This just in! Wicked Big Meet 2011 will be held this year on June 18 @ Stafford Motor Speedway in Stafford Springs, CT. This will be a new location for this event, which will supposedly have more room for vendors and parking. I’ve been to this site before for various NER SCCA RallyX events – so I’m curious to see how this event turns out.

As always, I will be there in full force taking pictures. Be on the lookout for a Wicked Big Meet 2011 recap with lots of pics.

Ken Block has recently announced that he will be holding a Gymkhana GRID Invitational event this upcoming weekend. The intention of this event is to expand Gymkhana’s reach, and to increase it’s popularity. (like he hasn’t done so already ) He plans to do this by inviting some of the world’s top drivers to compete with him head to head on a specially designed Gymkhana course. Not to mention, these events are a great way for DC Shoes to gain exposure. Clearly, this event is building on the success of Block’s previous gymkhana videos: one, two, and three.

The event will take place this upcoming Friday and Saturday (December 3rd and 4th) at Irwindale Speedway in Irwindale, California. Some of the invited hot shoe drivers for this weekend’s event include Tanner Foust, Andrew Comrie-Picard, and Vaughn Gitten Jr. As many of you know, Gymkhana is pretty much one giant drift-fest, so I’m looking forward to footage of this event. After things have concluded, feel free to send in any footage you may have and I will be happy to post it up on the site. (Subaru content or not! )

Video teaser after the break.

Check out the Bridgestone Blizzak LM-25 at TireRack today!

It looks like Subaru has teamed up with Guinness World Records to try and set the record for the “largest parade of Subaru cars”.

The recent announcement comes in the form of a press release from Subaru of America. The event is planned to take place on July 11th at 9 am in Itasca, Illinois.

However if you ask me, I don’t think they’ll have much on Wicked Big Meet. Sure, it may be an official Subaru meet, sponsored by SOA themselves, but who drives a Subaru in Illinois? (I honestly don’t know) Why not come to the New England area, where the most Subaru’s are sold? (I believe Vermont is the current leading state)

In addition, I predict they won’t be able to beat the famous Colin McRae ceremony either, which was held with an estimated of 1,100 Subarus. Although McRae’s ceremony and Wicked Big Meet weren’t official, they’re still considered awesome bragging rights.

Subaru of America, Inc.’s Great Lakes Region, in Partnership with the Village of Itasca, Attempts to Set a GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS(TM) Record
- Plans ‘Largest Parade of Subaru Cars’ in the World –
ITASCA, Ill., June 19 /PRNewswire/ — Subaru of America, Inc.’s Great Lakes Region, in partnership with the Village of Itasca, announced today that it will attempt to set a GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS(TM) record for the “Largest Parade of Subaru Cars.” The attempt will take place on July 11, 2009 at 9:00 a.m. The parade will start at 500 Park Boulevard in Itasca, Illinois.

Starting June 22 through July 8, interested participants can register their Subaru in the parade by visiting www.subaru.com/parade.

In celebration of this exciting event, Subaru’s Great Lakes Region will make a donation of $15 per participating Subaru vehicle up to a total donation amount of $7,000. This donation will be shared equally between PAWS Chicago and Salute, Inc. For more information on these organizations please visit their respective websites at www.pawschicago.org/ and www.saluteinc.org/.

An official GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS(TM) adjudicator will be on site to observe and confirm this record attempt.

In addition to going for the record and helping raise funds for two great organizations, parade participants:

– Will receive a special gift bag (one per car).

– Are invited to attend Itasca Fest following the GUINNESS WORLD
RECORDS(TM) attempt. This fest is great for the entire family and
features: live entertainment, carnival rides, food, bingo, kids’
entertainment, a three-on-three basketball tournament, and NASA’s
“Journey to Tomorrow” exhibit. For more information visit
www.itasca.com.

– Are eligible for a special event room rate of $89 per night* at The
Westin Chicago Northwest hotel. For your convenience, this four-star,
four-diamond hotel is located within walking distance from the start
of the parade. To make a reservation, simply visit
http://www.starwoodmeeting.com/StarG…9812&key=A9AB8.
The event rate is good for parade participants only and based on
availability.
* Rate does not include tax.

Subaru of America came out with a press release this morning regarding the 2010 Subaru Legacy. Not only is the new 2010 Legacy bigger, wider, and more powerful, but it also features increased fuel economy as well.

SOA has announced that the new 2010 Legacy will achieve 23 mpg around town, and a staggering 31 mpg on the highway. That’s very impressive for a mid-sized sedan, and it clearly shows that Subaru set increased fuel economy as a priority while engineering the new 2010 model. However, it should also be noted that these EPA figures were obtained using the base-model 2.5i sedan, coupled with the CVT transmission.

For those of you looking for a bit more power, it’s suggested to bump up to the next trim level, which is the 2.5GT. When coupled with Subaru’s new 6 speed transmission, the EPA ranks the 2010 Legacy at 18 mpg city, and 25 mpg highway. Even so, that’s still very good for getting plenty of power and AWD at the same time.

The 2010 Subaru Legacy is set to start at $19,995, which is a very competitive price point for the mid-size market. Let me know if you find a better option that has room for five, AWD, and starting price tag of under $20,000.

Subaru of America, Inc. Announces EPA figures for 2010 Legacy

PRNewswire
CHERRY HILL, N.J.

- Subaru Legacy Sedan achieves 31mpg Hwy -

- Best MPG figures for mid-size AWD in U.S. Market -

- Better economy than many front-wheel drive competitors -

CHERRY HILL, N.J., June 18 /PRNewswire/ — Subaru of America today announced the EPA fuel economy results for 2010MY Legacy. The 2010 All-Wheel Drive Legacy achieves up to 26 mpg combined and 31 mpg highway, despite having grown in size in almost every dimension.

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080325/SUBARULOGO )

Specifically, the Legacy 2.5i CVT now exhibits better fuel economy (EPA combined) than such Front-Wheel competitors such as Honda Accord, Mazda6i, VW Passat and Hyundai Sonata. Furthermore, the new Legacy is now the highest rated midsize AWD sedan (EPA combined) in the U.S. market for 2010MY.

Tim Mahoney, senior vice president and CMO of Subaru of America said, “We are thrilled that the all-new 2010 Legacy not only offers more space and a more rewarding drive than the competition, but it also delivers better fuel economy at a very competitive price.”

The Subaru Legacy comes with Subaru’s legendary Boxer engine, Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive, quick-ratio steering and a new double-wishbone suspension system. The 2010 Legacy has an entry-level price of $19,995 (excl. delivery) and will provide an alternative for customers looking for more from the mid-sized sedan segment.

2010MY EPA Fuel Economy Ratings
Legacy 2.5i 6MT 19 mpg city / 22 mpg combined / 27 mpg hwy
Legacy 2.5i CVT 23 mpg city / 26 mpg combined / 31 mpg hwy
Legacy 2.5GT 6MT 18 mpg city / 21 mpg combined / 25 mpg hwy
Legacy 3.6R 5AT 18 mpg city / 21 mpg combined / 25 mpg hwy

About Subaru of America, Inc.

Subaru of America, Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd. of Japan. Headquartered in Cherry Hill, N.J., the company markets and distributes Subaru Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive vehicles, parts and accessories through a network of nearly 600 dealers across the United States. Subaru boasts the most fuel-efficient line-up of all-wheel drive products sold in the market today based on Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) fuel economy standards. All Subaru products are manufactured in zero-landfill production plants and Subaru of Indiana Automotive Inc. is the only U.S. automobile production plant to be designated a backyard wildlife Habitat by the National Wildlife Federation. For additional information visit www.subaru.com.

An insider at the Toyota R&D center has finally revealed that the upcoming Subaru-Toyota compact sports car (codenamed 086A) will feature a body similar to that of the Lexus LF-A prototype, which was recently seen at the Nürburgring 24-hour endurance race.

Apparently there will be one body style of the car, with only slightly variations between the Toyota and Subaru versions. Some of these possible variations include the head/tail light treatment, different badging, and a different front grille. It’s also been revealed that the front-engine real wheel drive 086A coupe will feature a 2+2 seating style. (4 person capacity)

Reports also indicate that Toyota is strongly trying to keep the car under the 2 million yen price barrier, which equates to just over $20,000 USD. With that being said, if this car is truly brought to North America, it will be a huge success.

No mention of TRD has been announced yet (Toyota Racing Development), however the insider reports that Subaru is definitely going to produce an STi version of the 086A! They also went on to say that we can expect an STi version of the sports car regardless if Toyota decides to make a TRD version or not. Therefore, Subaru appears to have made it a priority to introduce a true RWD sports car into their lineup.

As one can imagine, this is excellent news for the Subaru community, something in which fans can look forward to. However, whatever happened to Subaru’s AWD-only stance?

The following specifications list of the 086A has also surfaced:

Toyota/Subaru Compact FR 086A Specifications

Engine: EJ20 Direct Injection Gasoline 4 Cylinder
Capacity: 1994cc
Power: 200PS
Torque: 20.0kg/m
Transmission: 6-Speed Manual
Wheelbase: 2470mm
Total Length: 4200mm
Total Width: 1750mm
Total Height: 1300mm
Weight: 1200kg
Cost: 2,000,000 JPY

In addition, it appears that the first incarnation of the 086A was spotted in 2005 at the Nürburgring. At the time, sources claimed it was an IS500 prototype. However, it’s now been disclosed that it was one of the first 086A prototypes to hit the road, featuring a V6 motor, as Toyota was playing with the idea of introducing an entry level FR sports car.

[ Source: 7Tune ]

Wow, I’ve heard of birthday parties and presents, but an entire museum?

Yup, that’s right. Subaru Tecnica International – most well known as “STi”, is celebrating their 20th birthday this year. And what better way to celebrate than creating an STi museum? Fuji Heavy Industries has created this museum, dubbed the “STi Gallery”, which is open every day from 9:30am to 7pm. (except for select holidays)

Visitors of the museum can stop by and view STi in all of it’s glory. The STi Gallery features 3 different zones, each containing different pieces of STi heritage.

1. Car Exhibition Zone – This area of the museum features Subaru’s that have been used both past and present in different racing events. It also features past and present production model STi’s.
2. STi Concept Zone – This area features a showcase of STi racing parts and other various concept ideas.
3. STi History Zone – The 3rd and final area of the museum features a timeline of STi’s involvement in motorsports and various production cars.

The museum is currently celebrating the release of the new 2010 Subaru Legacy. To aid in this, they’ve put Colin McRae’s Legacy RS on display; a car in which he drove to win the WRC New Zealand Rally in 1993.

Wicked Big Meet: A large gathering of car enthusiasts who all share one thing in common: passion for Subaru’s.

Despite the rain, hundreds of people made their way out to Wicked Big Meet 2009 today. Located just an hour outside of Boston in Princeton, MA, Subaru enthusiasts gathered for the 5th Wicked Big Meet event.

An overall great time was had by all. There were a few special surprises of note:

• Ken Block’s 2009 STi Gymkhana car was on display for everyone to drool over
• Ken Block & Travis Pastrana’s Subaru rally cars were on display
• Pro drifting driver Tarzan Yamada made an appearance

I took several pictures of today’s event, all of which can be found in the gallery after the break.

It’s that time of year again! Wicked Big Meet 2009 is upon us, and I’m already beginning to count down the hours.

For those of you who don’t know, Wicked Big Meet (WBM) takes place out on the East Coast in Massachusetts every year, and is the largest gathering of Subaru’s in the United States. In 2007, WBM featured over 1,100 Subaru’s. This year for 2009, we’re aiming high, hoping to hit 2,000 cars, and going for the official Guinness record too.

The day consists of several activities including things from raffles and vendors, to technical sessions and car shows. (Although if you ask me, I don’t see the point of the car show, as the entire parking lot is one in itself)

The following features have been highlighted for this year’s event:

• Thousands of Subaru’s and Subaru Enthusiasts
• Huge Vendor Midway
• Car Show
• Rally and Race Car Expose
• Technical Tuning Seminars
• WBM Famous Prize Raffle
• New England Subaru Club DJs
• AWD Mobile Dyno
• WBM Scavenger Hunt
• Official Guinness Record for Subaru Meet

The event is put on by New England Subaru Club Inc. WBM 2008 did not take place, as volunteers were few and therefore, the immense amount of planning could not continue and was put on hold. I actually worked as a volunteer for the 2007 event, and I must admit, it’s quite a task to plan an event such as this, even if it’s only 1 day.

WBM 09 is sharing the same event site as it did in 2007, Wachusett Mountain Ski Area, located in Princeton, MA. (About a good hour outside of Boston) The event is taking place this weekend on Sunday, June 14, 2009. I will be attending the event this weekend myself, and will be taking plenty of pictures. Expect a new blog post after Sunday, with pictures from the event.

So, not sure what you’re up to this weekend? If you’re in the New England area, I highly suggest making the trip out. Trust me; it will be worth the drive, as you’ll see some pretty cool stuff. Not to mention, people will be coming from all over the country to attend WBM. But please, don’t forget the camera!

Multicolored confetti rained down Friday afternoon on a dark blue 2010 Subaru Legacy sedan as it rolled off the trim and final assembly line at Subaru of Indiana Automotive Inc. in Lafayette.

The celebration signaled the start of production of the all-new Legacy — 20 years after the first version of the vehicle was built at SIA.

“This is the fifth generation of the model,” Motokiyo Nomura, SIA president and chief executive officer, told associates who had gathered on the production floor and on elevated walkways at the plant to watch the celebration. “Subaru remains good performance cars. Our goal is to maintain the best quality.”

The 2010 Legacy boasts enhanced styling, a larger size and better fuel economy.

“I really think it’s going to be a good selling vehicle. It’s designed for the North American market. I think it’s got a lot of amenities that will appeal to the U.S. market,” said Ken Nelson, a group leader in quality control who helped cut a red ribbon to celebrate the start of production.

“It’s pretty exhilarating. I’ve been working on this for a year and a half — some pretty long hours.”

Consumers won’t have to wait long to test drive the 2010 Legacy.

“They should be in dealerships in July, maybe late June,” said Tom Easterday, SIA senior vice president. “An ad campaign will begin in August or September.

“Twenty years ago we were in preparation planning for the launch of the first Subaru Legacy. A lot has changed over the past 20 years. But the hard work, determination and teamwork of SIA associates hasn’t changed.”

SIA expects to build 165,000 vehicles this year. That includes a combined 68,000 Legacy and Outback models and 7,000 units of the Subaru Tribeca, along with 90,000 Toyota Camrys. That compares to a total of 183,249 units last year.

To deal with the start of production of the Legacy and pilot-production work on the 2010 Subaru Outback, SIA has added 50 temporary employees. That increased its work force to approximately 3,000.

“We have some overtime scheduled at the end of the year, in anticipation of (favorable) sales,” Easterday said. “But we need to be cautious.”

[ Source: JConline ]