Subaru Vortex Reviews

Alfa Romeo stepped up straight after the Peugeot unveiling of a woman, I mean a car. A 207 apparently.

LAND ROVER FREELANDER 2The Freelander 2 is new from the ground up, and will make its local debut at the Australian International Motor Show in Sydney. It hasn't always been plain sailing Down Under for the popular European model, but with outstanding on-road performance as well as the class-leading off-road ability everyone expects from Land Rover, Freelander 2 seems set to leave its mark on our wide, brown land.Freelander 2 is available with new petrol and diesel engines. The diesel is a 2.2-litre TD4 common-rail turbodiesel with peak outputs of 118kW and an impressive 400Nm, plus better fuel economy than its predecessor (as well as 43 per cent more power). A 3.2-litre i6 petrol producing a peak of 171kW represents a hike of 30 per cent in power compared with the previous V6, as well as a 10 per cent boost in fuel efficiency. Freelander 2 will be in Land Rover across Australia by mid 2007.MAZDA CX-7The Mazda CX-7 is the production version of the Mazda MX-Crossport Concept SUV, and will be built only in the company's Ujina Plant No. 2 (U2) located near Mazda's global headquarters in Hiroshima, Japan.Australia has been confirmed as second in line for production of the new generation crossover vehicle (after the North American market).It will go on sale here late this year priced below $50,000 and will be on public display at the Sydney show.The Mazda CX-7 is a clean break from the fleet of traditional SUVs currently offered. Bringing together performance and design like never before, the Mazda CX-7 – like every Mazda – was engineered to exemplify sporty driving in keeping with the company's 'Zoom-Zoom' philosophy.CX-7 promises sophisticated styling, an engaging drive, and the facilitation of fun.NEW PAJEROMitsubishi has just released its NS Pajero seven-seat 4WD with a complete makeover for the exterior design, a modern new interior, two new engines that are Euro 4 emissions compatible. The new model also heralds the reintroduction of the three-door 'shorty' short-wheelbase (SWB) models to inject additional excitement into the model range.There hasn't been a SWB Pajero on sale since 1999, so the new model represents one of the most exciting product additions to the Mitsubishi range in 2006. The three-door model is the closest product consumers can buy to the acclaimed Pajero Evo that races across the harshest terrain in Europe and Africa in the Dakar rally. (There will also be a Pajero Dakar race car on display in Sydney.)All the expected features – power steering, power windows, power exterior mirrors, cruise control, remote keyless entry with encrypted immobilisation and multiple storage compartments and cupholders – have been incorporated in to NS Pajero. All models also feature a multi-mode display, including trip computer, weather information and compass for which the 4x4 has become renowned.Two new engines also deliver significant leaps in power and torque, while being more efficient and economical. The 3.8-litre 24-valve V6 MIVEC petrol engine produces maximum power of 184kW at 6000 rpm (a massive 24 per cent increase on the previous engine) and maximum torque of 329Nm at a very low 2750 rpm (up 6 per cent). It's also LPG compatible.The new diesel engine is a common rail-version of the 3.2-litre diesel that was first seen in Australia in ML Triton when it was launched in July this year.SUBARU TRIBECAThe biggest, boldest and certainly the most distinctive Subaru in the lineup will be shown production-ready in Sydney. There's a hint of Porsche Cayenne about the Tribeca's brash design, which is sure to polarize punters into 'love it' or 'hate it' camps, but nobody's arguing with the motive power choice – Subaru's venerable 3.0-litre horizontally-opposed 'boxer' six-cylinder engine, which is both responsive and low, keeping the centre of mass close to Terra Firma.The 3.0-litre flat-six likes having its neck wrung, so this is an SUV that will appreciate a punt. It's mated to a fivespeed automatic gearbox.Like most Subarus, you can expect this one to handle well, thanks to (almost) eons of involvement of the brand at the forefront of the World Rally Championship series. A low C of G and permanent, symmetrical AWD give the Tribeca rock-solid dependability across a range of surfaces, assisted by well-sorted suspension and responsive steering.Build quality is exactly as you'd expect from the Japanese car maker that places engineering above all other concerns. High equipment levels are a given, plus three seating rows. A diesel engine is coming for Subaru but is still a way off – a boxer-style common rail turbodiesel engine currently under development by Subaru will be unveiled at next year's Geneva Auto Show.HOLDEN CAPTIVAThe sense of relief in Holden's marketing division is palpable. The smiles are back and, at least for the immediate future, likely to stay.The billion-dollar VE set the trend but it is the Koreanbuilt Captiva compact SUV that is really pushing the buzz. Holden has been staring with green-eyed envy at Ford's home-grown Territory and its runaway success in what has been one of the hot segments in the new car industry. "'It is nice to finally have an SUV that we can offer. It has been a long time coming," Holden's marketing boss John Elsworth said at the recent launch of the Captiva."It has been tough to watch the (SUV) segment grow and grow and have nothing we could play a part with." Even better news for Holden is that the Captiva, while built as a global GM model in South Korea, benefitted from a huge level of input in design and engineering from Holden staff. The result is a stylish, cleverly packaged compact or medium SUV with drive and ride quality comparable to anything else in the competitive market.VOLVO XC90 V8The new XC90 V8 represents not just an awesome performance SUV – if you visit the Volvo stand in Sydney you'll be looking at the first production V8 powertrain in Volvo's history.There's some serious engineering gone into this vehicle, with Dynamic Stability and Traction Control plus Roll Stability Control systems representing just the tip of a very substantial safety iceberg culminating in a five-star NCAP crashworthiness rating (first SUV in the world to achieve that).The 4.4-litre V8 develops 232kW and 440Nm, and features a 60-degree 'V', unlike most V8s, which are set to 90 degrees. The V8 is 16 per cent more powerful and also torquier than the outgoing T6 engine it replaces, snatching 100km/h just 7.3 seconds after a standing start. The V8's 60-degree V allows for a more compact design, allowing transverse mounting in the engine bay, which delivers superior crashworthiness. It's also the first petrol V8 to meet the demanding USA ULEVII emissions standard.Volvo calls it the world's safest SUV and there's really no basis for disagreement. For $84,950, the world's safest SUV can also be one of the world's most capable.AUDI Q7The Audi Q7 has officially earned its stripes in Australia, having just completed an epic Trans-Continental Crossing from Sydney to Broome, spanning three weeks and 7000km. Fifteen Q7 vehicles took part in the grueling expedition.In spite of very challenging terrain around areas like Innamincka and Birdsville where sharp, stony tracks are common, the notorious Mereenie Loop Road and areas of the Tanami Track in WA where the roads were characterised by huge potholes and harsh ruts, all 15 Q7s made their way to Broome unscathed.Similar expeditions are planned annually for upcoming vehicles including the new allroad quattro and Audi Q5.In the full 7000km of harsh Outback travel, the only technical requirements of the fleet were the replacement of 16 flat tyres, two broken foglights and a new pollen filter for each car. One vehicle needed minor cosmetic repairs, however only as a result of human error. All 15 vehicles completed the journey as they started – in excellent condition and free from squeaks and rattles.MERCEDES-BENZ GL-CLASSSeven seat SUV with style; Shares ML-Class platform; Constant AWD via 4Matic system; 4.6-litre V8 power with 250kW output; Air suspension optional; Off-road pack available.VW TOUAREG UPGRADETwo bold new V6s – petrol and hi-tech diesel; New 3.0- litre V6 turbodiesel with 165kW and 500Nm; New 3.6-litre V6 petrol with 206kW and 360Nm; Optional air suspension package; Constant AWD via 4XMOTION system; Frontal pedestrian/cyclist impact protection zones; Hero 5.0-litre V10 with remains storming 230kW and 750Nm remains.LAND ROVER RANGE ROVER TDV8All-new hi-tech 3.6-litre V8 turbodiesel; Replaces ageing BMW-sourced TDV6 diesel; Silky smooth runner with 200kW and 640Nm; Delivers 500+ Newton-metres between 1250 and 3750rpm; Frugal consumption: 11 litres per 100km likely; Magnificently competent ZF six-speed auto transmission.

The latest Subaru Liberty has a fuel-saver system that could easily set the standard for future development of intelligent engine management controls. It is pitched as a performance booster in the new Liberty, but could be applied to almost any make or model as a way of coping with a world of high fuel prices and green priorities.The Subaru Intelligent Drive system has just been rolled into the performance models in the Liberty line-up, including a turbocharged GT that comes back to the family as the born-again flagship.It is also in the 3.0-litre six-cylinder cars which have been holding the top line in Australia in recent years.SI-Drive has three settings that let the driver choose between the leave-it-alone Intelligent mode, Sport and Sport Sharp.It makes a difference in the way the car responds, performs and how far it will run on a tank of fuel.But SI-Drive is not the only change to the 2007 model Liberty, as Subaru Australia has also added a telescoping steering wheel on every model and six-stack MP3 CD players across the range, with brake assist on the naturally aspirated 2.0-litre and 2.5-litre Libertys.The emphasis is obviously on the six-cylinder cars and the four-cylinder turbo GT, which pick up paddles for the automatic gearchange, xenon headlights and an electric driver's seat with memory.The GT spec.B and 3.0R spec.B come with Bilstein sports suspension, 18-inch alloy wheels and a six-speed manual gearbox developed from Subaru's STi parts bin. It can now also run on 95-octane fuel, not the super-costly 98.There are, obviously, some minor body changes but nothing that is going to mark the cars out to anyone who is not already familiar with the Liberty.And prices are as sharp as the Sport Sharp setting in SI-Drive."There is no change on entry-level models, while pricing is reduced by up to 3.8 per cent on 2.5i variants," the managing director of Subaru Australia, Nick Senior, says."With both GT and 3.0R spec.B variants we've simplified pricing by making the manual and Sportshift automatic versions the same price, so customers can choose purely on the basis of transmission preference."But the top-line cars are not cheap, with the 3.0R spec.B from $52,490 and the GT wagon running right up to $57,990.The prices move the Liberty range-toppers into the same paddock as some of the better-known European prestige brands, including BMW and Audi.There is potential to use the multi-mode SI-Drive engine control on cars that are not just high-line performance models.Subaru Australia is hopeful of extra SI-Drive cars, but says it is not sure yet on the roll-out from Japan.ON THE ROADTHE SI-Drive Liberty felt dozy at first. Very dozy.But that was partly because we had not played with the SI-Drive settings, and partly because the 3.0R spec.B has always been a feisty device. Refined, for sure, but always eager for a run and a rev.This time around, with the SI-Drive holding in the basic Intelligent setting, the car was so far into easy-driving economy that the throttle felt dull and the engine was reluctant to rev. It was not the car we had driven in the past.The rest of the package was as good as before, and a little better due to adjustment in the steering column and the paddle gearshift, but the engine was disappointing.Then we began to play with the settings and the car revealed its character and flexibility.In Sport it was much more like the car we remembered, and in Sports Sharp it was a real rabble rouser. Lusty and keen, with an engine that responded to the lightest pedal tickle.The suspension of the spec.B was as fluid and responsive as always, with good cornering grip and plenty of suspension travel. And the seats were comfy and supportive, the excellent McIntosh sound system was as punchy as we remembered, and everything from the split-zone aircon to the leather trim and sunroof made the car enjoyable and right for a $50,000-something bottom line.The test car came with the optional pack that combines electronic stability control with satellite navigation, which is good on both fronts but not cheap at $3490.We liked the minor styling changes, but were most impressed by the spec.B's low-key look, which has no hints to its go-faster ability.On the downside, we like xenon headlamps but get annoyed when they are only low-beam units, and the dashboard had too much happening. There is an instant fuel display in the main dials, mirrored in a central display that also has average fuel and throttle position.It is part of the SI-Drive system, but distracting and should be redundant if the driver is more interested in maximum performance. But they won't be, which is the great thing.The car gets along well enough in the basic setting and gets great economy. If you want a little more it will give you better overtaking response in the Sport setting, with Sport Sharp for the days and roads where you want maximum response and maximum enjoyment.We flicked between settings as we changed roads and traffic and were surprised by how easy it was to tune the car for the conditions. And our fuel economy was great at 10.1 litres per 100km, even with some spirited driving.We also discovered that the system has an extra smart feature, as it will not let you go beyond Intelligent once the fuel warning light is lit and you need to make an early fuel stop.Some are already dismissing SI-Drive as a gimmick, but that overlooks the intelligence of the system and the potential to tailor a car to the conditions and the driver's mood.The last time we drove a spec.B Liberty we gave it a 78 score, but SI-Drive has kicked it up to 82 for 2006 and beyond.The basic Liberty is a little better for 2007 and Subaru is going to win some crossover shoppers, but the SI-Drive is more than just a here-and-now technology tweak.It could easily be the door to something much bigger in the future.THE BOTTOM LINEA SWEET and sensible car with the smartest drive system we have seen in ages. 82/100FAST FACTSubaru is already talking about installing the SI-Drive system on the next new Impreza, which should be along some time next year

Brisbane has been confirmed as the new host of Rally Australia following the FIA World Motor Sport Council meeting in Barcelona yesterday.It is the first time a World Rally Championship calendar has been finalised so far in advance.Garry Connelly, who will stand down as Australian Rally Commission chairman at the end of the year, said more details on the new home of the Australian leg of the WRC would become known during Rally Australia in Perth on October 27-29."We will make an announcement during Rally Australia and all the fine details will be released," Connelly said.Australia will be missing from the World Rally Championship calendar next year with the final WRC round to be staged in Corsica after being based out of Perth since the late 1980s.WRC commercial rights holder David Richards says it is good news that Australia will return to the championship in 2008 and he has endorsed Queensland as an ideal venue.There remains a degree of mystery about IQG Rally Events Australia which has been appointed as the promoter of the Queensland event.The only thing known is that the WRC round will be held within a 50km radius of Brisbane, using forestry roads much closer to the state capital than the long-running Australian Rally Championship round based around Imbil near Gympie.Richards, who runs the Prodrive racing operation out of Banbury in England which fields the Subaru World Rally Team, is delighted that Gold Coast ace Chris Atkinson has been signed for a third season with the team in 2007."He's done a really good job and we think we've found the main handling problems with the car that have dogged our progress in the WRC," Richards said.It is known that Suzuki has chased hard to sign Atkinson who has done a tidy job against the world's best along with his co-driver Glenn Macneall.WORLD RALLY STANDINGSAfter 13 of 16 rounds1 Sebastien Loeb (Citroen) 1122 Marcus Gronholm (Ford) 873 Mikko Hirvonen (Ford) 474 Daniel Sordo (Citroen) 435 Manfred Stohl (Peugeot) 34Last Rd: Winner Marcus Gronholm, Turkey, Oct 15.Next Rd: Perth, Oct 27-29.TV: Ch 10: Oct 29, 2pm.

Gronholm, celebrating his fifth win of the season and the 23rd of his career, had led from the start with his victory effectively sewn up on Saturday when closest rival Petter Solberg hit a rock and crashed his Subaru into a ditch.Team mate and fellow Finn Mikko Hirvonen sealed a Ford one-two, a result that moved him up to third overall in the championship, by finishing two minutes 23.4 seconds behind Gronholm.Gronholm now has 87 points to Loeb's 112, with Hirvonen trailing behind on 47.Ford took the overall lead from Loeb's Kronos Citroen team in the manufacturers' standings."It will be difficult, but it's possible," said the Finn of his championship chances.He needs to keep winning and hope Loeb does not come back quickly after breaking his arm last month.Henning Solberg, Petter's older brother, repaired a broken brake pipe before the start to take third place in a privately-entered Peugeot for the first podium of his world championship career.Briton Colin McRae, the 1995 champion drafted in to replace Loeb at Kronos Citroen after the Frenchman's cruise to the title was abruptly halted when he fell off his mountain bike in training, failed to finish.The Scot retired on the final 19th stage, the longest of the rally in the mountains near the southern Mediterranean resort of Antalya.Spaniard Xavier Pons was fourth, the leading Citroen driver, with Finland's Kosti Katajamaki fifth in a privately-entered Stobart Ford for the best result of his career.Australian Chris Atkinson finished sixth in a Subaru, but only 30.5 seconds off the podium, with Spaniard Dani Sordo seventh for Kronos and Austrian Manfred Stohl eighth in a Peugeot.Between them, Gronholm and Loeb have won every rally this season with the Frenchman, who could also miss the next rally in Australia on Oct 27-29, taking eight so far.Atkinson, sitting tenth in the championship, was looking forward to his home event."We've been competitive all weekend in a really tough event, which is good for our confidence," Atkinson said."Going home should make things a little easier again and were definitely targeting a top five result there."REUTERS/AAP

"Valentino has entered Rally New Zealand privately in his own name," the Subaru team's managing director Richard Taylor told the official WRC web site."He will however be driving a car supplied by us. In fact, the car which (Australian) Chris Atkinson drove in Germany this year."There's still a little bit of work to do on the details and it may be run alongside the Subaru team. But it will certainly not be an SWRT-liveried car."The Yamaha rider, who will be fighting for his sixth successive title in the top class of motorcycling in Portugal this weekend, has entered the world rally championship once before, in Britain in 2002.That time he was driving a Peugeot 205 prepared by the Italian Grifone team and did not make it through the first day of competition.The 27-year-old Italian has also competed in non-championship rallies in Italy and was linked until earlier this year with a switch to Formula One with Ferrari.The New Zealand rally, based in Hamilton, runs from Nov. 17-19 and was chosen because it comes well after the end of the MotoGP season.Rossi is second in the MotoGP standings, 12 points adrift of Honda's American Nicky Hayden, with two races left.Reuters

After a nervous wait, the Queenslander was given the green light to resume with Subaru in 2007 and is now eyeing a top five result in his Impreza WRC 2006.It will be his second outing in the event. Last year Atkinson and co-driver Glenn Macneall had a dramatic debut, with the pair forced to retire on the first Leg after ripping a rear wheel off on a rock.Atkinson is clearly relieved his immediate future has been resolved and he can concentrate on finishing the season with a clear mind."It's certainly a good feeling knowing that we are here with a clear path ahead for the rest of this season and throughout 2007," Atkinson said."It is a clear vote of confidence by the team in what we have achieved across the past two seasons and what they think we can do in the future."My mind is now free just to focus on the immediate, and that is doing our very best in Turkey."No doubt it's going to be another difficult weekend as it's a tricky rally with very varied conditions," he said."Last time we had rain, hard-packed roads, some loose stuff, slow bits and flat-out sections."This year I'm expecting a bit of everything and changing conditions again. It's a fairly entertaining rally."Coming so soon after Cyprus I think it's going to be a difficult rally, too."In Cyprus we weren't expecting a fantastic result, we were realistic about our chances, and that's what we got."But this week I'm hoping to keep things more consistent and just hang in there. Going at the same pace we were running at in Cyprus I think a top-five finish is possible - we'll just have to wait and see," Atkinson said.Since Rally Cyprus on September 22-24, Atkinson and Macneall have spent three days in Sicily doing development work on the Impreza.Subaru World Rally sporting director Luis Moya is hopeful that the work put in by the team since the mid-season break will start to show."In Turkey the main objective for (lead driver) Petter (Solberg), Chris and the team is to put both cars in the top six," Moya said."That said, of course we'll do our best to get a better result if the opportunity is there.""Since the last rally our engineering team has continued its work on the car's performance and we have held a five-day development test in Sicily."We're making steady progress and are doing everything possible to get the team fully competitive again as soon as possible."Rally Turkey will again be based in the town of Kemer, 40km south of the holiday resort of Antalya.AAP

The half dollar would be from the gentleman who asserted that we care only for BMWs and therefore didn't hate absolutely everything.Though we are idiots, obviously. That's a given.Actually, it's not a question of liking BMWs per se, so much as being forced to admit that certain of them remain the benchmarks for their respective classes. Unless we're talking about the appalling 1 Series, but that's another story ...This story is about Subaru. About how top-spec Libertys murder comparably priced German cars in terms of value and go for your dough. Come to that, they also keep honest those that cost as much as $30,000 over the leading model Soobs' mid-$50k price tags.Since last Monday when we bid adieu to the newest go-fast Liberty — the GT spec. B — much time has been given to finding faults. As in distractingly detrimental, reason-not-to-buy faults.Fault: Visually it's a non-event.Retort: Understatement is part of the philosophy of this sport sedan. And you're too old for a WRX.F: The boot's not very big.R: Just how many sets of golf clubs do you need?F: It's too fast for Australia.R: What isn't? That's your fault for living in a Third World state.F: The cabin's cramped for height and the driving position is awkward.R: So lose weight, fatso.In isolation, there isn't a lot wrong with the new GT spec. B (stand by for AWD turbo sedan comparos) — it's you that's wrong.The exception is steering weighting that's too light for satisfaction. It's not overly so, not Audi-so, but disappointing in a performance sedan.That said, the nine-month gestation between the rubbing out of the first-gen GT for non-compliance with Euro III emission rules and the rebirth of the model line has been worth the wait.Not least for the item that puts the "B" in its moniker. We'll get to that in a sec — it's one of the salient borrowings from other Soobs.All GT models now come with the Impreza WRX STi's 'roidal 2.5 turbocharged boxer four, which will subsist on a diet of 95 RON. Good for 184kW/339Nm, it has been teamed with the STi's slottily decisive six-speed manual gearbox (or with a five-speed auto, if you must).Even without twiddling the Subaru Intelligent Drive dial into Sport Sharp mode to heighten response, the new GT's performance is enhanced with a torque curve that is, if not seamless in its progression, then certainly smoother.Claimed times for the 0-100km/h sprint are 6.5 seconds in the manual, 7.0 the auto.Better yet, the GT spec. B gets the Bilstein sports-tuned suspension from the Liberty 3.0R-B to complement its permanent all-wheel-drive. The pitch and tail wag that dogged the old GT in our comparo with Mazda's 6 MPS has been largely sorted.Combined with lowish profile rubber around its 18-inch alloys, the GT has almost absurd levels of grip, remaining poised to a scarcely believable degree through bends under provocation.For all this, the GT spec. B's ride is suburban compatible. It dealt with the rutted, rubbish roads near my abode more comfortably than, shall we say, a runflat-tyred BMW 3 Series.And although petrol prices have temporarily dipped, no one's going to decry the 12.8 litres per 100km we achieved in mostly urban driving with enough open road twistiness to appreciate the GT's handling qualities.Power-adjustable leather seats make the most of the limited reach adjustment that's been belatedly added to the steering wheel.That the GT spec. B comes exceptionally well endowed with standard kit makes the price list even more attractive. The manual sedan is $55,990, the auto $57,990.Add $2K more to each for the wagon and you have a package that's readily appreciable — even by those accused of being short of a full dollar.

The city-smart Liberty and its country cousin, the Outback, have been given a mid-life styling freshen and a much more significant injection of smarts with the SI-Drive (Subaru Intelligent Drive) technology on all 3.0-litre and turbo models."SI-Drive gives the driver three cars; a performance version or an economical version depending on the road, the conditions or the driver's emotions," Subaru Australia managing director Nick Senior says."We are particularly excited about being able to offer this technology as it has previously been the domain of much more expensive vehicles."SI-Drive is the culmination of almost two decades of determination and belief in an idea Liberty project general manager Toshio Masuda had as a young engineering student."When I was a student I imagined the day when you would not have to change the engine in your car to get very different characteristics," Masuda says at the Australian launch of SI-Drive. "I kept a belief in my idea and when I became a senior engineer with Subaru I knew it was time to introduce this idea to the world."But although the theory of SI-Drive was sound, he says resistance from some sections of the company was difficult to overcome. "Many in the company thought this (SI-Drive) was not possible because of the technical challenges ... challenges we have been able to overcome," he says.Operating through a simple dial situated on the central console behind the gear shift, the driver can select an economy mode (Intelligent), general driving mode (Sport) or aggressive attack mode (Sport Sharp).From the 3.0-litre engine, Intelligent mode provides performance like a 2.0-litre non-turbo, Sports mode raises the stakes to a 2.5- to 3.0-litre non-turbo equivalent, while Sports Sharp ensures maximum engine response.The reduction in engine output in Intelligent mode - with its consequent fuel saving - is 27 per cent in the 3.0-litre engine, down from 297Nm and 180kW to 200Nm and 147kW.For the 2.5-litre turbo engine, it reduces maximum torque by 19 per cent and power by 20 per cent down to 275Nm and 148kW."It is essential, however, that the driver also matches driving style to the engine output," Subaru's Derek Ashby says. "Aggressive driving techniques will only make the fuel consumption worse."To help drivers stay in the most efficient engine range, SI-Drive cars have what Subaru calls an Eco Gauge in the dash display.Manual models also come with a shift light indicating optimum time to change gears."Real-world testing by Subaru Australia in Australian conditions has shown significant fuel-consumption improvements in I mode compared to S mode," Ashbury says."For example, a Liberty GT manual transmission vehicle in I mode showed a 14 per cent improvement in the city cycle with the highway cycle achieving a gain of 6 per cent over the S mode."The facelift also marks the return of the turbo-charged GT model, this time with the superb 2.5-litre unit from the Impreza STi.With 184kW and 339Nm on tap, the GT comes as a base with a five-speed manual or a pair of Spec-B models with a five-speed auto or the STi's sublime six-speed manual. Spec-B cars also benefit from a Bilstein sports suspension package from the 3.0R Spec-B - and add 18-inch alloys and low-profile rubber.Specification levels across all models have been improved, with one of the key gripes against both Liberty and Outback (the lack of telescopic steering adjustment) answered.There is also brake assist and six-stacker in-dash CD. Higher up the model tree, the turbo and 3.0-litre cars also add a multi-function screen for trip, fuel and SI-drive information, high-intensity discharge lights, dual-zone climate control, expanded multi-function steering wheels and power seats with memory.Subaru has held prices for the 2.0-litre cars ($31,990 manual and $33,990 auto) and trimmed $1000 from the 2.5-litre range ($34,990 manual). The 3.0R remains at $50,990, the 3.0R-B is up $500 to $52,990, while the range-topping GT Spec-B starts at $55,990 (manual).

The Japanese car maker sold 140,181 vehicles in the year to date. This compares to 132,311 vehicles sold by the same time last year.Holden is being hit the hardest by car buyers, with the Aussie darling coming in second place but, losing almost three per cent marketshare compared to the same time last year.Ford too is being punished at number three spot, with a modest marketshare loss of 0.8 per cent compared to last year.Mazda holds fourth place with a steady at 6.7 per cent marketshare, which is identical to where it was in 2005.Honda is another winner in fifth position, with a marketshare gain of 0.8 per cent.1. ToyotaVehicles sold Jan-Aug 06: 140,181Vehicles sold Jan-Aug 05: 132,311Marketshare Jan-Aug 06: 21.8 per centMarketshare Jan-Aug 05: 19.9 per cent2. HoldenVehicles sold Jan-Aug 06: 97,347Vehicles sold Jan-Aug 05: 119,585 15.2 per centMarketshare Jan-Aug 06: 15.2 per centMarketshare Jan-Aug 05: 18 per cent3. FordVehicles sold Jan-Aug 06: 80,227Vehicles sold Jan-Aug 05: 88,239Marketshare Jan-Aug 06: 12.5 per centMarketshare Jan-Aug 05: 13.3 per cent4. MazdaVehicles sold Jan-Aug 06: 42,720Vehicles sold Jan-Aug 05: 44,727Marketshare Jan-Aug 06: 6.7 per centMarketshare Jan-Aug 05: 6.7 per cent5. HondaVehicles sold Jan-Aug 06: 36,460Vehicles sold Jan-Aug 05: 32,405Marketshare Jan-Aug 06: 5.7 per centMarketshare Jan-Aug 05: 4.9 per cent6. MitsubishiVehicles sold Jan-Aug 06: 35,963Vehicles sold Jan-Aug 05: 40,439Marketshare Jan-Aug 06: 5.6 per centMarketshare Jan-Aug 05: 6.1 per cent7. NissanVehicles sold Jan-Aug 06: 35,487Vehicles sold Jan-Aug 05: 38,718Marketshare Jan-Aug 06: 5.5 per centMarketshare Jan-Aug 05: 5.8 per cent8. HyundaiVehicles sold Jan-Aug 06: 31,973Vehicles sold Jan-Aug 05: 32,241Marketshare Jan-Aug 06: 5.0 per centMarketshare Jan-Aug 05: 4.8 per cent9. SubaruVehicles sold Jan-Aug 06: 24, 896Vehicles sold Jan-Aug 05: 24,886Marketshare Jan-Aug 06: 3.9 per centMarketshare Jan-Aug 05: 3.7 per cent10. KiaVehicles sold Jan-Aug 06: 14,868Vehicles sold Jan-Aug 05: 17,850Marketshare Jan-Aug 06: 2.3 per centMarketshare Jan-Aug 05: 2.7 per cent