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Japanese cars Pictures Subaru - ZCars

Subaru Forester scoops two prestigious awards

October 27th 2008 23:21

The Subaru Forester has won its second accolade in as many weeks after scooping the award for the best SUV/CUV in the under-35,000 Canadian dollars category selected by the Automotive Journalists Association of Canada (AJAC).

The journalists evaluate every detail, from safety features to cargo capacity, to select the best new vehicles in various categories then rate them by secret ballot. After a rigorous testing program that includes real-world driving on public roads - exactly where consumers drive - so that the test data and vote results are relevant to potential buyers, the entry-level Forester 2.5X with a 2.5-litre naturally-aspirated engine beat the Volkswagen Tiguan and Dodge Journey to the top prize.

President of AJAC, Clare Dear said: "The competition was tough in this category, which makes a win all the more impressive,

"I think the clincher may have been the Forester's impressive off-road capability. The new Forester has a refined look and feel-but it proved it could perform flawlessly on the most challenging terrain."

Just ten days ago, respected US motoring journal Motor Trend named the current generation Forester as their 2009 Sport/Utility of the Year. Motor Trend's editorial staff led by editor-in-chief, Angus MacKenzie, conducted exhaustive off-road, street and track testing and carefully considered essentials such as driving performance, safety and features. Each contender (in this case, 13) was evaluated against three simple criteria: superiority (engineering, design, utilization of resources); significance (its impact on the market), and value (what buyers get for their money versus the competition).

[Source: Subaru]

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Posted By: charles - Category: Japanese cars, Pictures, Subaru, SUVs

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Entire Subaru Australia range equipped with stability control

October 22nd 2008 23:15

Keen to stay in the upper echelons of automotive safety here in Australia, Subaru has upgraded its entire Australian range with standard electronic stability control - up from 70% of the Subaru All-Wheel Drive range which had already been stability-equipped for the past 12 months.

By adding Vehicle Dynamics Control (VDC) stability to manual variants of the MY2009 Outback, Liberty 2.5i, 2.5i Heritage and both GT spec.B manual and automatic, coverage has been increased to 100%.

Subaru Managing Director, Nick Senior, said: “Safety has long been a key aspect of Subaru’s reputation. With the release of our MY09 Liberty and Outback models, our entire range is now VDC equipped and five-star rated, which is clear proof of our safety commitment.

“The engineers at Fuji Heavy Industries have worked closely with our own Subaru Australia engineering team to place us well ahead of any mandatory Federal legislation regarding stability control.

“This demonstrates Subaru’s commitment to occupant safety and a proactive approach to safety generally.”

Electronic stability control systems have proven to be potential life-saving technology - so much so that the Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP) requires vehicles to be fitted with such a system to achieve a maximum five-star safety rating.

Here's a comprehensive list of Subaru's active safety systems shared by all Subarus.

Constant All-Wheel Drive - providing constant drive to all four wheels, aiding balance and control.

Anti lock brakes (ABS) - Subaru uses an ultra-reliable four-sensor/four-channel/three phase ABS. This means when brakes are applied on a slippery road, each of the four sensors – one per wheel – monitor wheel speed and transmit the information to a computer. It then calculates which wheel is starting to lock and controls the braking force. This provides extremely stable braking. Benefits include the ability to steer around traffic hazards when braking, without fear of “locking up” and losing control. The system has been tuned specially for Australian roads, reducing stopping distances on gravel surfaces. The brakes also have what is known as a cross-linked dual channel system. Therefore, if one channel fails, braking is retained on at least one front and one rear wheel – one left and one right, aiding balance. Subaru also puts its brake piping inside the floor panels – reducing the risk of damage or corrosion.

Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD) - improves rear wheel braking in response to load shifting caused by deceleration.

Vehicle Dynamics Control - The electronic control unit (ECU) uses information from sensors tracking wheel speed, steering position, front/back and lateral (sideways) G force, and yaw rate to monitor forces that could destabilize vehicle running. In extreme situations, such as when swerving, sideslipping or entering a spin, VDC activates to control each wheel individually, via braking, engine output, and the All-Wheel Drive system. This improves stability by using the car’s most stable wheels. In cases of extreme oversteer, VDC activates, applying brakes to the front and rear outside turning wheels, producing yaw – a force that opposes the oversteering tendency. With understeer, VDC applies brakes to the inside rear wheels to counteract the effect. Both the VDC and ABS Anti-Lock Braking systems are controlled from the one digital ECU. VDC is designed for a “driver’s vehicle.” In normal conditions it is purely a monitoring system, and applies no control. But near the car’s performance limits it gives the driver more control – resulting in safer and more comfortable driving.

Subaru passive safety

Passive safety features shared by the entire Subaru range include:

Ring-shaped reinforcements – a grid of reinforced metal that surrounds the passenger cabin, forming a high strength safety cell. It results in greater body rigidity and minimum distortion on impact.

Dual front, side and curtain SRS airbags – They operate in conjunction with the front seatbelts to ensure maximum occupant protection. During a frontal collision, sensors measure the severity and angle of impact. The SRS computer determines if airbag inflation is necessary, then triggers if applicable. This occurs in about 30 milliseconds to cushion and absorb the forward momentum of occupants, preventing the head from striking the dash or steering wheel.

Front seatbelt pretensioners - used to quickly tighten the belt on impact and remove any slack between the belt and body. This combines with a variable load limiter to improve protection in the event of an offset crash. This works by simultaneously tightening both the lap and sash of the belt when the front airbags deploy, reducing the “submarining” effect of the occupant in a collision.

Automatic Emergency Locking Retractors (A/ELR) - All rear seatbelts feature A/ELR. When fully extended, the belts ratchet back into position for more positive securing of child safety seats. The ratchet is cancelled when the seatbelt is fully retracted. Centre rear seatbelts are all lap/sash, for added back seat safety.

Engine impact limitation - In a heavy frontal collision, Subaru’s flat horizontally opposed boxer engines are designed to go under the passenger cabin, rather than into it.

Steering wheel impact minimization - in a collision, a support beam inhibits the rearward movement of the steering wheel. The steering column is designed to collapse on impact, again to minimize transmission of shock energy to the driver.

Reinforced door beams and strengthened side frames - provide extra protection in a side collision. A secondary benefit of the high strength body is that it also provides a solid base frame for suspension, ensuring body flex does not affect vehicle stability.

Safety pedals - Safety pedals reduce injury to the driver’s lower legs in a heavy frontal collision. They are design to retract and move down.

[Source: Subaru]

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Posted By: charles - Category: Japanese cars, Pictures, Subaru

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2009 Subaru Impreza WRX sedan

October 10th 2008 04:55

Subaru Australia has previewed its new generation Impreza WRX sedan at the Australian International Motor Show in Sydney and it features a lot more than just a boot - it also packs an extra 26 kW more power and 23 Nm more torque, better fuel efficiency and upgraded suspension

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Posted By: charles - Category: Japanese cars, Pictures, Subaru, Sedans, Sports cars, Australian International Motor Show AIMS

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Subaru Impreza WRC2008 revealed

May 21st 2008 05:40

The Subaru Impreza WRC2008 rally car will make its competitive debut in the upcoming Acropolis Rally in Greece next week

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Posted By: charles - Category: Japanese cars, Pictures, Subaru, Hatchbacks, High Performance cars, WRC

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Teaser: Subaru Exiga production version images

May 20th 2008 11:15

Japanese car maker Subaru has released two official 'teaser' images of its upcoming Exiga people mover which has been confirmed to make its debut in production form on June 17

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Posted By: charles - Category: Japanese cars, Pictures, Subaru, Wagons

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