Subaru has launched an updated version of its load lugging Legacy Tourer in the United Kingdom. The 2012 model has received a number of technical enhancements highlighted by the presentation of a revised diesel engine and select equipment upgrades.

The most important change for 2012 is of course the fitment of a tweaked 2.0-liter flat-four turbo diesel engine, which is Euro 5-compliant power and features a more efficient turbocharger, and new exhaust-camshaft timing and lighter connecting rods. It also gets a new oxidation catalytic converters and Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF).

Classy but at the same time dramatic and seductive, the tango is an impressive dance that was born in the 19th century along the shores of the Rio de la Plata in Buenos Aires, Argentina and Montevideo, Uruguay, but has since spread throughout the world.

Nice, but what has the tango got to do with the automotive world, we hear you ask?

Well, not much, unless you have an extremely talented pair of drivers that can successfully recreate the dance steps using an older generation Subaru Impreza hatchback and a UAZ Patriot SUV as their partners. See how it turned in the video that follows.

As we're nearing closer to the BRZ's market launch, Subaru decided it was time to announce preliminary information on the UK-specification model. The Japanese company confirmed that the 200HP 2+2 seater coupe would be offered in Britain in three trim levels.

The as-of-yet unnamed top specification model will come with 17-inch alloy wheels, a torque-sensing LSD, front, side, curtain and knee airbags, MP3 connectivity, dual-zone climate control and LED daytime running lights, all fitted as standard.

Subaru's motorsports division has been busily working on its new BRZ GT300 racecar, which made its world premiere alongside the regular BRZ sports coupe at the 2011 Tokyo Motor Show in December.

The Japanese automaker put the BRZ GT300 through its paces this past weekend at the Fuji Speedway in Japan as it prepares for the 2012 Super GT championship, which starts at the end of March.

We're always up for some video footage of sports cars running a hot lap around a track, even if said sports car is one we've shown more times that we can remember before and after its official presentation

Those of you tempted may follow the break to watch the new Subaru BRZ rear-wheel drive coupe being driven around the Fuji Speedway in Japan.

When you hear the term “classic” car, you surely think of something old but rare and most likely expensive, like an Aston Martin, a Ferrari or perhaps even some good ol' American iron.

The sole Japanese model that fetches serious money in the classic car market is Japan’s first supercar, the Toyota 2000GT. Collectors pay more than US$400,000 for the road versions while a 2000GT racer is currently being offered for US$1.7 million.

Whatever you think about the insane prices that some people are willing to pay for them, you would never apply this term to 30-year-old run-of-the-mill Japanese compact cars.

The upcoming 82nd Geneva International Motor Show in March will host the European debuts of two new Subaru models, the BRZ sports coupe and the latest generation of the Impreza hatchback.

The BRZ, which recently went on sale in Japan after its world premiere at last year's Tokyo Motor Show, is expected to reach European showrooms this summer, with more detailed information including pricing to be released in Geneva.

The Toyota 86 and the Subaru BRZ go hand in hand, in whatever they do. The two brands have launched stripped down variants of their respective models in Japan offering a low cost solution for those buyers looking to use the coupes for track racing, as a blank canvas to create their own project or simply to own the most affordable variant.

The Toyota 86 RC and the Subaru BRZ RA are very similar, the only main difference being that the Toyota model gets unpainted front and rear bumpers. From there on, on the outside, both models come with unpainted door handles and mirror caps, 16-inch steel wheels, while there are no fog lights up front.

Subaru has released a new 2+ minute long spot for the freshly launched BRZ coupe in its home market of Japan. And it's pretty dramatic, but not in the way you'd expect an ad showcasing a rear-wheel drive sports…

Apparently, Subaru's marketing folks in Japan believe that healthy doses of drama can create some sort of emotional connection between buyers and its cars. As you can see in the videos after the break, Subaru has whipped up similar ads for its Forester and Legacy models.

And oh, don't forget to blow your nose and while your tears away after you're done watching the three spots.

The already heavily populated C-sized SUV segment has a new contender from Subaru, the XV, which slots right under the Forester in the Japanese firm's lineup.

The XV is in essence a crossover version of the Impreza hatchback with a reworked body with plenty of plastic cladding and a jacked up suspension. It arrives in the UK with a choice of three engines and an equal number of trim grades with on the road prices ranging from £21,295 to £29,995.

Prova, one of the more notable Subaru tuners in the Land of the Rising Sun, teamed up with the Japanese automaker to display a bespoke edition of the new BRZ sports coupe at this past weekend's 2012 Tokyo Auto Salon.

The BRZ Black Edition is supposed to be a more mature tuning take on the rear-wheel drive model that goes on sale worldwide this spring.

We can't say that we weren't expecting it, but in any case, Subaru made it official today that the production version of its BRZ rear-wheel drive sports coupe will make its first public appearance on U.S. soil at the 2012 North American International Auto Show at Cobo Hall in Detroit on January 9.

Subaru's latest press release doesn't really add anything as we already knew that the BRZ will come with a 200-horsepower 2.0-liter boxer engine that revs up to 7,400 rpm and will be matched to either a six-speed manual gearbox or automatic transmission.

Subaru has outlined its presence at the upcoming Tokyo Auto Salon 2012 with NAPAC (Japan Car Parts and Aftermarket Promotion Association) that takes place at the Makuhari Messe from January 13 to 15, 2012.

The new Impreza G4 STI Concept and a pair of new BRZ studies will highlight the Japanese automaker's stand at the show.

Starting with the Impreza G4 STI Concept and before you get overly excited, you may want to know that it is based on the regular JDM Impreza G4 2.0i-S sedan with the company's STI division adding several styling and performance goods.

The pundits over at Motor Trend magazine are reporting today that a spokesperson from Subaru of America has confirmed that the next iteration of the WRX will mark a return to a smaller displacement 2.0-liter flat four engine instead of the 2.5-liter motor used on the current model.

The Subaru rep said that new engine would be a turbocharged version of the firm's FA20 unit found under the hood of the newly revealed Subaru BRZ and its Scion FR-S and Toyota 86 siblings, with a targeted output of around 270-horsepower.

The FA20 engine, which in naturally aspirated form produces 200-horses and 205Nm (151 lb-ft) of peak torque, is more compact than the 2.0-liter boxer from the FB family of engines used on the latest Impreza and Forester, while it also benefits from Toyota’s “D-4S” direct injection and port injection technology.

According to Motor Trend's newly appointed editor-in-chief Ed Loh who spoke to Subaru representatives during the first media drive of the 2013 BRZ in Japan, the rear wheel drive sports coupe will be available in the States in two flavors, the Premium and the Limited, and similar pricing to the Impreza WRX.

Subaru's people told Loh that they estimate the base BRZ Premium to start in the States from around US$24,000 (€17,900), and the better equipped BRZ Limited from approximately US$27,000 (€20,150).

To get an idea of what these prices mean, the 2012 Chevrolet Camaro has an MSRP of US$23,200 (€17,300) with a 323HP V6, and US$32,750 (€24,450) with the 426HP V8. The Nissan 370Z that's fitted with a 332HP V6 starts from US$31,450 (€23,480).

The current 2012 Mazda MX-5 Miata with a 167HP 2.0L engine stickers for US$23,190 (€17,300) while the 2011 RX-8 with a 232HP rotary unit for US$26,795 (€20,000).

Only a select few will be able to get behind the wheel of the new BRZ GT300, but Subaru hopes to create a strong link between the production and the racing versions of its new rear-wheel drive coupe, both of which made their world premiere at this week's Tokyo Motor Show.

The impressive looking BRZ racer will compete in the in the GT300 class of the 2012 SUPER GT series in Japan. The GT300 cars are much more regulated than the vehicles in the GT500 class with their output limited to 300-horsepower, which means we may see Subaru opting for a turbocharger to increase the standard model's 2.0-liter boxer engine's output.

Subaru is one of those automakers that will either bore you to death or irk you with the styling of its products, but scarcely, if ever, cause any excitement with its designs.

The Impreza series is a characteristic example going from boredom to controversial and vice versa not only with each new restyling, but sometimes even within the same generation.

Time to meet the Impreza Casa Blanca - a special edition version of the first generation Sport Wagon with the 1.5-liter boxer engine that was introduced in Japan in 1999 to address the craze consumers had for retro styled cars at the time.

And yes, you read that correctly: the Casa Blanca isn't a abomination creation from some unknown coachbuilder but an official Subaru product and it was produced from 1999 to 2000 in a limited run of 5,000 units!

Danny de Vito and body builder-turned actor-turned California governor, Arnold Schwarzenegger, were probably the only twins that were completely different to one another. On the other hand, that was a comedy film in which artistic freedom allows the producers to do anything they please.

In the real world, human twins may indeed differ, mostly in character – though not as much as Arnie and Danny by any stretch of the imagination. In the automotive world, however, when two manufacturers jointly develop a vehicle, 99.9% of the times it ends up being identical to its sibling.

Even Subaru and Toyota are not pretending that their BRZ and 86/GT86 are anything but the same car. They clearly admit it in their press releases and even inscribe it on the engine cover. It’s badge engineering, pure and simple.

Therefore, all the hoopla about the extremely low center of gravity, the compact dimensions, the fun to drive RWD configuration et al is repeated in the BRZ which also made its premiere today at the 42nd edition of the Tokyo Motor Show.

While the new BRZ coupe and the Sports Advance Tourer concept are the ones to watch out for at Subaru's Tokyo Motor Show stand, the Japanese automaker also revealed the much more important from a sales perspective, domestic market versions of its new Impreza. Read more »

The Subaru Advanced Tourer Concept made its debut today in the flesh at the 42nd edition of the Tokyo Motor Show.

The sleek looking station wagon with the taut surface forms is a proposal for a standalone C-segment hybrid model that measures 4,580mm (180.3-in.) long, 1,840mm (72.4-in.) wide and 1,430mm (56.3-in.) tall. Its exterior dimensions place it between the current Impreza (4,415mm long) and the Legacy (4,775mm).

The concept's design language both inside and out is believed to preview the forms and styles of the next generation of Subaru's models, though don't expect to see the scissor-style front doors on a production model any time soon.