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French Gendarmerie Nationale to use Subaru Impreza WRXs for chase vehicles. French cars were too slow. PARIS (Reuters) - The next time a criminal in a getaway car in France looks in the rear window the chances are that the vehicle in pursuit will be a blue French police Subaru. The Japanese car brand, part of Fuji Heavy Industries, has sped past French rivals to win a key contract for fast intervention cars for the highway police. "We have a contract to supply 63 cars to the Gendarmerie Nationale for patrols on the roads," Subaru spokesman Gilles Varmoux said on...

DETROIT -- For the first time in nine years, all of the top picks in Consumer Reports' annual vehicle guide are made by Japanese automakers. The Honda Civic is the magazine's top small sedan, while the Toyota Highlander Hybrid is the top mid-sized sport utility vehicle, according to results released Wednesday. Vehicles from Nissan Motor Co. and Subaru, a division of Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd., round out the top picks in 10 categories. Asian brands also fared best in the magazine's survey of vehicle reliability. Toyota Motor Corp.'s Lexus brand was first, while Honda was second and the Toyota brand...

ANCHORAGE, Alaska - A woman drove a station wagon through a wall of the Barnes & Noble bookstore, sending glass, wood and books flying. Three people suffered leg injuries. Two were taken to a hospital. The store was filled with shoppers at about 2 p.m. Sunday when the Subaru station wagon plowed backward through picture windows in a reading area in the store's northwest corner. The car took out the travel section and barreled about 40 feet through the bookstore before coming to rest in nonfiction. "I thought it was an earthquake," said shopper Chris Badgett, 27. "There was screaming,...

Spread in ‘gay’ magazine lists accomplishments; Avis also vies for ‘gay’ dollar It’s important to give credit where it’s due. So car buyers should know that Subaru takes its role as the most pro-homosexual car company very seriously. In fact, the company bought a four-page, four-color pullout section in the December 21, 2004, The Advocate magazine, surrounding a celebration of 11 “People of the Year” selected by the magazine since 1990. Honorees include V. Gene Robinson (December 23, 2003), the homosexual Episcopal bishop; Rosie O’Donnell (January 21, 2003); George Michael (January 19, 1999), following Michael’s arrest for lewdness in a...