Auto Review: 2009 Subaru Forester — 4,590 granola bars
Auto Review: 2009 Subaru Forester — 4,590 granola bars
DAMASCUS, MD (Marketwatch) — Subaru has taken its trusty pooch that was traditionally wrapped in box-like styling and added some French Poodle. It is almost as if the Forester was on an off-road adventure, kissed a frog, and is now ready to be displayed in Vanity Fair.
Scion Hako Coupe – East meets West
Looking for the next big thing, Scion unveiled its Hako Coupe concept at the New York International Auto Show last week. Taking its name from the Japanese word for box, the Hako recasts the xB with a blend of Japanese aesthetic and vintage American car design. It seems that just as American youths covet all things JDM (Japanese domestic market), a rising trend in the East is to emulate classic American cars. Put it all in a blender, flick on a CAD workstation, and out comes the Hako.
From the side, the chopped top and long hood the Hako looks like it escaped central casting for “Japanese Graffitti.” For now, the Hako is all about the appearance and seeking consumer feedback on whether the brand pursue a model in this direction. Presumably, it would be developed off the xB platform, sharing the 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine.
Inside, the Hako makes interesting use of video monitors, with two on the front passenger dash for mobile entertainment controlled with a large roller ball. Screens located on each door and on each side of the rear seating area project images from cameras mounted beneath the A-pillars for viewing, saving, and editing. Think of it as a replay mode for a road trip.
The flat, panorama roof features a random, barcode-like pattern that can be seen on the exterior and from the interior.
Scion sales are down significantly, despite fresh models (xB and xD) and a market shift toward small cars. The young brand needs more fire in the line up, and officials say they’d like to expand the range to five or six vehicles. They are open to different vehicle types, mentioning a roadster and pickup truck as possibilities during the press conference.
What do you think of this concept? Should Scion build it, and if they did, would you buy one? Post your comments below.
Research Scion in the buyer’s guide. See our 2008 Scion xB review.
Petrol Prices Set To Climb To £1.50 a Litre In 2009, Says USwitch
The cost of petrol will hit £1.50 a litre next year, forcing many motorists off the road altogether, it has been claimed.