come riding on the new Subaru Global Platform and the FA-series Direct-Injected Boxer engine.  The 2018 and 2019 WRX STI is the last of the EJ-breed.

Baby Driver - More than just a Subie Scene

It's a heart-thumping heist-thrilling hoonigan's dream on the silver screen.  And there's so much more to it than the red WRX that caught your eye in the trailers!

I was fortunate enough to see an early showing of Baby Driver this weekend.  Normally I write about Subarus on this blog, and certainly the footage leading up to this film's release had enthusiasts buzzing about the Hawkeye drifting it's way through Atlanta's streets.  I'd be lying if I didn't admit that those scenes made me say "I should check this out".  As the air date neared, I worried that Baby Driver would be nothing more than a bunch of cool car chases with a few Hollywood icons drizzled in and a plot that meanders from chase to chase.  I'm happy to report that this is certainly not the case.

From start to finish, Baby Driver, delivers in droves.  Building the character of "Baby" (Ansel Elgort) starts right from the top, but so does the musical choreography that follows the entire film.  The emotional connection of music to driving has been something I've loved since I started driving.  Seeing it take form in this movie was truly enjoyable to take in.  Wright's incorporation of pop songs like Bellbottoms, Harlem Shuffle, and Nowhere to Run, frame each scene so closely that it almost feels like musical theater choreography.  Each strike of the music coincides with a door closing, a gun shooting, a crash unfolding.  It's so fun to see and hear 30-something songs hand picked by Edgar Wright over the last two decades come together for a truly engaging experience.

If this isn't enough to convince you that this film is worth more than you gave it credit for, maybe the 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes is.  The only things missing from Baby Driver are seatbelts on the theater's chairs.  So buckle up and hang on for the roller coaster that'll keep you engaged to the end credits.

Invidia R400 - 2016 Subaru WRX

It's been a little bit of a wait thanks to a recall with the initial batch of these, but the Invidia R400 "Gemini" Catback exhaust is finally out in the world.  Available for the BRZ, WRX, and WRX STI, it offers a deep, rich exhaust note and a high flow design that optimizes engine performance.  These were designed to fill the sound gap between the Q300 and N1 system. The R400 produces a unique, aggressive note while reducing harsh cabin noise.  We paired this R400 system with an Invidia J-pipe for the 2016 Subaru WRX it was installed on along with a tune provided by Boosted Performance Tuning.

I was surprised at how nice this exhaust sounded.  I own a WRX STI and am used to that "Subaru Rumble" that Unequal Length Headers provide.  The stock WRX has Equal Length headers so most of the exhaust systems I had heard up to this point had sounded fairly generic and had lost their character.  While certainly not as obvious, the Gemini R400 manages to bring a light warble to the sound, especially at lower RPMs.  The pops and bangs accompanying each lift and shift are fun, too.

Like most Invidia products, the fitment and finish is great.  The exhaust outlets are a little wider than I expected based on the pictures I had seen before.  They fill out nearly every inch of space provided by the stock WRX bumper and have that crisp engraving on the side.  Things bolt up where they should be and the whole install was a piece of cake.

Perhaps the most satisfying thing about the R400 is that you can enjoy a lively exhaust without obnoxious cabin noise or drone.  It's relatively calm under normal city driving but playful and enjoyable with a quick dab of throttle.  Even when under hard acceleration, with the windows up, you can easily talk to the person next to you as you row through the gears.  Downshifting to a stop some drone manages to make it's way through, but it's not noticeable enough to be a deal breaker.

There's a reason the Gemini R400 was tough to come by when they first came out.  Response was far higher than Invidia expected and the recall on the first batch backed up things even more.  My friend waited two months to get this exhaust system but, after testing and tuning his WRX, we both agree it was worth the wait.  This system works great on the WRX and WRX STI, but I feel like there's a shortage of exhaust systems that I like on the WRX while there's a good long list to choose from with the WRX STI.  For that reason, the Gemini stands out to me as an excellent choice for 2015+ WRX owners looking for a solid upgrade.

Boxers @ Baxter 2017

On July 15th and 16th, Nebraska will be buzzing with the iconic rumble of Subarus moreso than usual.  It's Baxter Subaru's 3rd Annual "Boxers @ Baxter" event!  This year's event is gonna be a blast!  Here's all the details you need to know about this weekend of Subaru!

Are Subaru Limited Editions Worth It?

Recently, the Subaru portfolio has been getting a lot of attention in the way of "Special Editions".  From the red-clad Special Edition Crosstrek to the eye-catching Series.Yellow BRZ, these stand-out Subies have limited production numbers and come as they are.  With the BRZ tS and WRX STI Type RA on the way to start off Subaru's latest run of 50th Anniversary Special Edition models, it's a good time to figure out if these Limited Editions are worth their bumped-up asking prices.

Focus RS vs WRX STI

Road Tests, drag races, and track attacks galore have been pitting the Focus RS up against the competition since it's release last year.  In the Subaru WRX STI camp, it's been a common point of discussion and debate, especially when it comes to the drivetrain of the new kid on the Ken Block.  As I've mentioned before, the market needed something like the Focus RS to breathe some life and competition back into the hot hatch / performance daily segment.  So what's the score look like now that it's been unleashed on the world?

Why the BRZ "STI" won't have a Turbo

It's hype time!  Subaru fans are about a week away from the unveiling of a STI-badged BRZ.  This will mark only the second vehicle that Subaru has released in the States as a complete car from Subaru Tecnica International, with the first being the 2004 WRX STI.  Over a decade since then, and 5 years since the BRZ's release, those 3 iconic letters for Subaru fans will make their way onto this new offering.

Among the hype, there's a lot of speculation swirling around this car... especially concerning a power increase.  Something fans have been asking for awhile.  This won't come in the form of forced induction like many assume.  The BRZ tS, regardless of it's specs and features, will still be naturally aspirated.