Subaru of Indiana named first U.S. auto plant to meet ISO 50001 energy standard

Subaru of Indiana is the first U.S. car manufacturing plant to become certified in energy management, meaning it complies with the International Organization for Standardization’s global standards that are meant to increase a company’s energy efficiency. Why is this important? It means that Subaru actually cares about the environment, instead of just talking about it.

Subaru of Indiana Automotive Inc. in Lafayette was recognized Monday for its heightened commitment to energy conservation that could help the car manufacturing plant save costs and reduce emissions.

SIA is the first U.S. car manufacturing plant to become certified in energy management, which means it complies with the International Organization for Standardization’s global standards — meant to increase a company’s energy efficiency.


“(The certification) is a culmination of a lot of hard work and dedication,” said Thomas Easterday, SIA’s executive vice president. “Over the years, Subaru has been well-known to be a leader. Right now, we’re taking an even bigger step.”


The SIA team spent six months monitoring energy consumption data in order to figure out how to improve its current processes to gear up for an audit by DEKRA Certification Inc., a company that provides professional certification in the automotive industry.


The Journal & Courier requested energy consumption data, but it was not released as of Monday night.


DEKRA President Henri Pierre Salle, who presented top executives from Subaru SIA with the ISO 50001 certification at a gathering on Monday, said the purpose of the certification is to provide an energy management framework for companies.


“A process of improvement becomes part of the everyday culture,” Salle said. “That spirit and culture already is here in the Subaru culture.”


Auditors who worked with SIA plant managers to collect the data said SIA’s commitment to saving energy is high compared with other large companies they have visited, Salle said.


Auditors noticed a particular attention to energy conservation in Subaru SIA’s painting and trimming processes, which account for more than 40 percent of the plant’s total energy consumption.


“The auditors noticed a clear commitment to energy consumption that was very robust,” Salle said. “They don’t casually make that kind of comment.”


Auditors will return to SIA at least once a year to make sure the plant is living up to the certification’s standards by testing random processes .


In November, a Bentley plant in England was the first car manufacturer in the United Kingdom to receive the certification. In October, a Lamborghini plant was the first in Italy to attain it.


SIA President and CEO Masaki Okawara said the new certification helps SIA maintain its leadership in the car manufacturing field.


“Environmental leadership is a very important business goal,” Okawara said. “This will help us reach and maintain that goal.”


Read more: http://www.jconline.com/article/20120604/BUSINESS/306040021?nclick_check=1

Subaru tells all in new BRZ documentary

The BRZ was built as a "driver’s car." It's got an affordable price point, exceptional handling, and great ride comfort. It introduces the absolute joy of driving to a new generation of car enthusiasts. Read on to see how much effort and detail went into making Subaru's fantastic new sports car!

Every so often, a car comes along that is different from anything else out there, and the 2013 Subaru BRZ is one of those cars. It may not be the fastest or have the most powerful engine, but for those who appreciate a well designed and engineered car, you’re going to love this car. It might not look too impressive on paper, but once you see this video from Subaru, you can see why it’s a special car.


Subaru set out to do something they have rarely done in the past, produce a rear-wheel-drive sports car and make it affordable for just about anyone. Subaru has been known for their legendary Symmetrical All-wheel-drive system and it's one of the best in the business. But building a rear-wheel-drive car is a departure from their recent lineup of cars.


Subaru accomplished their goal of introducing the joy of driving to a new generation of enthusiasts, and to design a car with exceptional handling and great ride comfort, all at an affordable price. They started by taking their already proven opposed-four “boxer” engine, with a low center of gravity, which is the ideal thing if you are designing a sports car. And then they reduced the weight wherever possible which helped in the performance and handling.


The Subaru 2.0-liter four is an all-new engine and features Toyota-sourced direct injection. The engine drives the rear wheels through a choice of two Aisin six-speed transmissions, one a manual, the other a conventional planetary automatic with manual actuation using steering wheel-mounted paddles. The transmission is the same one used in the Lexus IS 350. Front suspension is MacPherson strut, while the rear gets a complex multilink setup, with disc brakes on all four corners.


While Subaru has heard from their customers that they would like a turbocharged version, it isn’t likely to happen anytime soon. But the Japanese automaker is listening and is working on a faster version. But the BRZ was designed from the ground up as a driver’s car, built to an affordable price point, and Subaru has certainly accomplished their objective.


The videos put together by Subaru shows just how much effort and detail went into making the new sports car from Subaru. The Japanese automaker has put together 22 minutes of behind-the-scenes chats with the engineers who made the BRZ to show you how they did it, and how they designed all of the handling and safety features and still made it one of the sportiest cars to drive.


Unfortunately, the video is in Japanese with English subtitles, but it's worth the extra effort. It's in two parts and you'll find both below.






Read more at TorqueNews.com.

2013 Subaru Outback: Walkaround Video

Interested in the 2013 Subaru Outback? Here's a run down from The Car Connection on what the new model does differently and what features stay the same.



Subaru had a trio of new models on display at the recent 2012 New York Auto Show including the all-new Outback Sport as well as facelifted versions of the Legacy and Outback.


Today we’re looking at the Outback, which for the 2013 model year has been given refreshed styling, a more fuel-efficient engine and extra safety features.


Unless you’re a Subaru die-hard you’ll probably not notice the styling changes.


Visually setting the latest 2013 model apart from the previous Outback are new headlights, a revised grille and a sharper front bumper.


The base 2.5-liter engine also looks the same but it’s actually a brand new unit. It puts out 173 horsepower and 170 pound-feet of torque, with more torque at the low end of the range for better responsiveness. A six-speed manual is still standard but customers can now opt for a continuously variable transmission (CVT), which comes with paddle shifters behind the wheel to simulate manual mode when needed.


The EPA hasn't yet rated the 2013 Outback for gas mileage, but Subaru projects that the new engine with CVT will achieve 24/30 mpg city/highway and 26 mpg combined. The previous model rated in at 24 mpg combined, so the 2013 Outback already looks quite impressive on paper.


The Outback 3.6R is still available and its engine is largely unchanged for the 2013 model year. It still displaces 3.6 liters and is rated at 256 horsepower. Note, it’s only available with a five-speed automatic transmission. Gas mileage is around 20 mpg combined.


The other major addition on the 2013 Outback is Subaru’s latest EyeSight driver-assist system, which offers a host of safety features like pre-collision braking, lane-departure alerts, and adaptive cruise control. Combined with the vehicle’s surefooted all-wheel drive system, stability control and roster of airbags, the EyeSight system should ensure the 2013 model retains the Outback’s top marks in independent crash testing.


For a closer look at all that the 2013 Subaru Outback has to offer, check out our extensive preview.


Read more at thecarconnection.com/news/1075252_2013-subaru-outback-walkaround-video

How Subaru Is Making Cruise Control Smarter Than You

Want an extra pair of eyes on the road? Subaru’s got your back.

Ever veer out of your lane while driving, only to be jolted into noticing by the loud honk of the car you’re about to hit? What if your car could actually “see” the lines on the pavement and warn you when you start to move outside them?


That’s the idea behind Subaru’s EyeSight system, debuting at the New York Auto Show. EyeSight consists of a pair of cameras mounted on either side of the rear-view mirror. They act as a kind of always-on extra pair of eyes for the driver, helping out when, for whatever reason, danger may be imminent.


The cameras constantly scan the road and the traffic around you, so the system is smart enough to know when you’re on the highway and when you’re in a parking lot.


There are three main benefits. First is pre-collision braking, which can detect when an object suddenly appears in the path of the car. If something jumps out, and the driver doesn’t react right away, the system can apply the brakes on its own, slowing and even stopping the car.


In a similar manner, EyeSight can also improve your cruise control by always maintaining a safe distance from the vehicle in front of you. And, yes, there’s a lane-departure warning, too.


Subaru cautions that the system isn’t intended as any kind of replacement for simple driver care and paying attention to the road. Like other sensor-based driving or parking-assist systems, it’s just a convenience, and a far cry from the self-driving cars Google and others are working on.


Subaru will offer EyeSight on the 2013 Outback and Legacy models but hasn’t said how much it will add to the price of the car.


Read more: http://mashable.com/2012/04/05/subaru-eyesight/

Subaru BRZ Commands Brisk Sales in Japan as U.S. Debut Nears

Beautiful car. Looking forward to the US debut!

Subaru’s BRZ sporty coupe, scheduled to go on sale in the United States April 20, is off to a brisk start in Japan, selling at a monthly rate quadruple initial forecasts. According to Automotive News, since the car’s Feb. 3 debut, Subaru parent Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd. has sold 3,551 of the rear-wheel-drive BRZs. Subaru had forecast monthly sales of only 450 units in Japan. The sporty 2.0-liter, four-cylinder BRZ, which starts at 2.06 million yen ($24,830) in Japan for a stripped-down version, is the platform-sharing twin of Toyota’s Scion FR-S. The U.S. monthly sales goal for the BRZ is 500. Initial sales data suggest the BRZ is tapping a coveted younger customer base attracted to the car’s promise of sportier driving. So far, nearly 60 percent of BRZ customers are under 40 years of age – and two-thirds are picking the six-speed manual over the automatic transmission. The top-selling color is WR blue mica, in a nod to the signature hue of Subaru’s WRX performance line.

Read more about the Subaru BRZ’s sales figures in Japan ahead of its launch in U.S. showrooms!