Subaru of America will roll out a 2010 Subaru Impreza WRX STI Special Edition model at $32,995 plus $695 D&D. The new model is priced $2,000 lower than the base price of the 2010 WRX STI and will be limited in production. The vehicle features an upgraded performance suspension from the Japanese domestic market WRX STI spec C and spec C wheels.

The 2010 WRX STI Special Edition is aimed at the driving enthusiast who is willing to trade a few amenities to gain an extra measure of handling performance over the already extraordinary WRX STI. Suspension for the new version of this high-performance machine is adopted from the Japanese domestic market WRX STI spec C model, which adds a 1-millimeter thicker rear stabilizer bar, stiffer rear sub-frame bushings plus upgraded springs. The front springs are 16-percent stiffer, while the rear springs have been stiffened by 29-percent.

Available in early spring, only 125 units of the 2010 WRX STI Special Edition will be painted in exclusive Aspen White. The WRX STI Special Edition will also be available in Obsidian Black Pearl, WR Blue Mica and Dark Gray Metallic colors. All models will be set off by the charcoal-colored 18 x 8.5 in. 14-spoke alloy wheels from the JDM WRX STI spec C.

Compared with the standard 2010 WRX STI, the WRX STI Special Edition features halogen rather than HID headlights; a single-disc CD player / 4-speaker audio system instead of the 6-CD / 10-speaker system; manual air conditioning in place of automatic climate control, and side mirrors without integrated signals.

Happy Thanksgiving! For those traveling during the Thanksgiving holiday more of us — nearly nine in 10 — will drive to our destination. That decision makes sense when you look at current numbers. Flights cost travelers 8% more than last year — an average of $201 each way. There also are 6% fewer seats available. The Wednesday before Thanksgiving is the busiest travel day of the year, as everyone tries to get home for Thanksgiving. Those numbers are more or less inevitable. Twenty-seven million passengers will fly from Nov. 23 through Nov. 27. Car travel is a great alternative. Its cheaper and sometimes less of a hassle. The economy is without a doubt effecting Thanksgiving travelers, but after a sharp drop last year, AAA expects more people will head out of town this year. About 38 million domestic travelers are expected to go somewhere this holiday – still a far cry from the roughly 58 million who made holiday journeys in 2005 when the economy was better. Many Americans are forgoing air travel for Thanksgiving and opting for cheaper alternatives because of economic pressures.

The majority of holiday travelers will be crowding the roads and driving 50+ miles or more to see relatives and enjoy some good food and hopefully good football. Its important to keep in mind when returning home a few safety tips. Many drivers are tires at the end of the long holiday, if you are at the wheel be aware if you are feeling sleepy. And to avoid this altogether make sure you get plenty of sleep the night before you are to travel.  Also, whether you are driving an sc used car or a beand new one,  keep your temper in check when it comes to rude motorist or traffic jams. Plan your trip ahead of time, pack plenty of snacks and entertainment for the kids, and just remember to be thankful for a great holiday and focus on getting home safely to everyone! We wish you a safe and happy holiday week.

With its newest lineup, Lincoln has officially redeemed itself after a few big busts from the last decade, such as the Aviator, the Blackwood, and the LS. The 2010 Lincoln MKT is one of these models that offer improved packaging, comfort and efficiency of a car-based crossover.

The MKT shares its platform and powertrains with the boxier Ford Flex. To distinguish the two CUVs, Ford is employing a “differentiated top-hat strategy.” That means precisely zero sheet metal and fewer interior parts are shared between the two models. The front end rounds nicely into the MKT’s overtly chiseled belt line, which moves across the profile undisturbed until it ramps up at the rear wheel. When viewed from behind, the smooth transition from the roof to the minimalist bumper and interesting, if over-the-top, tail lamps shows that this Lincoln looks best when it’s ahead of you. The rear was forged with magnesium and aluminum, shaving 22 pounds from the MKT’s 5,000-pound curb weight. Inside high quality leather and soft touch materials abound, with truly impressive blond wood accents that add plenty of visual pop. With all rows upright, there is 17.9 cubic feet of space aft of the third row, but available cubes jumps all the way up to 75.9 when the second and third row seats are stowed. The general largesse of the MKT is also evident in the cockpit, as both leg room and hip clearance is plentiful.

The MKT starts with a touch of a button. The twin turbocharged 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6 boasts 355 horsepower and 350 pound-feet of torque from 1,500 RPM all the way to 5,250 RPM, resulting in healthy, lag-free acceleration in almost any situation. Ford’s claim of the EcoBoost V6 delivering the power of a V8 with the fuel economy of a six-pot are born out through the numbers, returning an EPA-tested 16 MPG in the city and 22 MPG on the highway. The EcoBoost V6 sounds good, too, with a quiet roar on heavy acceleration, and the MKT doesn’t just win in terms of power, either, as the large crossover proved to be more agile in the curves while sporting a more impressive, quieter cabin. The MKT is most certainly a fine entry in the large luxury crossover market, though, and that might be all that’s needed to keep Lincoln buyers in the family when the time comes to trade in their aging Navigator.

Subaru, along with Ford and Volkswagen are the new leaders in the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) top safety picks for 2009. The IIHS awarded its “top safety pick” this week to 19 passenger cars and eight sport utility vehicles for the 2010 model year. The institute substantially reduced the number of awards compared with 2009, because of tougher requirements for roof strength. The awards given to Subaru only provide more proof that the automaker leads the insurance list in safest new vehicles.

Subaru recorded winners with the Subaru Legacy, Outback and Impreza cars and Tribeca and Forester SUVs. Subaru was the only automaker with an IIHS winner in all four vehicle classes in which it competes. The automaker, which has bucked the brutal U.S. sales market with a 13 percent increase during the first 10 months of 2009, attributed its safety success to a unique engine design that sits low in the vehicle chassis and moves down and under occupants in a frontal collision. Tom Doll, executive vice president and COO of Subaru of America, said the awards were a “tribute to the engineering that goes into Subaru products.”

The awards are based on the best front, side and rear crash tests based on Institute evaluations during the year. The vehicles are required to have electronic stability control, or ESC, to qualify for the award. Earlier this year, the Institute said vehicles would need to receive its highest score in its roof strength evaluation to qualify the safety pick designation.

Winter is quickly approaching, and it is important to not wait to late to get your vehicle ready for the adverse driving conditions that winter brings. It is very important to install winter tires. A common misconception is that All Weather tires will do the job, but this is not true if you live in an area with snow and ice. Winter tires will give you that extra traction, braking and handling you’ll need to confidently drive during the cold months. Unlike all weathers, they have specialized rubber compounds and tread designs to handle the cold temperatures. The tread remains flexible to prevent snow buildup and help with traction on ice. Tests that have been conducted on ice show that even at 15mph, vehicles equipped with winter tires stopped from 1/2 to a full car length shorter than identical vehicles on all season tires.

All Season tires are not designed to be optimal in one specific weather condition. They are meant to be adequate in all weather. To be able to handle different types of weather, compromises have to be made. The tread design of an all season tire is not as aggressive as that of a winter tire and is also not as flexible in the cold. An all season tire’s tread will quickly get packed with snow and you lose traction. Another common misconception among SUVs and other 4WD vehicles’ drivers is that a 4 wheel drive vehicle provides them with the safety measures they need when driving on the ice. This deadly misconception has no grip on reality whatsoever. A 4WD vehicle will help you get started from a full stop and will slightly help you around corners, but will certainly not help you to stop or slow down the car any faster.

If you do not own winter tires, don’t wait too long with your purchase decision as this might severely affect your mobility. Early winter storms can sometimes result in hot demand that leads to a shortage or even a complete sold out of winter tires in specific locations. You may be wondering what is the best time to install your winter tires, and for what duration should you have them installed. This primary depends and your local weather. One thing is for sure, don’t wait for the very last minute and have them installed beforehand. A good guideline for installing your winter tires is once the temperature is regularly 10 degrees Celsius or less, and they should be removed once the temperatures are consistently higher than 10 degrees Celsius. This will ensure that they do not wear prematurely in warmer weather, but you shouldn’t get caught by surprise.

For some consumers, there is just no other vehicle than an SUV that will serve their needs. In the past the only option for an SUV were the infamous truck-based gas guzzlers. But times have changed…SUVs are now racking up economical miles due to their uptake of hybrid engines. That’s something that’s important to motorists, many of whom still embrace  SUVs but are also looking to minimize impacts to the planet and their wallets. In many midsize and large SUVs, the combination of hybrid power with a gas engine adds up to some serious fuel savings, in some cases as much as a 50 percent improvement. Here are some top options:

The Mercury Mariner hybrid has an MSRP of $29,750, compared to the base Mariner which comes in a  $22,310. As a bonus of driving a hybrid SUV, the Mercury Mariner will allow you to qualify for a government tax rebate of up to $3,000 for a low-emissions vehicle. Mercury’s Mariner offers utilitarian styling and outstanding fuel consumption at 30 mpg combined (40% better city efficiency than the non-hybrid base model) due to its nickel-medal-hydride batteries stores under its rear floor. Cargo space is still good at 66 cubic feet with the seats folded flat. Its 2008 variant is substantially less noisy than its predecessor at freeway speeds.

The Mazda Tribute hybrid will cost about $6000 more than a base Tribute, but it too qualifies for a government tax rebate of up to $3,000 for a low-emissions vehicle. The hybrid Tribute has an MSRP of $25,310 while the base comes in at $19,270. Mazda’s compact HEV (hybrid electric vehicles) drives like a car with limited body roll and surprisingly good handling. Its 155 horsepower (combined electric and motor) gives powers with its automatic continuously variable transmission that is much smoother than most when accelerating in low gears. A 200hp V6 power train is optional, as is 4WD, both neither will greatly impact its 32 mpg efficiency, the Tribute also has good interior space for its class.

The Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid is a true full sized SUV, in fact, its huge. The hybrid’s cost does skyrocket compared to the base, with an
MSRP of $50,455, and a base MSRP of $35,730. But the fact is if you absolutely need a vehicle of this size, its fuel efficiency is one of the best (in this class).  The Tahoe Hybrid was named 2008 Green Car of the Year by Green Car Journal, almost unheard of for a 6.0-liter V8. It offers more than a 50% fuel efficiency premium over the base Tahoe, at an estimated 21 mpg combined city and highway. Backed by a 2-mode power train jointly developed by BMW, DaimlerChrysler and GM, this one packs a 300-volt battery below the rear second row, two electric motors in the transmission and the same in-city mileage as your typical midsize sedan.

While many thought the Chrysler Dodge Jeep lineup in the next few years would be minimal, there are, in fact, more new models slated to be rolled out from now through 2013 than there are to be axed. Many of these new models will be produced in partenership with Chrysler’s new mate, Fiat.

For Dodge, an all new Columbia Charger is expected sometime in 2010. A new small car, in partnership with the Fiat Group, will be produced in 2013. A new mid-size truck with a unibody will replace the Dakota in 2011. And for commercial use, a van and small commercial truck (shared from Fiat) will be produced in 2012.

Jeep will lose the Jeep Commander, but a new diesel Wrangler model will come in the end of 2010. A new small SUV with a 2013 launch will likely be imported from Fiat.
A new small crossover also with a 2013 launch wills consolidate both the Compass and Patriot.  The Jeep Liberty will be replaced by a Fiat product in 2013, but will likely carry on the Liberty name. And the Jeep Grand Cherokee redesign debuts in the end of 2010 as a 2011 model.

Chrysler gets a brand new logo along with a few new models. There’s a new Chrysler 300 model coming in 2010. A new Fiat-sourced small car will arrive in 2013. A C-segment vehicle, sourced from Fiat, will replace the PT Cruiser within the next few years. A new midsize crossover vehicle will launch in 2013, sourced by Fiat. A new redesigned Town & Country will launch in 2014. And a replacement for the Sebring is scheduled to appear in the latter part of 2010 as a mid sized sedan.

Chrysler has officially unveiled its new plan for the next three years. Key to Chrysler’s plan will be a close sharing arrangement with its new shareholders, Fiat Group. A few popular models will be lost in the transition, but many new models will arrive over the next five years. For outgoing models, the Chrylser PT Cruiser will no longer be produced after 2010. The Dodge Viper is gone in the summer of 2010, while company officials say a return in 2012 is under consideration. The Dodge Caliber is ended in 2012, but a vehicle of a similar segment is set to arrive around the same time. The Dodge Dakota will be wound down in 2011, but a new mid-size truck using a unibody construction will arrive around the same time. For Jeep, the Jeep Commander is going away as of the end of 2010, with “international reallocation” for the vehicle occurring around the same time. This could mean that the Commander would live on in a different country with different equipment. And the Jeep Compass and Patriot will be consolidated into a new vehicle that will debut in 2013. Until that time, both vehicles will undergo “major modifications” next year.