Subaru WRX 2011 News

Subaru has launched a major 121,754-vehicle recall to fix a potential fault which can cause the brake lights to fail (though the brakes themselves will still work), with every Forester, WRX, Impreza and XV sold over a particular timeframe impacted.

Volvo, Subaru, Land Rover, Citroen and GM have issued safety recalls for some vehicles due to defective manufacturing issues.

A funky family wagon and a new coupe are shining lights to buoy Subaru Australia in 2012 after enduring a sales disaster this year. Its managing director, Nick Senior, says the effects of Japan's tsumani in March crippled production of its mainstay Impreza range, pushing back the launch of its important successor model by four months. "The sales figures are ugly," he says. "Impreza makes up 45-50 per cent of sales and that relates to about 1400 a month. We're now doing less than 1000." The effect will slash Subaru Australia's predicted 42,000 total sales this year to around 34,000, Senior says. It recorded about 40,000 in 2010. "The disaster has affected two months of production and probably another month of backlog," he says. "We expected the new Impreza on the market this week. It'll now be March. "But the good news - and there is some good news - is that Australia will be the first market in the world - even beating the home market of Japan for the first time ever - to get a new Subaru model. "I think the XV will become an important volume model and will go a longway to recoup the sales shortfall we're experiencing now." The XV - set to launch here on January 1 - is a cross-over wagon based on the Impreza.Senior says there may be some cannibalisation of Forester sales but sees them attracting different buyers.

There's nothing like leaving it to the last minute to maintain suspense. From the moment Subaru announced the new Impreza WRX STI last year we've been on the edge of our seats

That their idol has been defiled by marketing executives.

This is despite new STi's ability to sprint to 100km/h in about 5.0 seconds, a little quicker than its predecessor.

Only 550 of the Brooklands model Bentleys are available worldwide."They are tailor-made to the exact specifications of each customer,” said Sue Young, the spokeswoman for Queensland Bentley.Ms Young said the Brisbane buyer wanted to remain anonymous, as did two other Queenslanders who have expressed an interest in getting one of the luxury coupes.She said all three currently own a Bentley Arnage T, worth about $545,000.Maserati's latest GranTurismo will be seen in Australia for the first time at the show, which opens at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre at noon on 1, February 2008.The sports car's appeal seems to have outweighed its $293,000 price tag, because 150 Australian orders have already been taken for the new model, including 20 from Queensland, according the company's Australian general manager, Edward Butler.No other Maserati has sold as quickly and the waiting list for the 2008 GranTurismo is greater than the firm's Australian and New Zealand sales last year, Mr Butler said.Luxury-car sellers say their models have become increasingly popular with younger professionals."The 20 to 35-year age group is taking a much bigger slice of the market share,” said Audi Centre Brisbane dealer principal Greg Willims. “There is no doubt the prosperity in Queensland is growing.”Adam O'Brien, of Brisbane Prestige Cars in Fortitude Valley, said manufacturers were working harder to attract young customers in a bid to keep them for life.Danny Singh, 31, of Brendale in Brisbane's northwest, recently bought a luxury H3 Hummer from Brisbane Prestige Cars for $70,000 then spent a further $15,000 on modifications.Also making their Australian debuts at the show will be new-look versions of cult street machines the Subaru WRX STi, the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution — known as the Evo X to fans because it is the 10th in the series.Both are expected to be in the $60,000 bracket.Australia will be represented in the go-fast stakes by a Ford Performance Vehicles version of the Territory SUV, the yet-to-be-released F6 X all-wheel-drive wagon.Brisbane International Motor Show, Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre, South Bank, runs from Friday to February 10; Monday to Saturday, 10am-10pm; Sunday, 10am-6pm. Adults $17.50, children $10.