2008 Subaru Tribeca Motoring
Channel Staff - 4/Apr/2007 | 
2008 Subaru Tribeca
The rear end hasn't seen the changes
that the front has, and now the nose
is easier on the eye with Forester cues
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New York, USA —
It's official - Subaru has dumped its tri-element grille from every
single model in its range, with the new 2008 Tribeca being the final
vehicle to be rid of the unpopular grille design. Fuji Heavy
Industries, the maker of Subaru automobiles, today announced its plan
to introduce the redesigned Subaru B9 Tribeca, but the B9 moniker has
been dropped, so now it's named the Subaru Tribeca. Launched
at the New York International Auto Show, the 2008 model's most
notable feature is it's new grille and less bulbous headlight design.
It is less provocative than the previous front end and grille, which
was supposed to depict the propeller of a plane, highlighting Fuji
Heavy Industries' aviation past. According to Subaru,
the new 2008 Tribeca advances the concept of a 'progressive' sports
utility vehicle (SUV), with powerful styling, improved
performance, and enhanced comfort and functionality to ensure the
satisfaction of its occupants. Subaru says that
the exterior design stresses a more SUV-like appearance with a new
front face design, conceding the previous design was too radical which
led to a slow sales take up in the United States and here in
Australia. With redesigned door mirrors and rear quarter windows, side and rear vision have been improved and the
exterior design of the new Tribeca is slightly more streamlined
and builds upon the sporty feel of its predecessor model, and
Subaru also explains that the interior design is
updated, expressing a sophisticated quasi-premium look. Furthermore,
third row seating access has been enhanced through a number of changes,
and the second row seat comes with a tilt-and-slide control on both the
driver's and passenger's sides for better access. There's also
a new assist spring that reduces the
effort needed to slide the second row seat. The Tribeca
has also been accused of being underpowered. Subaru has sought to
remedy this by adding a newly designed 3.6-litre boxer engine. Although
larger and more powerful than the previous 3.0-liter engine, the new
3.6 has better performance and fuel efficiency in real world driving
situations says the Japanese company. It says that
design modifications in its cooling system have enabled the use of
regular unleaded fuel, a change from premium only which helps to
lower consumer operating costs. Subaru took the
3.0-litre, 6-cylinder boxer (horizontally opposed) engine and without
increasing the physical dimensions of the power unit, the displacement
was expanded from 3.0 to 3.6-litres, which was made possible through
design changes involving expanded bore dimensions and a longer stroke. The
new powerplant also gets features Dual Active Valve Control System
(Dual AVCS) for controlling timing in both the intake and exhaust
valves, which helps provide improved low-end torque, all of which is
delivered to all four wheels via a revised 5-speed automatic
transmission with newly designed control unit that delivers faster
shifting response for improved acceleration.
Even
more surprising is that the new engine and transmission are lighter in
weight than the 3.0-litre bundle, achieving a total weight reduction of
4.4 kilograms. Re-calibrated rear suspension with new bushings improves
ride comfort. Related
articles:
- Subaru Impreza WRX sedan (2008)
- Subaru
Impreza WRX (Road
Test)
- Subaru
Forester XT (Road Test)
- Subaru WRX - Tuned by STI (2007)
- Subaru Develops Diesel Boxer Engine (2007)
- Subaru
Liberty Blitzen (2006)
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