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2015 Subaru WRX to get CVT option?

The 2015 Subaru WRX will make its debut at the 2013 Los Angeles Auto Show next week - that much we know for sure. We'll have all of the official specs very soon, but it seems Jalopnik has stumbled upon an official-looking document that spells out some of the 'Rex's finer details, including the availability of a continuously variable transmission.
Now, before you throw your laptops and phones out the window, know this: a proper manual transmission will still be available. Do remember, the WRX has always had an automatic option, and the move to a CVT for the 2015 model isn't terribly surprising. According to the document, the new WRX will use a 2.0-liter turbocharged flat-four - a change from the 2.5-liter engine in the current car. Subaru also employs a 2.0T boxer engine in the Forester, where it's mated to a CVT. What's more, the Impreza on which the new WRX is based also uses a CVT in favor of a conventional automatic.
Jalopnik points out that the more hardcore WRX STI will use a 2.5-liter turbo-four, and will only be available with a manual transmission. Additionally, there will reportedly be a "launch edition" of the STI, painted in the car's signature WR Blue (fingers crossed for gold wheels!).

Toyota GT86 convertible on 'indefinite hold'

Bad news, sportscar fans. According to a new report from What Car?, Toyota has cancelled plans to produce a GT86 convertible, a model based on the FT-86 Open Concept that debuted at the 2013 Geneva Motor Show. In truth, Toyota never actually confirmed it would produce the budget-friendly droptop in the first place, but rumors have been flying since last year and Toyota reportedly showed its embattled Scion dealers a FR-S version of the convertible in August. Presumably, this means that a lidless variant of the Subaru BRZ is not in the cards, either.
The reason for the move is unknown, though What Car? reports "one possible cause is weight; Toyota did say that further work would be required on rigidity before the convertible could be launched, and that could have added extra bulk that conflict with the regular GT86's ethos of light weight and agile handling." It doesn't look like that work will happen anytime soon, as "sources now say that the car has now been delayed indefinitely, with no place in Toyota's product plan in either 2014 or 2015." Still holding out hope? What Car? says the project could be "fast-tracked" if management decides it wants to reboot the program down the road.
one possible cause is weight; Toyota did say that further work would be required on rigidity before the convertible could be launched, and that could have added extra bulk that conflict with the regular GT86's ethos of light weight and agile handling. - See more at: http://www.whatcar.com/car-news/toyota-gt86-cabriolet-cancelled/1214782#sthash.iStIkWnz.dpuf

2013 Subaru Outback Limited

Subaru has given the 2013 Outback a host of detail changes and updates, though you'd hardly know from looking at it. The mild exterior changes mostly go unnoticed, and if you're comparing on a numbers basis, the new 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine is bang-on what the old engine would do. The biggest news is EyeSight, Subaru's new stereo camera-based system that drives lane-departure warning, active cruise control, automatic emergency braking and forward collision alert functions.
The 2013 Outback spent some time in my driveway, and as far as jacked-up wagons with off-road cladding go, this is one of the most affordable of the lot. That doesn't mean it's cheap; the Outback I tried was a Limited model with moonroof, navigation, EyeSight, leather and CVT added on. That takes the Outback from its roughly $25,000 starting point and adds nearly $10,000, landing solidly in the mid-$30,000 range. Still, against its most natural competitors like the Volvo XC70 and Audi A6 Avant, the Outback is a better value.
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