Aurelia Butler

Subaru has revealed the 2024 WRX TR, and it’s different from the last WRX to carry the TR (“Tuner Ready”) nameplate back in 2006.This new TR comes well equipped, with standard features including a Brembo braking system, a stiffer suspension, retuned steering, and Recaro seats. The model makes its official debut at a fan event, the Florida Subiefest, on October 7. Pricing for the TR is set to come out later this year. When Subaru announced that the current-generation WRX would not receive an STI version, many fans were upset, unsurprisingly. Now, the company is reusing an old name, and the company has gone a little upmarket with this one. The automaker is reaching back to 2006 to resurrect the TR moniker, which last time around stood for “Tuner Ready.” Back then, it was a stripped-down model intended for customers to modify. It cost $1000 less than the standard WRX and came with unpainted mirror caps, basic seats, and a non-leather steering wheel. SubaruThe 2024 WRX TR takes a different approach. The standard brakes have been replaced by Brembo six-piston front calipers, two-piston rear calipers, larger pads and rotors, and a larger brake master cylinder. According to Subaru, the springs on the TR are stiffer than before, and the damping rates have been retuned. Subaru says that between the new suspension setup and a retuned steering rack, the TR has better body control and steering response than lower trims, while also maintaining ride quality. Looking BackwardWhere the inside of the last TR was spartan and ready for racing buckets, the new version comes standard with Recaro buckets in front, and the driver’s seat even features eight-way power adjustments. The racing seats are finished in black and gray Ultrasuede with contrasting red stitching and the Recaro logo embossed on the seatbacks. Subaru did take one comfort away, though, removing the power moonroof in the name of weight savings.SubaruThe potent but run-of-the-mill powertrain from lesser trims is back for the TR, though this time around it features manual transmissions only. The turbocharged 2.4-liter flat-four engine makes 271 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque. The new trim comes with exclusive 19-inch multi-spoke wheels with a satin gray finish, complete with a set of 245/35 R19 Bridgestone Potenza S007 tires for extra grip. The car also gets Subaru’s EyeSight driver-assist technology. More on the WRXAccording to Subaru, pricing for the TR will be revealed later this year. We expect it cost in the ballpark of $48,000, placing it a few thousand dollars above the current GT trim. The new trim should begin arriving in dealerships in the first quarter of 2024. Associate News EditorJack Fitzgerald’s love for cars stems from his as yet unshakable addiction to Formula 1. After a brief stint as a detailer for a local dealership group in college, he knew he needed a more permanent way to drive all the new cars he couldn’t afford and decided to pursue a career in auto writing. By hounding his college professors at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, he was able to travel Wisconsin seeking out stories in the auto world before landing his dream job at Car and Driver. His new goal is to delay the inevitable demise of his 2010 Volkswagen Golf. More

The quickest Subaru Car and Driver has ever tested, the S209 was a no-compromises track special.The price when new was $63,995, making this the most expensive Subaru ever. With only 209 examples built, this is a rare opportunity. Car and DriverWith the new WRX TR, Subaru is looking to placate some of its more hardcore performance fans—but the car is not quite an STI replacement. The lack of a new STI in showrooms makes the rarer versions of the previous generation even more appealing. Here’s your opportunity to snap up a special one: the S209 version, which is the quickest Subaru Car and Driver has ever tested.Up for auction on Bring A Trailer—which, like Car and Driver, is part of Hearst Autos—is a 2019 Subaru WRX STI S209. Yes, that’s a lot of letters and numbers, but no, we didn’t just fall asleep on our keyboard. Across the Pacific in Japan, it’s long been the case that the more suffixes attached to the name of a WRX, the faster it is. With the S209, that’s certainly the case. Bring a TrailerThe S209 was the first S-series WRX that Subaru brought to the U.S., but it was part of a long tradition of track-focused Subies. The special edition that laid the groundwork was the 1998 22B, built as a celebration of Subaru’s World Rally Championship success. Never officially sold here, these are now importable and can fetch hundreds of thousands of dollars at auction.Related StoriesThe rest of the S-cars—S201 and up—are not quite that crazily expensive, but they are in demand. Subaru only brought 209 examples of the S209 to the U.S., and at $63,995, it was the most expensive Subaru ever sold here.Bring a TrailerIt was also Subaru’s most hardcore factory track rat. The 2.5-liter flat-four had a larger turbine, higher boost pressure, a high-flow fuel pump, larger fuel injectors, and a reworked intake. Output was 341 horsepower and 330 pound-feet of torque. Sent, of course, to all four wheels, that grunt was good for a 4.4-second sprint to 60 mph in C/D testing and a quarter-mile of 13.0 seconds at 107 mph.Bring a TrailerBeyond the added boost, the fenders were even more flared than usual to fit 265-mm-wide Dunlop high-performance tires at all four corners. Extra aerodynamic add-ons delivered real downforce at speed, the chassis was reinforced with added bracing, and the suspension and brakes were reworked to stand up to the rigors of high-speed lapping. Bring a TrailerWith 7000 miles on the odometer, you don’t need to treat this S209 like a garage queen either. Drive it whenever you want, and it should still hold its value because of its rarity. If and when a new STI hits the market, it might be quicker, but likely won’t be as raw.Pop on your blue-and-gold WRC jacket, and head on over to Bring A Trailer to make your bid (perhaps in increments of $555). Subaru won’t sell you a brand-new STI these days, but that doesn’t mean you can’t get your hands on one of the best ones it made.Contributing EditorBrendan McAleer is a freelance writer and photographer based in North Vancouver, B.C., Canada. He grew up splitting his knuckles on British automobiles, came of age in the golden era of Japanese sport-compact performance, and began writing about cars and people in 2008. His particular interest is the intersection between humanity and machinery, whether it is the racing career of Walter Cronkite or Japanese animator Hayao Miyazaki’s half-century obsession with the Citroën 2CV. He has taught both of his young daughters how to shift a manual transmission and is grateful for the excuse they provide to be perpetually buying Hot Wheels. More

Ford released pricing for the 2024 F-150 lineup, and the base XL trim is up $2735 from last year to $38,565.Pricing for the muscled-up Raptor and Raptor R were also revealed, with the Raptor increasing by $1255 and and the Raptor R jumping by $2404.The pickup gets a refresh for 2024, earning an updated logo, boxier looks, and a fancy new tailgate. Ford has revealed significantly increased pricing for the 2024 F-150 lineup, with the entry-level XL trim seeing an increase of $2735 over the outgoing model. The updated pickup truck now starts at $38,565, and pricing ranges to more than $84,000 for the top-trim Platinum Plus model. The considerable rise in price comes as the F-150 earns a refresh heading into the new model year. The whole lineup gets new looks, and Ford rejiggered the engine lineup while also updating the cabin with more technology. The base 3.3-liter V-6 has been thrown to the wayside with the EcoBoost 2.7-liter V-6 filling the entry-level void. The twin-turbocharged setup raises base output for the F-150 to 325 horsepower and 400 pound-feet of torque. And if six isn’t enough cylinders for you, not to worry: the 400-hp 5.0-liter V-8 is back as well. FordPricing is also out for the dialed-up Raptor and Raptor R models, which increase by $1255 and $2404 respectively. The standard Raptor (if you can call anything about this truck standard) now starts at $79,975. Stepping up to the even livelier Raptor R means cresting $110,000, as that model now starts at $111,550. Ford designed an optional new modular bumper for both the Tremor and Raptor models. It’s designed to fit either a factory-accessory light bar or a dealer-installed Ford Performance winch kit with a Warn 12,000-pound winch. The bumper is fitted with a series of extra cameras and sensors, because the addition of a light bar or winch blocks the normal front-facing equipment. More on Ford TrucksWe’re still not sure exactly when the new F-150 will go on sale, but we expect it will begin arriving on dealer lots early next year. This content is imported from poll. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.Associate News EditorJack Fitzgerald’s love for cars stems from his as yet unshakable addiction to Formula 1. After a brief stint as a detailer for a local dealership group in college, he knew he needed a more permanent way to drive all the new cars he couldn’t afford and decided to pursue a career in auto writing. By hounding his college professors at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, he was able to travel Wisconsin seeking out stories in the auto world before landing his dream job at Car and Driver. His new goal is to delay the inevitable demise of his 2010 Volkswagen Golf. More

Mazda has updated the MX-5 Miata for the Japanese market, with the same changes expected to come to the United States for the 2024 model year.The Miata now wears LED lights all around, and the cabin trades the 7.0-inch screen for an 8.8-inch unit.A new limited-slip differential, revised electric power steering, and a new track-oriented stability control setting is said to improve handling.The current Mazda MX-5 Miata—referred to as “ND” by Mazda aficionados—is one of the older vehicles on sale in the United States, first hitting the market back in 2016. But a series of small updates have helped the adorable little roadster stay relevant, and now a host of upgrades have been announced for the Japanese market that will extend the Miata’s life by another several years. We expect these changes to make their way to the U.S. for the 2024 model year.The Miata, famously, is one of the most grin-inducing driver’s cars of all time and Mazda updated the hardware to make the MX-5 even more engaging. The two-seater is fitted with a new asymmetric limited-slip differential, which Mazda says makes the handling more stable by reducing liftoff oversteer and creating more linear turning behavior. Mazda also claims it’s more nimble around town, although the diminutive roadster already felt sprightly among America’s sea of bulky trucks. The differential is only equipped on stick-shift Miatas, and all Miata also come with revised electric power steering said to minimize friction and provide more natural feedback. Manual-transmission Miatas also feature a new less-intrusive track setting for the stability control which only steps in if the driver cannot gain control as the vehicle enters a spin.The styling is mostly unchanged, but every exterior lamp is now an LED unit and the daytime running lights have migrated from the front bumper into the headlights. The taillight graphics are also sharpened, and a new wheel design is available in 16- or 17-inch sizes. A new color joins the palette called Aero Gray Metallic. Inside, the 7.0-inch touchscreen has been replaced by an 8.8-inch display, and the images also appear to show USB-C ports.While the Miata is all about driver connection, Mazda has also added some driver-assist features designed to make the Miata a less demanding vehicle for the daily commute. The MX-5 gains a radar sensor on the left side of the grille that allows for adaptive cruise control, while a Smart Brake Support feature looks out for vehicles while reversing and applies the brakes to avoid collisions. More on the MiataMazda hasn’t officially confirmed these changes for the U.S. market, but we expect to see these updates soon since the automaker has yet to release information on the Miata for the 2024 model year. The upgrades should bring a minor price increase that could see the MX-5’s starting price rise above the $30,000 mark.This content is imported from poll. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.Associate News EditorCaleb Miller began blogging about cars at 13 years old, and he realized his dream of writing for a car magazine after graduating from Carnegie Mellon University and joining the Car and Driver team. He loves quirky and obscure autos, aiming to one day own something bizarre like a Nissan S-Cargo, and is an avid motorsports fan. More