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17The all-neW 2012 Subaru impreza: The compact car that delivers big time.

29The 2012 Subaru uTiliTy VehiCleS: Confident and capable.

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The 2012 Subaru legaCy: Not your typical mid-size sedan.

The 2012 Subaru WrX anD WrX STi: The show-stoppers.

33STephanie DiXOn: A multi-time gold medalist and Olympian, defying the odds in and out of the pool.

contents

alSO FeaTureD in ThiS iSSue:04

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Behind the Wheel: A message from our Chairman, President and CEO.

Subaru Canada Parts Distribution: Discover why our team leads the industry in supplying customer vehicle parts to dealerships coast-to-coast.

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Signature Dealerships:Four new Signature facilities opened in 2011 to serve you better.

Sponsorships:A recap and highlights from our sponsored events.

Cover photo: Aldas Minkevicius

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09 Rally Report: Subaru takes 10 titles in its 20 years in the Canadian Rally Championship. 39 Tech Talk:

Complete care for our customers and their vehicles.

10 RMH Toronto: Heartwarming news from Ronald McDonald House Toronto. 42 Accessories:

Bringing added versatility, comfort, convenience, performance and style to each and every Subaru.

On behalf of all the employees of Subaru

Canada, Inc. (SCI) and everyone working at

Subaru dealerships from coast-to-coast,

I welcome you to this issue of Six Star — the

magazine devoted especially to you.

It’s no secret that Subaru has enjoyed

great success in Canada; what is perhaps

less well known is that you, the customer,

must take some credit for this success. We

design, engineer and build vehicles that

inspire confidence throughout the ownership

experience — but it takes a discerning eye

to recognize these qualities and to choose a

Subaru over another vehicle.

For years now, we’ve received letters from

customers, expressing the enjoyable driving

experience and sense of security they feel

when behind the wheel of their Subaru

vehicles. This was the inspiration for our

new brand statement — “Confidence in

Motion” — which captures this strong

connection in a very profound way.

Although this brand statement may be new,

the meaning behind it is entrenched in Subaru

history. Rooted deeply in the Japanese

tradition of engineering excellence, pride and

authenticity, Japanese brands are known for

their quality, dependability, reliability

and value.

But Subaru has always managed to break

away from the pack and exceed these

BeHInD tHe WHeeL

Three simple words ThaT say whaT we are, whaT we believe in and where we are going.

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Shiro Ohta Chairman, President and CEO, Subaru Canada

standards by offering innovative technologies

that deliver a more desirable package, one

with superior driving dynamics and a higher

level of control. This ingenuity gives our

drivers the peace of mind and confidence that

no other auto manufacturer can deliver.

This is why many consumer-oriented

organizations, such as the Insurance Institute

for Highway Safety and the Automotive Lease

Guide (ALG), recognize the Subaru brand year

after year for our exceptional safety record

and the remarkable overall value our vehicles

deliver to consumers.

Confidence has been a key ingredient

in every Subaru model ever built. It reflects

our deeply held belief that you can and

should have both maximum safety and

Over the years, more and more Canadians

have chosen Subaru — and we thank you

for your continued support. It’s always

comforting to know that we have such

encouragement, but in times of crisis, such

as those we experienced this year with the

earthquake and tsunami in Japan, this is

even more important to us.

We were shocked and saddened by the

events of March 11, which had a devastating

impact on the country and its people. As a

Japanese company, our ties to Japan are

very strong; relatives, friends, colleagues,

business partners — all were affected to one

degree or another.

However, right from the moment we first

witnessed this horror, there was a source

of reassurance: the positivity and resilience

shown by the Japanese people. To honour

this strength of character, we have also done

our part to move forward.

Our parent company, Fuji Heavy

Industries, and other Subaru distributors

around the world have stepped up to

provide significant support towards the

relief effort. For our part, Subaru Canada,

Inc. matched all donations made by

employees and dealers. In addition,

fundraising efforts at the 2011 Vancouver

International Auto Show, as well as smaller

initiatives like ice cream days and blue jeans

days at SCI headquarters, all contributed to

an impressive $92,817.28 towards the relief

effort (to date).

While the support has been tremendous,

the people of Japan are still very much in

need and may continue to be for some

time, so we encourage everyone to visit the

Red Cross website and donate to this very

worthwhile cause.

Although our own facilities escaped

unscathed, many of our suppliers were

severely affected by the devastation.

Remarkably, they have made enormous

progress under such hardship and are

recovering very quickly.

As you can imagine, a vehicle is

comprised of thousands of parts and that

vehicle is very much incomplete until all

of them are in place. As a result, we were

delayed in delivering new vehicles and also

challenged in finding parts to service the

existing vehicle network. When this disaster

struck, we knew that our customers from

coast-to-coast needed to be reassured that

their ownership experience would not be

unduly disrupted.

These circumstances meant that FHI,

Subaru of America, Subaru of Indiana

Automotive and SCI had to significantly

increase their level of cooperation — as did

our own dealer network, a truly dedicated

group. In doing so, the admittedly limited

supply of new vehicles and parts was

distributed fairly, equitably and as quickly

as possible, minimizing the impact on our

customers. As part of this effort, SCI also

improved communication to dealers, which

total enjoyment, without sacrificing one for

the other. It’s about having the confidence

and the peace of mind to go anywhere. It’s

about enjoying life through exploration and

continually setting out on fresh adventures.

It’s about following one’s own path and

trailblazing several new ones. It’s about always

evolving and moving forward.

Confidence in Motion is and has always

been the heart and soul of our brand.

Therefore, it is a fitting theme for this edition

of Six Star and an accurate reflection of the

challenges of this past year.

This issue contains articles on all of our

2012 vehicles and a special feature on the

all-new 2012 Subaru Impreza. We also have

a sneak peek at the future of Subaru, as

www.redcross.ca/japan

witnessed when looking at some very exciting,

new concept cars. And we also have a feature

article on Stephanie Dixon, an athlete who

overcame physical challenges to become a

champion — and continues to triumph in all

aspects of her life.

Our number-one priority is to instill and

maintain a high level of confidence in our

brand, in our products and with our customers.

We hope that you find this issue contributes to

your very own Confidence in Motion.

encouraged them to share information with

their customers more readily.

This new way of working together has

now gained real traction; when one of our

dealerships was flooded a few months ago,

other dealers helped out by redistributing

vehicles in order to meet customer

commitments. This is just another way we

hope our efforts are proving that customers

are the first priority for Subaru.

Other initiatives were implemented at

SCI headquarters, including increasing

shipments from Japan to a weekly schedule

and extending leases at no charge to our

customers so they could wait for the 2012

models to arrive.

Our objective is to build vehicles that

create confidence behind the wheel and to

deliver a service experience that gives you,

our valued customer, the added confidence

that your needs are being met. This is what

we call Confidence in Motion — and we invite

you to experience more of it within the pages

of this very magazine.

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subaru canada parTs disTribuTion cenTre:The unbreakable supply chainAs we all know, the earthquake and subsequent

tsunami that hit northeastern Japan on March 11,

2011, caused massive devastation to the country

and its people. Thousands were impacted by

the disaster and the after-effects, both physical

and psychological, which will take many years

to heal. The Japanese industry did not escape

unscathed either; some 125,000 buildings

were destroyed or severely damaged, a

number of them belonging to key automotive

industry suppliers.

Of course, our first response at Subaru

Canada, Inc. (SCI), collectively, was to be

gravely concerned for the health of our

friends, relatives and business colleagues.

After the severity of the damage had come

into sharp focus, we turned our attention to

our customers here in Canada.

There was no possible way for a disaster of

this scope to have no effect on our business,

but we were determined to make it have as

little effect as possible.

In response to the earthquake and its

effect on Japan, a plan was put together,

one involving parent company Fuji Heavy

Industries (FHI), SCI and our sister company

south of the border, Subaru of America (SOA).

Together, the three organizations decided

to ensure customers were prioritized by

agreeing to send parts to any dealer in North

America who needed them, regardless of

where the parts in question were being

stored. Individual dealers also shared

parts among themselves, proving that this

response was a real team effort. It was also

a great success as our exceptional fill rate

was virtually unaffected throughout this very

challenging time period.

The term “fill rate” refers to the number of

parts ordered versus the number of orders

filled; if 100 unique parts were ordered by a

Subaru dealer and SCI was able to provide

95 of those parts, this would represent a

95% fill rate.

SCI's industry-leading fill rate is 98%; part

of the reason for this impressive figure is

an innovative carousel storage system that

houses approximately 12,000 of 23,000 total

part numbers or 56% of the parts that are

picked each day to be sent out.

As the makeshift arrangement came into

force, the SCI fill rate dropped from 98%

to 96.5% — a remarkably minimal decline

considering the disruption being felt in Japan.

Just three weeks after that, parts suppliers in

Japan were operational again and FHI was

able to start shipping parts to North America.

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At Subaru Canada, we are always on the lookout for areas of improvement — this is

ingrained in our corporate culture and has spread throughout the entire organization.

The parts operation staff, for example, is dedicated to providing superior parts

availability and a state-of-the-art system is helping them do precisely that.

The system, a series of four horizontal carousels, houses some 12,000 small and

fast-moving parts. Utilizing pack-to-light technology and batch-picking capabilities,

the carousels have served to more than double the picking and stocking productivity

of the distribution centre, increasing the speed with which parts are delivered to our

dealers and their customers.

Under normal operating conditions, SCI maintains an inventory of 23,000 individual

part numbers and carries about a four-month supply of parts. Parts are shipped to

our 87 dealers across Canada from the Subaru Parts Distribution Centre (PDC) in

Mississauga, Ontario, or another in Portland, Oregon. The deliveries are carried

out by a number of trucking companies, but the one that supplies close to 60%

of our dealers is the Subaru Dedicated Delivery Service (DDS), which uses

logo-identified trucks.

The DDS system is virtually a miracle of modern logistics: Parts can be ordered by

a dealer one day and then be delivered to the dealer’s location prior to the start of

business the following day — the system even allows for Friday afternoon orders and

Saturday deliveries. This way, the customer isn’t waiting long for his vehicle to

be repaired in the event that the dealer did not have parts on hand in

the first place.

Currently, the DDS system serves 34 Subaru dealers in Ontario

and Quebec, as well as a further 13 dealers in Western

Canada. All parts returns are picked up and brought

back to SCI at no cost to the dealer. The service also

accommodates nighttime drop-offs that don’t

require any dealership personnel on the

receiving end. Regular performance

reports make sure that the

entire system is on track

and humming along

at all times.

sTaTe-of-The-arT parTs carousel

dedicaTed delivery service

By the beginning of June, the fill rate

was already returning to its normal level.

The cooperative agreement among FHI,

SCI, SOA and dealers was so effective,

customers across Canada experienced no

appreciable hardship.

We’re proud of the many ways we show

support for our customers — and the way we

dealt with such difficult circumstances proved

that our processes are as robust as can be.

Of course, we all hope for smooth sailing

from now on, but we’re all comforted by the

fact that — in times of extreme crisis — our

organization can remain strong.

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Recently, there have been many exciting car designs coming out of the Subaru studios. This year saw the introduction of a number of new

concept cars on the international auto show circuit — and two of them have already been revealed in their production form!

Of course, many of the details surrounding these cars are still under wraps, but one thing’s for sure: The Subaru brand is headed in a

very exciting direction and the guiding hand is the concept of Confidence in Motion. Here’s a sneak peek at this fantastic foursome...

always looking forward

The production version of the much-anticipated Subaru BRZ sports

coupe finally saw the light of day at the Tokyo Motor Show on

November 30. This sports coupe packs a visual punch that is matched

by its mechanical underpinnings, a next-generation version of the

2.0-litre, 4-cylinder SUBARU BOXER.

The other big news: The Subaru BRZ uses a front engine/rear drive

configuration — the classic sports car layout — with the engine set

lower and slightly towards the back of the car to create an ultra-low

centre of gravity and razor-sharp handling.

Subaru brz:

Subaru hOrizOn COnCepT:The theme of this year’s Design Challenge at the LA Auto Show was

“Hollywood’s Hottest New Movie Car.” In response, the designers

at Subaru devised a film concept called “Divided,” which deals with

a futuristic Earth that has stopped rotating, rendering half the

planet uninhabitable.

When a band of heroes must journey there to recover a dwindling

energy source, their only hope is the Subaru HORIZON, a vehicle

developed to withstand strong electromagnetic fields, chemical

imbalances, scorching heat and raging storms. While the Subaru

HORIZON is certainly an exciting concept, its chances of reaching

the production stage are very slim — we hope.

The Subaru Advanced Tourer Concept is a new-generation sports

wagon intended to provide utility, superlative performance and visual

excitement. This concept car, which was unveiled for the first time at

the Tokyo Motor Show, features a 1.6-litre, turbocharged SUBARU

BOXER engine with direct fuel injection linked to Subaru symmetrical

full-time AWD and an advanced hybrid system.

Perhaps equally as intriguing is the all-glass roof, revolutionary

EyeSight camera-based driving assist system, and full-scale monitor

built into the steering wheel to access maps, television and

Internet services.

Subaru aDVanCeD TOurer COnCepT:

A truly dynamic compact crossover aimed at the European market,

the Subaru XV debuted in production form at the Frankfurt Motor

Show this past September. Blending authentic functionality with urban

design, this vehicle exhibits an electrifying look that is guaranteed to

turn heads.

Under the skin, the Subaru XV features some familiar technology — the

smooth and responsive SUBARU BOXER engine, the legendary Subaru

symmetrical full-time AWD system, and the super-efficient Lineartronic®

Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT).

Subaru XV:

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Subaru BRZ (STI concept shown)

Subaru XV (European production version shown)

Subaru Advanced Tourer Concept (Concept model shown)

Subaru Horizon Concept (LA Auto Show Design Challenge: “Hollywood’s Hottest New Movie Car” Concept)

neWsOver the past two decades, Subaru has made

an indelible mark on the Canadian Rally

Championship, winning no fewer than 10 titles.

The streak began with driver Tom McGeer

and co-driver (and future wife) Trish Sparrow

winning for Subaru Rally Team Canada in 1992

and repeating as champions the following year.

McGeer captured the title again in 2000 and

2001 with a different co-driver, Mark Williams,

and then won again in 2003 alongside navigator

Philip Erickson.

In 2002, another Subaru Rally Team Canada

duo, driver Patrick Richard and co-driver Ian

McCurdy, captured top honours. Richard

repeated the feat in 2004 with his sister, Natalie,

in the navigator’s seat. In 2008, Richard won

his third title for Subaru, this time alongside

co-driver Alan Ockwell. This same pairing

repeated as champions in 2009 and then helped

Subaru claim the manufacturer’s title last season.

This season, Richard began the campaign

alongside yet another new co-driver, Leanne

Junnila. In their first rally together, despite

suffering a broken wheel while running less

than a minute off the lead, the duo managed

a fourth-place finish. Richard and Junnila then

combined for a pair of runner-up finishes.

Ockwell returned to partner Richard for the

Pacific Forest Rally and the duo powered to a

dominant win. Now, with one round remaining

this season (at time of printing) — the Rally of the

Tall Pines, to be held the weekend of November

25-26 in Bancroft, Ontario — Subaru is still in the

hunt for the manufacturer’s title, so this should

make for an exciting finish.

As a presenting sponsor of the Canadian Rally

Championship for the past four years, Subaru

Canada has also played a key role in the sport

overall, helping to bring incredible rally action

to the fans across Canada.

subaru in The canadian rally championship: 20 years, 10 TiTles

subaru and Targa newfoundland: Turning 10, raising money

www.carsrally.ca

Since 1996, we have also supported privateer

teams through the Subaru contingency program.

This program provides performance-based cash

awards to any teams running Subaru equipment.

The success of the program is clear to see:

The competitor list at each rally is filled with

Subaru vehicles and, in the past year alone,

over $60,000 was awarded to these teams.

For information on the Canadian Rally

Championship, the Subaru contingency

program and how to get more involved in

this thrilling form of motorsport, visit :

Last year, two Subaru dealers, Davenport

Subaru (Orillia, Ontario) and Capital Subaru

(St. John’s, Newfoundland), competed in Targa

Newfoundland and teamed up to raise a total of

$36,000 for a great cause.

This year, the two dealerships came back

for more fundraising rally action as the event

celebrated its 10th anniversary. Running

under the banner “Rally for the Kids,” the

duo expanded their efforts by creating a

Facebook fan page with the Capital Auto Group

committing $1 for every Like the page received.

But this joint effort is not just about raising

money for a great cause, it’s also a “friendly”

competition. Last year, the Davenport Subaru

team of Mike Davenport and Shawn Monette

had the upper hand in finishing fourth in the

modern class, while rivals Jon Howard and Paul

Dyer of Capital Subaru came home in 11th place.

This year, the Davenport Subaru duo finished

sixth in class while the Capital Subaru pair

finished 22nd in the Modern division, with the

latter being beaten to top spot by yet another

Subaru. Even better, the friendly rivals managed

to raise a significant amount of money once

again; to date for 2011, Davenport Subaru has

generated over $35,000 (including $10,000 from

other Ontario Subaru dealers) for Orillia Soldiers’

Memorial Hospital, while Capital Subaru secured

over $15,000 for Big Brothers Big Sisters

Eastern Newfoundland.

A third Subaru team involved in the Rally

for the Kids effort, Team Kijiji with competitors

Cody Morch and Chris Harris of Toronto, raised

a further $10,000 for the Hospital for Sick

Children. This puts the grand total for all teams

at over $60,000 — a fantastic result.

Beginning and ending in St. John’s, Targa

Newfoundland is a point-to-point tarmac rally

that runs on closed roads in small communities

throughout the eastern and central parts of

the province.

The event comprises close to 2,200 km of

driving over five consecutive days, of which

some 500 km are timed special stages with

teams starting at 30-second intervals.

For more information on this unique rally

or to find out how to get involved, visit:

www.targanewfoundland.com

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Children like Jordan are the reason why

Ronald McDonald House Toronto is such

an important part of the community.

When he was just 18 months old, Jordan

was diagnosed with leukemia and the

family doctor in Lively, Ontario, ordered

an immediate trip to the Hospital for Sick

Children in Toronto.

This was going to be no quick fix; this

was a life-or-death battle for Jordan — and

a heart-wrenching struggle for his parents.

They didn’t know how long the treatment

program would take, where they would

stay and who to turn to for support. “This

was a time that we needed to be together

as a family,” recalled Jordan’s mother,

Shannon. “Our family needed a place to stay.

I remember walking through the doors at

Ronald McDonald House Toronto, exhausted.

I burst into tears and a kind voice said, ‘This

will be your home for as long as you need it.’”

The need lasted for 257 days. As Jordan

was undergoing treatment, his family stayed

in the Subaru Rally Room, a room in the

House decorated with rally paraphernalia,

and it became a real “home away from

home.“ Together, the family celebrated

Christmas, the arrival of baby brother Zachary

and the release of Jordan from the hospital.

The family also had the use of a 2010 Subaru

Outback to pick up groceries, run other

errands and plan little excursions.

“The House provided a community of

support and care during an unbelievably

difficult time,” says Shannon. “I cannot

imagine for a moment what we would have

done without the House. We are incredibly

grateful to Ronald McDonald House Toronto

and all of its generous supporters. It holds a

special place in our hearts — our safe haven.”

Jordan’s cancer is now in remission; he is

with his family back home in Lively, earning

top marks in school, fine-tuning his piano

skills and enjoying hockey games with his

brother. When he returns to Toronto for the

occasional check-up, Jordan visits the House

just to say ‘hi’ to his friends.

A new Ronald McDonald House

in Toronto opened on November 18,

offering more comfort to families in

need than ever before. The new facility

features 96 bedrooms (for 81 families), a

business centre, a library, a fitness centre,

an outdoor play area, a healing garden,

the Child Life program, Expressive Arts

program, Play program and space for the

accredited private school (The Ronald

McDonald House Toronto School).

With the capacity to provide 30,000

nights of family comfort each year, this

new structure is the largest Ronald

McDonald House in the world. Not only

does the House provide more room for

more families, it also offers a more serene

environment as well. Subaru Canada

is pleased to once again sponsor a

designated room in the new House as part

of our ongoing support, in hopes that the

Subaru Canada Room will provide great

comfort for families in need for many

years to come.

Designed by award-winning

architectural firm Montgomery Sisam,

the House is expected to achieve the

LEED Gold Certification standard for

environmentally efficient design.

The new Ronald McDonald House

Toronto has a project cost of $33 million

dollars, of which some $32.5 million has

been raised to date. Those interested in

contributing to this fantastic cause can

find more information at:

subaru canada sponsors a safe haven

Jordan (right) and his brother Zachary in Lively, Ontario.

a bigger, beTTer ronald mcdonald house ToronTo

www.rmhtoronto.org

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shining sTars:subaru dealers ThaT go above and beyondFrom sea to shining sea, Subaru dealers

have built a rock-solid reputation for offering

a superior customer service experience.

But even though there’s an extremely high

standard being set across Canada, some

dealers are still going the extra mile.

There’s a special initiative making the

rounds of the dealer network and it’s called

“Subaru Signature.” This initiative awards

dealers with special status if they meet very

stringent criteria for customer convenience,

environmental sustainability and superior

architectural design that reflect the high

standards inherent in Subaru vehicles.

On the surface, a Subaru Signature store

features unique signage; dig a little deeper

and you’ll uncover a truly unique customer

experience. Four dealers have recently

attained Subaru Signature status; here’s

some insight on how they’re making a

big impact.

Subaru of Kingston recently opened its

doors with the goal of providing a higher

level of customer service to Subaru drivers

in the Greater Kingston Area. The dealership

offers service loaners and a free shuttle to

help customers get to and from work.

As many of the customers come from

relatively far away in cottage country, the

showroom has been designed to make

service visits as enjoyable as possible. The

dealership is pet-friendly and features a

lounge area with free wireless Internet, a

flat-screen TV and a fireplace.

The dealership is also focused on the

environment and the community; the facility

uses Energy Star appliances exclusively to

maximize efficiency and they recently became

a crystal sponsor of the Crystal Ball, a

local event in support of the Limestone

Learning Foundation.

More than anything, though, this Subaru

Signature store is focused on the personal

aspect of the service experience; the

award-winning staff has over 15 years’

combined Subaru experience.

On June 11, 2011, a brand new facility

opened in St. John’s, Newfoundland: the

revamped Capital Subaru. The 30,000-square

foot facility is outfitted with the very latest in

green thinking, including geothermal heating,

an artesian well to supply water, water- and

compressed air-powered hydraulic ramps,

and a drive-through wash bay that recycles

100% of the water used.

What’s more, the dealership was built

facing east to take advantage of the morning

sun and features a completely glass frontal

area from floor to ceiling. A sensor-activated

lighting system has also been installed

throughout the facility to ensure there’s no

waste of electrical energy.

The Capital Subaru customer will also no

doubt be impressed with the complimentary,

fresh baked goods that are delivered by

a local bakery every morning, the wide

selection of free beverages and the

1,100-square foot fitness centre.

Conveniently located on the Langley

By-Pass, which has become home to

numerous automotive dealerships, Wolfe

Subaru has opened a completely rebuilt

facility this year. Larger, more modern and

in full compliance with the Subaru Signature

image guidelines — the first such store in the

Lower Mainland area of BC — this dealership

now boasts an indoor delivery area to

ensure new customers drive off the lot with

perfectly detailed vehicles regardless of

the weather outside.

Meanwhile, in Québec, Vachon Subaru has

moved from their old facility in Ste. Marie-de-

Beauce to a new Subaru Signature store in St.

Georges-de-Beauce, some 40 minutes away.

Whereas the old location was a dual-brand

dealership shared with another manufacturer,

the new site contains only Subaru vehicles

and allows the dealer to serve a much

larger market.

A first-rate customer experience is what

these Subaru dealers are striving for with

these facility upgrades. And we are more than

confident they will deliver that and more.

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CapiTal Subaru Subaru OF KingSTOn

WOlFe Subaru VaChOn Subaru

Running from May 20 to October 10, 2011,

“Japan: Tradition. Innovation.” was a vibrant

showcase of Japanese culture staged at the

Canadian Museum of Civilization (CMC) in

Gatineau, Québec, just outside our nation’s

Capital. The museum is Canada’s largest and

most-visited cultural institution, welcoming

over 1.3 million visitors per year. The CMC

and its sister institution, the Canadian War

Museum, are key centres for the collection,

research and public information on the social,

military, human and political history

of Canada.

The museum regularly creates and presents

exhibitions about world civilizations. This

particular exhibit came about after close

collaboration between the CMC and the

National Museum of Japanese History in

Sakura, Japan. The devastating earthquake

and tsunami experienced by Japan on March

11, 2011, threatened to impact the show,

but representatives from both organizations

agreed that going forward as planned sent a

strong message.

“We are confident that, with the warm

encouragement from the world, Japan will

soon stand strong again,” said the Ambassador

of Japan to Canada, His Excellency Kaoru

Ishikawa, at the opening of the exhibit.

“We believe that the innovative spirit of our

citizens is a crucial resource for our rebuilding

and this exhibition will showcase Japan’s

creativity in action.”

“Japan: Tradition. Innovation.” focused

on five themes — travel, robotics, status,

consumer culture and entertainment — to

explore how the parallels and distinctions

between the traditional and the modern

periods play out in the lives of individuals.

During this particularly dark period in their

country’s history, the resilience and enduring

spirit of creativity of the Japanese people

are needed to help Japan rebuild. In this

respect, the timing of the exhibit — which had

been in the planning stages for years — was

unintentionally appropriate.

As a company with innovation and

Japanese identity built into its DNA, Subaru

Canada, Inc. was especially proud to be the

presenting sponsor of “Japan; Tradition.

Innovation.” The exhibit represented an

important way for Canadians to show their

support for friends, family and colleagues

in Japan.

To visit the virtual version of this fascinating

exhibit, check out their website below.

subaru sponsors viTal Japanese culTural exhibiT

12 | www.civilization.ca/japan

Subaru 360

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Congratulations, graduates!Your years of hard work have finally paid off — not only do you have a

degree in your hands, you also qualify for the Subaru Canada Graduate Rebate Program! Nearly 4% of new Subaru vehicles sold last year in Canada

are now in the hands of new graduates ready and equipped to embark on the next exciting phase of their life. This year it can be you! The Subaru Graduate

Rebate program offers a $750 cash rebate to all qualified college and university graduates† who purchase a new Subaru vehicle. You deserve a reward — and a great

car — so take advantage of this great offer today!

† Eligible participants must be within four months of graduation, or have graduated in the current year or previous two calendar years from a recognized university undergraduate degree program or two-year college program (48 weeks minimum). Rebate is applicable to new, unregistered vehicles only. Lifetime limit of one graduate rebate per qualified buyer. Vehicle must be registered in the graduate’s name. Graduate rebate is over and above most consumer retail offers available from Subaru Canada, Inc., but cannot be combined with any other rebate or employee discount. Offer is non-transferable.

For the 11th year in a row, the Toronto Subaru

Club (TSC) staged their Hyper Meet at Subaru

Canada headquarters in Mississauga, Ontario.

This annual event is one of the largest Subaru

get-togethers in the country and the 2011

edition, held on August 28, was the biggest

and best ever.

The event featured close to 500 cars — most

of them bearing the six star logo — and

approximately 700 people who came from

as far away as Buffalo, Kingston, London,

Montreal and Ottawa. The Hyper Meet

attendees are a diverse group with varied

interests from all walks of life, but they

share a common trait: They all have an

appreciation for Subaru vehicles and a love

for the open road.

In addition to club members gathering

to share their interest in Subaru vehicles,

they were also there to compete for trophies

and prizes in a wildly popular Show and

Shine. Some 200 cars in 25-odd categories

competed for top honours and there were

countless brilliant examples of Subaru

machinery on display.

The event also serves another great

purpose: to raise money for the Ronald

McDonald House Toronto. This year, the TSC

was able to secure $6,000 — almost double

the amount from last year — which was then

matched dollar-for-dollar by Subaru Canada.

“It was a humbling experience watching all

of the Subaru enthusiasts join us at this year’s

Hyper Meet,” said Derek Serianni, TSC Club

President. “The attendance exceeded last

year’s numbers and I had a goal in mind of

raising $5,000 for the Ronald McDonald

House Toronto... I was so pleased that we

exceeded it.”

For more information on the Toronto

Subaru Club and the Hyper Meet, you

can visit the club forum page below. There’s

plenty of time to plan to attend the 2012

Hyper Meet — and to help the club break all

the records it set this year.

ToronTo subaru club: hyper meeT 2011

www.toronto-subaru-club.com

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subaru ironman canada

$750 cash back rebaTe

14 |

The 29th Annual Subaru Ironman Canada took

place on August 28 in Penticton, BC, and as

usual, the event produced some incredible

drama. First of all, the race featured the

largest starting field ever — an astonishing

2,841 competitors. Every single participant

had a story to tell, but the spotlight was on

three racers in particular: Mary Beth Ellis,

Jordan Rapp and David Lee.

Ellis shattered the course record for female

athletes, winning her division in a time of

9:03:13, over 30 minutes ahead of her closest

In appreciation of those who participate in our sponsorships, we are offering a $750 cash back rebate* on the purchase or lease of a new Subaru vehicle.

Subaru Canada is committed to promoting healthy, active lifestyles for Canadians through all of our sponsorships.

rebaTe* available To:• Golf Fore the Cure participants• Subaru Ironman Canada, Subaru Ironman Muskoka 70.3 and all Subaru title-sponsored Triathlon Series or Subaru Running Series participants• Canadian Ski Instructors’ Alliance (CSIA) members• Canadian Association of Rallysport (CARS) members

*Valid on the purchase or lease of any new Subaru vehicle acquired from any Canadian Subaru dealer. Only one rebate

per customer and cannot be combined with any other offer. Visit subaru.ca > buying tools > current promotions > rebates

for eligibility and full program details.

give someThing new a “Tri”

For those who have never tried a triathlon,

it can seem like an insurmountable

challenge. But the truth is, there are

plenty of ways to ease your way into the

sport — you don’t have to sign up for the

Subaru Ironman Canada right away.

For the inexperienced, a triathlon is a

multi-sport event consisting of a swim,

a bicycle ride and a run. Beginners can

get their feet wet, so to speak, with a

Try-a-Tri — a 300-m swim, 10-km

bike and 2-km run. From there, you

can progress on to the Sprint category

(750 m / 20 km / 5 km), the Olympic or

Standard distance (1.5 km / 40 km /

10 km), the 70.3 (1.9 km / 90 km / 21.1 km)

and, finally, the aforementioned Ironman

(3.8 km / 180 km / 42.2 km).

Getting started is simple from an

equipment standpoint; all you need is a

pair of running shoes, a bicycle, a helmet, a

swimsuit and a set of goggles. If the water’s

cold, you might want to pack a wetsuit as

well. Other than that, you just need a fair

amount of grit and determination.

The beautiful thing about triathlons of

any distance is that you’re in competition

with yourself. You can set targets for

an overall finishing time or focus on

improving performance in one of three

disciplines. For an athlete from the

world of running, swimming or cycling,

a triathlon also represents a great way to

bring variety to your training regimen.

The triathlon community is also a

tight-knit and supportive group. Read

on to learn more about our Subaru

Triathlon Series and find out how you

can get involved.

TOp FiVe men1. Jordan Rapp, CAN/USA 8:28:09

2. Torsten Abel, Germany 8:41:09

3. Bert Jammaer, Belgium 8:42:34

4. Christopher Bagg, USA 8:47:25

5. Jasper Blake, CAN 8:50:30

TOp FiVe WOmen1. Mary Beth Ellis, USA 9:03:13

2. Kim Loeffler, USA 9:34:54

3. Meredith Kessler, USA 9:37:22

4. Sara Gross, CAN 9:46:56

5. Fiona Whitby, CAN 10:13:28

3.8 km 180 km 42.2 km

pursuer. Penticton resident Rapp overcame

a devastating injury in last year’s Subaru

Ironman Canada to win the men’s division,

claiming his second title in three years.

Neither last nor least, Lee became the

first paraplegic athlete to complete the

Subaru Ironman Canada, racing across the

line in his wheelchair in a time of 12:48:43.

The determined American, paralyzed in a

motorcycle accident in 1990, competed in

the Paralympic Games in Beijing in 2008 and

had attempted the Penticton race previously.

www.ironman.ca

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subaru TriaThlon series

giving ski insTrucTors The edge

golf fore The cure

At Subaru Canada, we are proud to sponsor

triathlon and running series events because

they offer competitors of all ages and skill

levels a chance to compete. From kids' fun

runs to introductory triathlons, elite triathlons

and running series races, these events are

great fun, a great way to stay in shape and a

fantastic way to celebrate the great outdoors.

They are also an excellent way to raise

awareness and gain support for a good cause.

An example of this is the Subaru of

Hamilton Niagara Running Series, which

takes place in the beautiful Niagara region

of Ontario's Golden Horseshoe, attracts

competitive and casual runners, and is

inexpensive and accessible to all. For more

information on the Subaru of Hamilton

Niagara Running Series, please visit

www.instride.ca.

For the fifth year in a row, Subaru Canada, Inc.

was a proud sponsor of Golf Fore the Cure,

an event designed to raise awareness of

breast cancer and generate support in the

fight against this terrible disease.

Golf Fore the Cure was created by Golf

Canada — a member-based organization

governed by the Royal Canadian Golf

Association (RCGA) — to drive women’s

participation in the game of golf through

fun activities.

A unique partnership structure with the

Canadian Cancer Society and the Quebec

Breast Cancer Foundation sees women across

the country participating in golf activities

in support of the battle to find a cure. This

program has raised over $3.8 million since

Another sponsorship initiative sees Subaru Canada, Inc. support the Canadian Ski Instructors’

Alliance (CSIA). This organization trains and certifies Canadian ski instructors through a

four-tiered certification program; the ultimate goal is to develop the highest quality of

instructors for snow schools across the country.

its inception in 2004 and has enjoyed the

support of more than 80,000 participants.

“Having always been a proponent of

health and fitness, I am very grateful to be

a part of the Golf Canada’s Team Golf Fore

the Cure,” said program ambassador and TV

personality Trish Stratus. “I am truly inspired

by the dedicated women who organize and

participate in these events [and] who have

helped raise money in support of the fight

against breast cancer!”

For more information on how to get

involved in an incredible sport and a very

worthy cause, we invite you to visit:

www.rcgagolfforethecure.ca

www.snowpro.com

This collection of events makes Subaru Canada the largest single sponsor of triathlons in the country — a fact that makes us very proud.

Visit any one of our series sites to find more info and learn how to get involved:

www.instride.cawww.trisportcanada.com www.trinb.cawww.triseries.ca www.ironmanmuskoka.comwww.ironman.ca

This series also has a key charitable

component; the causes that enjoyed support

include the Arthritis Society, Heart and Stroke

Foundation, Lean on Me, McNally House, Red

Roof Retreat, West Lincoln Memorial Hospital

Foundation and Wounded Warriors.

The Subaru Ironman Muskoka 70.3 is also a

force when it comes to fundraising. The Sick

Kids Foundation, the fundraising organization

for The Hospital for Sick Children, is the

Official Charity of the event. The foundation

believes that improving the health and

well-being of children is one of the most

powerful ways to improve society.

Once again, they have set up an exclusive

Subaru Ironman 70.3 Muskoka online

fundraising website. Here, athletes can create

a personalized donation page to appeal for

support with top fundraisers receiving rewards

for their efforts. For more information, please

visit www.ironmanmuskoka.com.

In other news, another charitable cause

made waves at the Subaru Triathlon in Milton,

Ontario, this past June. Headstrong is a

program designed to boost awareness around

brain injuries. This program was founded by

Ben Fanelli, a hockey player with the Kitchener

Rangers who suffered a fractured skull in an

Ontario Hockey League game in October

2009 and hasn’t played since.

To raise money for Headstrong and

the Brain Injury Association of Canada,

Fanelli competed in the Subaru Triathlon,

completing the 750-metre swim, 30-kilometre

bike ride and 7.5-kilometre run. Fanelli was

sponsored by Subaru Canada and Gemini

Motors of Kitchener, Ontario; he raised a total

of $16,000 for this great cause.

16 |

neWs

As part of our continuing commitment to

offer customers the features they need — both

inside and outside their cars — Subaru has

recently introduced changes to the online

user experience. These changes are designed

to keep pace with the latest technology and

give customers access to key information

when and where they need it.

First, our website at subaru.ca has

been redesigned to deliver the best

possible browsing experience across all

platforms — desktop, tablet and smartphone.

This past July, a new version of the site

for mobile devices was released; it now

provides bigger buttons, easier navigation

and improved location-based services to help

you locate dealers and used vehicles based

on your current location. For those with tablet

devices, we have reduced the site’s reliance

on Flash® animation and have incorporated

gesture support — users can now swipe and

click to view photos and information related

to the full line of Subaru vehicles.

Next: QR codes. Over two years ago,

Subaru became one of the very first

manufacturers to introduce this innovation

on various consumer communications.

At the time, a small percentage of customers

used the codes for quick and easy access

to a wide range of information — now,

subaru online:maximum mobiliTy, compleTe connecTiviTy

subaru gear is here!view our compleTe line of merchandise aT subaru.ca

they’re everywhere.

We will continue to provide QR codes on

vehicle window stickers and other marketing

materials so that customers can save the

bookmarks to their mobile devices for quick

and convenient future access. Look for an

exciting, new QR code innovation from

Subaru at the next Canadian International

Auto Show in Toronto this February.

We know that Subaru drivers are a

tech-savvy, on-the-move group. That’s

why we will continue to explore new

technologies to deliver the superior online

experience our customers expect.

www.subaru.ca

2012 subaru impreza:The besT JusT goT beTTerThere are plenty of compact cars out there

to choose from these days and a number of

them represent reasonably smart choices.

They offer some great qualities at an

affordable price, such as strong fuel efficiency

and a healthy list of standard features. But as

with any segment of the car industry, some

competitors rise above the rest — and the

2012 Subaru Impreza is a prime example.

While the Impreza has been a crowd

favourite and a class-leader since it first

arrived on the scene close to 20 years

ago, the all-new fourth-generation version

promises to put even more distance between

itself and its so-called competitors — and

exceed all expectations in this segment.

Let’s start with the blatantly obvious: The

Impreza is, arguably, the most fun-to-drive

compact car on the road today. It’s the only

car in its class with standard all-wheel drive,

yet it still offers comparable fuel efficiency

to two-wheel-drive rivals. To differentiate the

Impreza even more, it’s also the only compact

car equipped with Subaru symmetrical

full-time AWD — something that is very far

removed from your average AWD system.

The inherent qualities of the system

combine to make all the difference in the

world. All the key components are positioned

very low in the car, which sets the stage for

| 17

Impreza

18 |

Impreza

very precise cornering characteristics.

The Impreza also features the advanced

ring-shaped reinforcement frame, a

super-strong platform that allows the fully

independent, long-travel suspension system

to maximize performance. In particular, the

double-wishbone rear suspension has been

tuned to provide superior driving dynamics

combined with a smooth, quiet ride.

When the Impreza hits the open road,

these collaborative elements allow it to soak

up all the imperfections in its path, while

keeping the tires in contact with the surface

of the road at all times. This, in turn, allows

the all-wheel-drive system to do its best work,

delivering immediate, responsive power to all

four corners, generating more control, more

confidence and more fun in the process.

There are two different versions of Subaru

symmetrical full-time AWD available on the

all-new Impreza. Those models equipped

with the 5-speed manual transmission

feature a viscous-coupling limited-slip centre

differential that balances power equally

(50/50) front to back.

The Impreza is also available with

Subaru’s second-generation Lineartronic®

Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT),

which employs an electronically controlled

Multi-plate Transfer Clutch system (MPT). This

system maintains a 60/40 front/rear torque

split under constant driving conditions and

actively manages the balance, up to

a 50/50 split, based on the traction

available and whether the car is accelerating.

There’s more excitement surrounding the

When the Lineartronic® Continuously

Variable Transmission (CVT) first appeared

in the 2010 Subaru Legacy and Subaru

Outback, it earned rave reviews for its

smooth power delivery and remarkable

efficiency. Now, the second-generation

Lineartronic CVT is available on the all-new

2012 Subaru Impreza — and it’s quieter,

lighter and more compact than ever.

Unlike many other CVTs on the market,

the Lineartronic employs a chain drive

instead of the more common belt drive.

This allows for the use of smaller pulleys,

resulting in a lighter and more compact

transmission design and wider gear ratio

coverage overall. This increase in efficiency,

combined with the near-infinite selection

of gear ratios, ensures the SUBARU BOXER

engine is always in the most favourable

rpm range at all times and the shift delay

found in traditional automatic transmissions

is eliminated.

The design of the Lineartronic CVT gives

the Impreza incredible responsiveness,

ultra-smooth power delivery, lower emissions

and remarkable fuel efficiency — so

remarkable, in fact, that the car can travel

up to 1,000 km† on a single tank of fuel.

Combined with the more efficient SUBARU

BOXER engine, the new CVT in the 2012

Subaru Impreza achieves a 30% reduction in

fuel consumption over last year’s model.

linearTronic® cvT: one smooTh operaTor

Impreza

2012 Subaru Impreza — and much of that

excitement is under the hood where you’ll

find the all-new, 2.0-litre DOHC SUBARU

BOXER engine. This powerplant incorporates

the Dual Active Valve Control System to

vary the timing of both the intake and

exhaust valves to optimize performance, fuel

efficiency and emissions. The Impreza also

features a more efficient exhaust system that

heats up the catalytic converter quicker

after start-up, thereby reducing emissions

even further.

Compared to the previous version, a

2.5-litre SOHC SUBARU BOXER, the new

engine is more responsive thanks to its

lighter weight, and runs smoother thanks

to reduced friction. The 2.0-litre SUBARU

BOXER produces 148 horsepower,

145 lb-ft of torque and an astonishing

30% increase in fuel efficiency compared to

the 2.5-litre engine.

With estimated fuel economy of

7.5 L/100 km in the city and 5.5 L/100 km on

the highway, the new Subaru Impreza equipped

“Beneath the hood of the 2012 Subaru Impreza sits an all-new 2.0-litre boxer four that not only feels more responsive than the 2.5-litre unit it replaces, but also delivers superior fuel economy.” – RoadandTrack.com, Oct. 2011

† It is possible to travel up to 1,000 km on one tank of fuel based on manufacturer estimated fuel economy of 5.5L/100 km (highway) for a 2012 Subaru Impreza equipped with continuously variable automatic transmission and a 55L fuel tank capacity. Actual fuel consumption will vary based on driving conditions, driver habits and vehicle load. * Comparison based upon Natural Resources Canada estimated highway fuel economy for all 2011 AWD vehicles. Actual mileage may vary.

“One of the main contributors to the fun is Subaru's aforementioned new boxer engine.” – Motor Trend

| 19

20 |

Impreza

This 4.3-inch colour multi-function monitor shows the time, temperature, safety and maintenance announcements, and personal anniversary reminders. The display also features an advanced environmental efficiency display to track fuel efficiency or compare the efficiency of different trips.

Plug your iPod® or other mobile music device into the standard auxiliary audio input jack or available MediaHub with USB port and Bluetooth® streaming audio to dial up the fun-to-drive ratio even further.

mediahub4.3-inch mulTi-funcTion display

This AM/FM/CD/MP3/WMA system offers iPod®/USB audio integration with text display, auxiliary audio input and steering wheel-integrated audio controls, letting you pump up the volume and share your music with the world. The system also plays DivX® files and DVD discs, turning your car into a drive-in theatre in a snap.

pioneer® display audio sysTem

Safe, hands-free calls are a breeze with advanced technologies that enable you to access your Bluetooth-enabled mobile phone. All of our systems can be paired with multiple phones, store multiple numbers and function in English or French. Select models include voice-activation and steering wheel controls for even more convenience.

blueTooTh hands-free sysTems

with the Lineartronic CVT promises to be the

most efficient gasoline-powered all-wheel-drive

passenger car in North America.*

This improvement has come about not

just due to gains in engine and transmission

performance, but also from more efficient

power steering and braking systems, as well

as a revised tire design. The net effect:

The Impreza equipped with the CVT can

now travel 1,000 km† on a single tank of

fuel — even though the fuel tank size has

been reduced from 64 to 55 litres!

Of course, there are other reasons for

the average Subaru fan to be excited about

this dynamic new car, starting with the

sportier exterior design. Building on the

design language introduced with the Subaru

Legacy, the new Impreza cuts a bold swath

with its new hexagonal front grille, hawk-eye

headlights and powerful wheel arches. A

brand new selection of 15-, 16- or 17-inch

wheels is available to enhance the car’s

sporty image.

Both the 4-and 5-door versions of the

Impreza also feature an enlarged glass

area and 20% larger side mirrors for better

visibility, a more raked windshield, larger

rear doors, doors that open wider for easier

access, and a longer wheelbase to create

more interior space. This space has definitely

been put to good use: Although the car’s

length and width remain the same as with the

previous version, there’s more wiggle room

for all passengers.

The new, scalloped-style front seat

backrests have contributed as well, giving

Not all selected features are standard on all models.

20 |

rear-seat passengers nearly 50 mm of

additional legroom, while redesigned

door panels have helped boost hip- and

shoulder-room for all passengers. The smart

packaging continues in the cargo area; the

useable space for both the 4- and the 5-door

has increased, and the 60/40-split rear seats

on the 4-door create a flatter load floor when

folded down.

Not only does the new Impreza feature

a more versatile cabin design than ever, it

also boasts a serious upgrade in terms of

interior refinement. There’s a wealth of richer-

looking appointments and details, including

new soft-touch materials incorporated into

the dashboard, doors and centre console

armrest. The front seats feature a new

design — with increased lumbar support and

improved seat cushions — that is much better

suited to long-distance road trips.

In other news, the Impreza line now comes

with more standard features. The entry level

model, the Impreza 2.0i, delivers power

windows, cruise control, a tilt/telescopic

steering wheel, variable intermittent

windshield wipers, air conditioning, a remote

MAIN BENEFITS:

• Better performance

• Significantly improved fuel economy

• More comfort and interior space

• Increased functionality

• Upgraded interior refinement

• Enhanced connectivity and multimedia entertainment options

Impreza

“If you’re a fussbudget about all the left-brain stuff – crash test scores, resale values, durability and reliability – you’d be nuts not to shop at a Subaru store.“– Jeremy Cato, Globe and Mail

| 21

22 |

Imprezakeyless entry system, a security system

with engine immobilizer, the 60/40-split

flat-folding rear seats, an outside temperature

gauge, a multi-function display with fuel

economy readout, and heated, body-colour

power side mirrors.

These standard features are just the start,

though; the new Impreza lineup also offers a

whole host of options, as well as three distinct

upgrade packages: the 2.0i Touring Package,

the Sport Package and the Limited Package.

With available features such as Bluetooth®

connectivity, leather seating, heated front

seats, Pioneer® audio system, SIRIUS®

Satellite Radio and more, these packages

are sure to meet with approval from the

discerning car shopper.

While there are a number of compact

cars on the market, none offer the

unique characteristics of the 2012 Subaru

Impreza — or, arguably, such incredible value

for the dollar. With its bold styling, serious

performance attributes, all-road/all-weather

capabilities and sky-high fun-to-drive factor,

the new Impreza will definitely appeal to

the driving enthusiast. The more pragmatic

driver will also appreciate its high level of

refinement, stellar reputation for safety and

dynamite fuel efficiency — all at a competitive

price, starting at $19,995. (That's $1,000

lower than last year!)

SElECTEd FEATuRES:

• Horizontally opposed, 4-cylinder, 2.0L SUBARU BOXER engine

• 148 horsepower and 145 lb-ft of torque

• 5-speed Manual Transmission (5MT) with Hill Holder system or optional Lineartronic® CVT (Continuously Variable Transmission)

• Subaru symmetrical full-time All-Wheel Drive

• 60/40-split, flat-folding rear seats

• MediaHub for iPod®/USB audio integration with Bluetooth® streaming audio

• Voice-activated Bluetooth hands-free system with steering wheel-integrated controls

• Dual-zone automatic climate control

• Heated front seats

• Aerodynamic body-colour side ground effects and rear spoiler

• Power tilting and sliding glass sunroof

• Premium cloth or sporty leather trimmed upholstery

FOr mOre inFOrmaTiOn On The all-neW 2012 Subaru impreza ViSiT:

www.subaruimpreza.ca

2012 subaru wrx and subaru wrx sTi:The show-sToppers

If you happen to be a fan of sports cars, then you already know

all about the Subaru WRX and Subaru WRX STI. These two cars

represent the ultimate expression of the Subaru philosophy on

design and engineering. While they share componentry with all

members of the Subaru fleet — for example, the Subaru symmetrical

full-time AWD system, the rally-inspired independent suspension

system, the aerodynamically sculpted body and the SUBARU BOXER

engine — these components have been sharpened to extract

maximum performance.

As part of the project to fine-tune the latest-generation WRX STI,

the engineers returned to the site of their development efforts

over some 15 years — the legendary Nürburgring Nordschleife.

More than just a racetrack, this 20.8-km ribbon of tarmac in Germany

is also a punishing test bed that can highlight weaknesses in the

set-up of any car.

This is why the world’s top car manufacturers — including

Subaru — use the circuit to test their product before releasing it to

the general public. The thinking is this: If your vehicle can lap the

‘Ring quickly and safely, it can handle anything the average public

road can dish out — and more.

beST SpOrTy Car

| 23

Wrx anD Wrx stI

Although the Subaru WRX STI is certainly a

hard-core performer, it also has a decidedly

softer side. For example, the rally-inspired

sport seats may be ultra-supportive, but

they’re also covered in rich black Alcantara®

and black leather. Other standard creature

comforts on the WRX STI include Bluetooth®

hands-free connectivity and a MediaHub for

iPod® and USB audio integration.

Step up to the Sport-tech Package and

there are even more performance features on

tap, plus some inspired conveniences. The

Xenon HID headlights and multi-reflector fog

2012 subaru wrx sTi: creaTure meeTs comforT

Wrx stI

24 |

But the objective behind the most recent

development was not outright speed;

rather, it was to bring further refinements

to the steering and handling of the WRX

STI in order to boost driver confidence and

increase cornering capability.

Mission accomplished: Piloted by

four-time World Rally Champion Tommi

Mäkinen, the Subaru WRX STI set a new

lap record (7'55"00) — even though the top

speed of the car was unchanged from the

previous year’s model. The conclusion was

that the new car’s cornering capabilities

had improved so much, it made the

difference — understandable given the

Nordschleife has more than 160 corners,

many of them highly challenging in nature.

At the conclusion of the test, Mäkinen

provided his expert analysis: “Some places

are extremely bumpy and extremely fast

and still the handling was very, very good

and the behavior had a very accurate

lights bring an added measure of safety

to the driving experience. Meanwhile, the

power sunroof, automatic climate control,

and brand-new Pioneer® audio/navigation

system with smartphone integration◊,

Bluetooth streaming audio and Pioneer

premium speakers help make the drive all

the more enjoyable.

All of these features have been included

to give the Subaru WRX STI an extra

dimension. After all, being a performance

car fanatic shouldn’t mean having to

sacrifice on comfort or convenience.

◊ iPhone 4 compatibility.

| 25

feeling. [The STI] was very comfortable to

drive and gave a very safe feeling when

you go fast.”

When developing a sports car, some

goals are easy to achieve. If you want

more power, for example, all you need

to do is change the engine tuning, add a

turbocharger or supercharger, or change

the engine. But when it comes time to

develop the suspension, the steering and

the aerodynamics, obvious solutions go out

the window — there’s no replacement for

clear and dedicated effort.

This is the reason why the Subaru

WRX and WRX STI are such compelling

vehicles. They place equal emphasis on

performance and control, delivering sheer

driving pleasure — but not at the expense

of peace of mind, ultimate safety and driver

confidence. They also cost tens of thousands

of dollars less than cars producing similar lap

times at the Nürburgring.

So, yes, the WRX and WRX STI boast

potent versions of the 2.5-litre 4-cylinder

turbocharged SUBARU BOXER engine — but

that’s just part of the picture. Look deeper

into the spec sheet and you’ll see standard

Vehicle Dynamics Control, powerful ABS

brakes, the super-strong ring-shaped

reinforcement frame and, as we’ve learned

already, the superior control and confidence

that derives from Subaru symmetrical

full-time AWD and the sport-tuned

suspension system. In other words, where

these cars are concerned, the open road

produces big thrills, but the corners

produce even more.

2012 subaru wrx: going The exTra mile

If you’re like many Subaru WRX drivers,

you yearn for the open road and consider

the Sunday drive a privilege that must be

capitalized upon at every opportunity.

But perhaps you have other interests as

well — music, for example.

If this is the case, then you’ve come to

the right place because the 2012 Subaru

WRX offers a wealth of convenience

features to go with all that Sunday

driveability. Standard features include

heated, rally-style front seats, automatic

climate control, Bluetooth® connectivity,

and a MediaHub with Bluetooth streaming

audio for integrating music from your iPod

or USB into the audio system.

For even more desirable features,

check out the Limited Package — this adds

luxurious leather seating surfaces, fog lights

and SIRIUS® Satellite Radio with a free,

3-month trial subscription. The Subaru

WRX is proof that — despite popular

opinion — you can have your cake and

eat it, too.

Wrx


2012 subaru legacy: a differenT mode of mid-size Travel

26 |

Q: When is a mid-size sedan more than just

a mid-size sedan?

a: When it’s the 2012 Subaru Legacy.

Let’s face the facts: The mid-size sedan

segment is one of the most boring out

there, one small step away from the world of

minivans. The average mid-size sedan has the

word “compromise” written all over it — not

terribly exciting from a visual standpoint. The

typical entry offers mild performance, delivers

middling fuel efficiency and includes a series

of “okay” features. But the 2012 Subaru Legacy

is not your typical mid-size sedan — in fact, it’s

something far different.

First, let’s start with a few words on how the

latest Legacy continues the Subaru tradition for

engineering excellence. The Legacy is one of

very few mid-size sedans to include all-wheel

drive as standard equipment — and it’s not

just all-wheel drive, it’s Subaru symmetrical

full-time AWD. This vaunted system delivers

crisp handling, superior all-road/all-weather

traction and control, and a more enjoyable

beST miD-Size Car

Legacy

1

| 27

driving experience overall than the average

mid-size sedan.

Next: Your choice of potent and efficient

engines. Not just any engine, though — can

you see a theme developing? — but the

renowned SUBARU BOXER, noted for its

reliability, smoothness and refinement. In the

case of the Legacy, there are three options

available: a 2.5-litre 4-cylinder, 2.5-litre

4-cylinder turbo and a 3.6-litre 6-cylinder.

The non-turbo 4-cylinder is also available with

optional smog-fighting PZEV equipment for

greater eco-friendliness.

But the choices don’t stop there: There are

also three transmissions in the mix, a 6-speed

manual, a 5-speed electronic automatic

with manual mode and the Lineartronic®

Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT).

This latter transmission, in particular, is the

result of some meticulous engineering — it

helps the Legacy travel over 1,000 km† per

tank, delivering fuel efficiency equivalent to

comparable two-wheel-drive sedans.

In terms of safety, the 2012 Subaru Legacy

continues a tradition as a class leader. This

engaging sedan is loaded to the teeth with

the latest thinking in active and passive safety,

including standard Vehicle Dynamics Control,

ABS, Brake Assist, Electronic Brake-force

Distribution, the advanced ring-shaped

reinforcement frame, a full complement of

airbags, whiplash-reducing front seats and,

of course, Subaru symmetrical full-time AWD.

But that’s not all. When the fifth-generation

Legacy debuted, it also raised the bar in

terms of interior refinement, comfort and

convenience. An increased wheelbase

and a completely redesigned cabin led to

improvements in headroom, rear legroom,

† It is possible to travel up to 1,094 km on one tank of fuel based on estimated fuel consumption figure rating posted by Natural Resources Canada of 6.4L/100 km (highway) for a 2012 Subaru Legacy equipped with continuously variable automatic transmission and a 70L fuel tank capacity. Actual fuel consumption will vary based on driving conditions, driver habits and vehicle load.1 Ratings of “Good” are the highest rating awarded for 40-mph frontal offset, 31-mph side-impact and 20-mph rear-impact crash tests conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) (www.iihs.org). A “Good” rating obtained in all three crash tests plus a “Good” rating in new roof strength testing and the availability of Electronic Stability Control (ESC) (Vehicle Dynamics Control) achieves a 2011 Top Safety Pick.

SElECTEd FEATuRES:

• 2.5L naturally aspirated 4-cylinder, 2.5L turbocharged 4-cylinder or 3.6L naturally aspirated 6-cylinder SUBARU BOXER engines

• 6-speed manual, 5-speed automatic (with manual mode) or Lineartronic® Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT)


• 60/40-split flat-folding rear seats

• Voice-activated Bluetooth hands-free system with steering wheel-mounted controls

• Premium fabric or perforated leather seating surfaces

28 |

hip room and shoulder room. The seats were

redesigned to offer more back support and

superior comfort; they were also made larger

and taller to ensure more people find their

optimum seating position. Last but not least,

the seating surfaces feature higher-quality

materials, as do other elements of the cabin.

From a features standpoint, the Legacy is

fully stocked with a wide range of available

amenities such as heated front seats,

premium cloth or leather seating surfaces, a

10-way power driver’s seat, a MediaHub for

iPod® and USB stick integration, Bluetooth®

connectivity, Bluetooth® streaming audio,

SIRIUS® Satellite Radio and the list goes

on. New for 2012 is the available Pioneer®

In-Dash Audio/Video unit with navigation

system, six Pioneer premium speakers and

smartphone integration◊. This system comes

with a 6.1-inch touchscreen that can be

used to control your Bluetooth-enabled

phone, the navigation system and all kinds

of entertainment content. You can even

receive Facebook updates, Tweets and

international newsfeeds!

Setting aside all this — and it’s a lot to set

aside, wouldn’t you agree? — just take a look

at the 2012 Subaru Legacy. With its bold front

grille, piercing hawk-eye headlights, aggressive

fenders and dynamic silhouette, this is not

anything like your average mid-size sedan.

The assured design speaks to the performance

capabilities of the Legacy and sets it very far

apart from a very boring crowd.


Legacy


| 29

The 2012 subaru uTiliTy vehicles:rugged, refined, irreplaceableThe fact of the matter is, if you can win titles in the FIA World Rally

Championship — as Subaru did in 1995, 1996, 1997, 2001 and

2003 — then you know a thing or two about building vehicles

best-suited to withstanding a ton of punishment.

This learning was gathered over six of the world’s seven continents,

under conditions that ranged from 45 degrees Celsius below zero to

45 degrees Celsius above, and across all manner of surfaces including

tarmac, gravel, rock, sand, ice and snow. It’s no wonder, then, that the

2012 fleet of Subaru utility vehicles is so capable — both on-road and

off — so reliable and so durable.

The key is the Subaru symmetrical full-time AWD system which is,

in fact, more than just an all-wheel-drive system as it encompasses

the SUBARU BOXER engine and the long-travel fully independent

suspension system as well. Taken separately, each of those components

is designed and engineered to perform; when combined together, they

produce something that is just this side of the supernatural.

This hugely capable system is just part of the reason why Subaru

owners are confident that their vehicles will get them where they want

to go safely and securely. Also a big part of the picture: class-leading

active and passive safety systems that create a distinct sense of

freedom behind the wheel.

Are you the person responsible for getting members of

your daughter’s soccer team home from the pitch in a sudden

thunderstorm? No problem. Is the access road to your family cottage

blanketed in snow? No worries. Is the launching point for your

kayaking adventure a bit more out-of-the-way than the brochure

suggested? Think of the adventure as starting a little bit early.

The key to the appeal of the Subaru utility vehicle is its go-anywhere

capability. But the real key is the confidence that this capability

engenders in the driver — and you can’t put a price on that.

utILIty veHIcLes

feature

30 |

2012 subaru ouTback:The suv alTernaTive SElECTEd FEATuRES:

• 2.5L naturally aspirated 4-cylinder or 3.6L naturally aspirated 6-cylinder SUBARU BOXER engines

• 6-speed manual, 5-speed automatic (with manual mode) or Lineartronic® Continuously Variable (CVT) transmissions


• Up to 2019L of cargo space

• 220 mm of ground clearance

• Raised-profile roof rails with integrated swing-in-place crossbars

• Pioneer® AM/FM/CD/MP3/ WMA/DivX®/DVD audio system with touchscreen navigation, smartphone integration◊, Bluetooth® streaming audio, Bluetooth hands-free system and six Pioneer® premium speakers

• Premium cloth or perforated leather seating surfaces

The typical SUV is supposed to be

versatile — after all, the word “utility” is right

there in the name. But the truth of the matter

is, some SUVs need to go back to the drawing

board — they’re too large and too unwieldy,

they consume too much fuel and they drive

like an overgrown sofa.

The 2012 Subaru Outback is and does

none of these things — because it’s not really

an SUV, it’s the smart alternative to an SUV.

Rugged on the outside and refined on the

inside, the Outback sets the pace with its high

level of comfort, superb cornering, uniquely

capable all-wheel-drive system and sporty,

car-like handling.

There’s more under the skin: The Outback

comes with a choice of two potent SUBARU

BOXER engines, a 2.5-litre 4-cylinder or

a 3.6-litre 6-cylinder. The smaller engine

is also available with smog-fighting PZEV

equipment, making this version one of the

cleanest gasoline-powered vehicles on

the planet.

Transmission choices consist of a 6-speed

manual, a 5-speed electronic automatic with

manual mode and the Lineartronic® CVT.

The CVT employs a chain drive to provide

an almost unlimited number of virtual gears,

which boosts fuel efficiency and also makes

the Outback capable of travelling over

1,000 km† on a single tank of fuel.

Inside, the Outback features the kind

of intelligent design drivers have come to

expect from Subaru. There are a number of

different seating configurations, as well as a

cargo area that is both wide and tall, boasting

more capacity than many SUVs.

Given all these incredible qualities, it’s no

surprise that this generation Subaru Outback

has received a raft of awards since it first

debuted in the summer of 2009. Later that

year, the Outback received two honours

from the Automobile Journalists Association

of Canada (AJAC): Best New SUV/CUV

under $35K and Canadian Utility Vehicle

of the Year.

This unique vehicle also nabbed the Ward’s

Interior of the Year Award in 2010, the Best

Mid-size Utility vehicle honour from the

Automotive Lease Guide (ALG) for 2011 and

the Top Safety Pick1 designation from the IIHS

year after year.

beST miD-Size uTiliTy

2010 CanaDian uTiliTy VehiCle

OF The year

† It is possible to travel up to 1,014 km on one tank of fuel based on estimated fuel consumption figure rating posted by Natural Resources Canada of 6.9L/100 km (highway) for a 2012 Subaru Outback equipped with continuously variable automatic transmission and a 70L fuel tank capacity. Actual fuel consumption will vary based on driving conditions, driver habits and vehicle load.1 Ratings of “Good” are the highest rating awarded for 40-mph frontal offset, 31-mph side-impact and 20-mph rear-impact crash tests conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) (www.iihs.org). A “Good” rating obtained in all three crash tests plus a “Good” rating in new roof strength testing and the availability of Electronic Stability Control (ESC) (Vehicle Dynamics Control) achieves a 2011 Top Safety Pick.


outBack

1


First, don’t be fooled by its compact

size — the 2012 Subaru Forester is as capable

as they come. Armed with proven Subaru

underpinnings, this compact SUV leaves the

competition in its dust. But the Forester is

more than the sum of its impressive parts;

it’s been brilliantly conceived to offer genuine

SUV versatility, plenty of style and a fun

experience behind the wheel.

The critical aspect of the Forester’s design

is its remarkably low centre of gravity, which

makes the vehicle handle more sharply

and lean over less when cornering. The

engineers at Subaru were able to achieve

this by leveraging the low profile of the

SUBARU BOXER engine and then optimizing

the suspension system to deliver even

more stability as well as the perfect balance

between comfort and control.

The rear suspension, in particular, has

been designed with a “no-compromises”

approach for better contact with the road

surface — regardless of irregularities — and

to behave the way the driver intends and

expects it to behave.

The new Forester also offers the

choice of two different SUBARU BOXER

engines — the 224-horsepower 2.5-litre

turbocharged 4-cylinder and the

170-horsepower, next-generation 2.5-litre

naturally aspirated 4-cylinder.

These engines employ advanced

technologies to reduce friction, emissions

and fuel consumption, while guaranteeing

a satisfying driving experience overall.

There’s also the choice of adding PZEV

equipment to the naturally aspirated

SUBARU BOXER to reduce tailpipe

emissions to near zero without any adverse

effect on performance.

Of course, there’s much more to the

Forester story, including a wealth of

standard features — Vehicle Dynamics

Control, air conditioning, heated front

seats and raised profile roof rails among

them — a surprisingly spacious cabin, and

a network of advanced safety systems that

have resulted in a Top Safety Pick1 from

the IIHS. No surprise, then, that this

generation Forester was named Best New

SUV/CUV under $35K by the Automobile

Journalists Association of Canada the year

it debuted.

All things considered, the 2012

Subaru Forester has the features and

the performance needed to be a terrific

accomplice on all sorts of adventures,

from the daily commute to the weekend

getaway. But for a truly accurate sense of

just how enticing and accommodating this

compact SUV can be, you’ll simply have to

drive one.

| 31 | 31

SElECTEd FEATuRES:

• 2.5L naturally aspirated 4-cylinder or 2.5L turbocharged 4-cylinder SUBARU BOXER engines

• 5-speed manual transmission or 4-speed automatic with manual mode


• 60/40-split flat-folding rear seats

• Up to 225 mm of ground clearance

• Extra large sunroof

• Pioneer® AM/FM/CD/MP3/ WMA/DivX®/DVD audio system with touchscreen navigation, smartphone integration◊, Bluetooth® streaming audio, Bluetooth hands-free system and Pioneer® premium front and rear speakers

• Premium cloth or luxurious leather seating surfaces


1 Ratings of “Good” are the highest rating awarded for 40-mph frontal offset, 31-mph side-impact and 20-mph rear-impact crash tests conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) (www.iihs.org). A “Good” rating obtained in all three crash tests plus a “Good” rating in new roof strength testing and the availability of Electronic Stability Control (ESC) (Vehicle Dynamics Control) achieves a 2011 Top Safety Pick.

beST SuV/CuV unDer $35,000

2009

The 2012 subaru foresTer:suiTs your life. suiTs your sTyle.

forester

1


32 |

2012 subaru Tribeca:more versaTiliTy, more luxury, more family geTaways

SElECTEd FEATuRES:

• 3.6L, 6-cylinder naturally aspirated SUBARU BOXER engine

• 5-speed automatic transmission with manual mode


• 7-passenger seating with 40/20/40-split flat-folding second-row and 50/50-split flat-folding third-row seats

• Rear-view camera

• GPS DVD-based navigation

• Harman Kardon® premium speaker system and 385-watt amplifier

• Premium cloth or luxurious leather seating surfaces

For those who take their family adventures

seriously, the 2012 Subaru Tribeca is the

SUV with an edge on the competition.

This progressive, mid-size SUV offers

plenty of interior space — enough for up

to 7 passengers and all kinds of cargo-

carrying capacity — without all the

cumbersome trappings. In other words, the

Tribeca drives like a much smaller vehicle,

but is big in terms of appeal — for driver and

passengers alike.

Under the hood, the Tribeca features

the largest engine in the Subaru fleet, a

3.6-litre 6-cylinder SUBARU BOXER, linked

to a 5-speed automatic transmission and, of

course, Subaru symmetrical full-time AWD.

To complete the performance picture, this

SUV boasts an independent suspension

system that is tuned for both ride quality and

superb handling.

For all its marvelous mechanical features,

the Tribeca is perhaps still better known for

its luxurious, spacious and relaxing passenger

cabin. High-quality materials are used

throughout the space, which also features

64 different seating configurations, no fewer

than 10 cup holders, and a wealth of storage

compartments for maps and other

adventure-related gear.

Available luxury amenities include a

navigation system, rear-view camera,

premium audio system with Harman Kardon®

speakers and amplifier, Bluetooth®

hands-free connectivity, power front seats

(with memory settings for the driver), and

a rear-seat cooling “air“ unit.

To help ensure every excursion is a safe

one, the Tribeca also features many active

and passive safety systems as standard

equipment, including Vehicle Dynamics

Control, large ventilated front and rear disc

brakes, six airbags, and anti-whiplash head

restraints and three-point seatbelts for

all passengers.

Like all Subaru vehicles, the Tribeca is

designed to mitigate the potential harm from

front-end collisions by having the engine

slip under the passenger compartment upon

impact. These measures have enabled this

distinctive SUV to earn numerous Top Safety

Pick1 honours from the IIHS as well.

For the family on the go, there’s nothing

quite like the Subaru Tribeca — it has the

performance, space, flexibility, comfort and

security to go the distance. And now it offers

even better value than before, starting at

$38,995 (that's $2,000 less than the

outgoing model).

1 Ratings of “Good” are the highest rating awarded for 40-mph frontal offset, 31-mph side-impact and 20-mph rear-impact crash tests conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) (www.iihs.org). A “Good” rating obtained in all three crash tests plus a “Good” rating in new roof strength testing and the availability of Electronic Stability Control (ESC) (Vehicle Dynamics Control) achieves a 2011 Top Safety Pick.

trIBeca

1


| 33

feature

When people who know

Stephanie Dixon think about her, their mind

immediately goes to swimming. That’s not surprising since

Stephanie is an elite athlete who holds a handful of world records, a

bunch of gold, silver and bronze medals, and has stunningly represented

Canada in the pool for the last 15 years. If you search Stephanie on any of

the popular search engines, you will see thousands and thousands of results.

You will find out that Stephanie is Canadian, that her birth date is February 10,

1984, that she is, of course, a world-class competitive swimmer, and that she

was born without a right leg and hip. Ironically, though, it is none of these

things that define Stephanie. Rather, it is her confidence, perseverance

and resilience that really describe who Stephanie Dixon is

today and it is her joie de vivre and her tremendous

energy that really make her shine.

sTephanie dixon: never say “i can�T”

34 |

helping to find her place to shine Already the parents of a healthy young

toddler, Stephanie Dixon’s parents had no

idea, 27 years ago, when they were awaiting

the birth of their daughter, that she would

be born missing a leg and a hip and with

internal organs displaced outside of her body.

Immediately whisked by helicopter to The

Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto, doctors

were able to shift organs to where they were

supposed to be but, of course, the missing

leg was not something that could be

surgically “fixed.”

Great parents will help their children find

their place to shine. Stephanie Dixon has

great parents. “They made a conscious effort

to raise me in a way that my disability did not

play a dominant role,” says Stephanie. “It was

never an excuse.” Stephanie was fitted for her

first prosthetic leg at 11 months. She began

swimming when she was two. Her parents

also helped her become involved in baseball,

gymnastics, diving, skiing and horseback

riding. “They wanted me to try as many things

as possible to help grow my confidence in the

fact that my disability was not a barrier,” says

Stephanie. “It helped too that I had an older

brother to look up to. I wanted to do everything

he did.” Her family was also very careful to not

coddle her and instead let her figure things out

on her own. Riding a two-wheel bicycle was

certainly a challenge, but her parents refused to

create the answer for her.

It was in the water, though, that Stephanie

discovered her passion for sport. She took

swimming lessons until she was 13 and then,

to challenge herself further, joined a local

competitive swim club.

While it would be lovely to say that

Stephanie’s disability never bothered her, the

truth is that there were times in her life when it

did. “I never even considered myself disabled

because I could always do everything I put my

mind to,” she says, but that does not mean she

was not aware of her differences. “Some kids

are self-conscious about acne or clothes; for me,

starting in about grade seven, it was my leg.”

While she was swimming competitively with

her swim club, and even representing Canada

at international meets, she did not join her

own high school’s swim team. “I was used to

34 |

feature

feature

people seeing me without my prosthetic at

the swim club, but I was still a teenager with

all the insecurities that brings,” says Stephanie.

“Competing at the high school level would mean

letting my high school peers see me without my

prosthetic, and that was something I just could

not face doing.”

As a competitive swimmer, Stephanie grew to

love the naysayers who doubted her based on

her disability. “They can only have power if you

allow them to take it,” says Stephanie, “and that

is something I will never do.” So, when an official

at her first real swimming competition told her

that she should get classified to compete against

other disabled swimmers at her ability level, she

was a bit put off. “Suddenly I felt like a disabled

person with a label across my forehead,” she

says. “I later learned about Swimmers with a

Disability (SWAD) and the more I heard about it

the more intrigued I became.” Stephanie learned

that through SWAD, competitive swimmers

compete against other swimmers with the same

level of function. Even better, she discovered

that given her skill level as a swimmer, she was

qualified to compete at the upcoming SWAD

national meet, against swimmers from all over

the country.

By the end of that first national SWAD

competition, 14-year-old Stephanie had won

three medals and qualified to join the team

competing at the US nationals. Not bad for

a kid who was just jumping into competitive

swimming! However, she was torn about

whether she wanted to continue swimming

in SWAD competitions. Stephanie had

always considered herself to be an athlete

first and disabled somewhere down the list.

To differentiate in competition went against

everything she believed. She soon discovered,

though, that just like herself, many SWAD

swimmers also had a competitive spirit. She also

realized that SWAD swimming was essentially in

its infancy and she could be a part of a growing

competitive culture within this group. In the

end, Stephanie decided to pursue the best of

both worlds – she trained and competed with

able-bodied swimmers and at the same time

represented Canada in SWAD competitions.

Over the next couple of years, Stephanie

competed in many competitions and qualified

for able-bodied junior nationals. By the age of

16, Stephanie had qualified for the 2000 Sydney

Paralympic Games, where the podium became a

familiar place for her. She won four gold and two

silver medals and set world records in the

100m backstroke, 100m and 400m freestyle.

Few of us will ever have the opportunity to

compete at such an elite level and most of us

would wonder how it would feel. This is what it

felt like for Stephanie:

I have never felt such energy in my life as when I

walked out onto the deck the night of the finals

for the 400M freestyle and saw all the cheering

faces. It was a wall of energy, and all I felt was

how much I wanted to get up, and show the

world what I could do. During the race I didn't

even see any of the other competitors. I don't

remember what I was thinking about. I don't

remember any of my turns or even touching the

wall at the finish, but the feeling I had when I

looked up and saw my time (a time that was four

seconds under my best time and two seconds

under the previous world record) and realized

I had won the gold medal, is a feeling that will

stay with me forever. At that moment all I felt

was triumph. Triumph over myself and all of the

obstacles that lay in the way of achieving my

goal. I knew then that I could put my heart and

soul, blood, sweat, tears, and everything I had

in me, into one dream. A dream race that would

take less than 5 minutes, but leave me with

something that would last forever. It left me with

a little more confidence, and a lot more faith in

people and their dreams. If a person really wants

something that much and not only wants it, but is

willing to do whatever it takes to get it, then there

is nothing that cannot be achieved.

While Stephanie loved winning medals, there

was still much more she wanted to achieve in her

swimming career. She celebrated, but then got

back to work.

After the Sydney Paralympics in 2000,

Stephanie headed to the University of Victoria

to complete her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology.

She also wanted to reinvent herself a bit,

and leave some of her self-consciousness

| 35

feature

surrounding her leg behind her. “I realized

that I had not done things because of my leg,

that something else was controlling my life

decisions,” says Stephanie. “I was recognizing

that my insecurities were getting in the way of

who I am. So, when I got to university, I made the

conscious decision to start over and change.” In

order to do that, Stephanie made a commitment

to herself that she would spend half of her

time with her prosthetic and the other half on

crutches. She wanted to prove to others and

to herself that while a leg is a functional thing,

the lack of one does not define who she is.

“What I learned is that people really don’t care,”

says Stephanie. “That’s when I realized that my

insecurities are completely self-contained.

That was when I really began to feel comfortable

standing on my own one leg.”

Stephanie spent about six and a half years

at the University of Victoria and while a BA

in Psychology was her major, swimming was

her passion. She was named the University’s

Outstanding Female Athlete in her first year.

It was there, in 2002, that she met swimming

coach Ron Jacks and knew he was the coach

she wanted to work with. “Ron is the best

able-bodied coach in Canada,” she says. “Many

people believed I was a great athlete for a

Paralympics athlete. Ron believed I was a great

athlete for a swimmer.” Stephanie began training

10 times a week and it was at this time that she

really began to take the international swimming

scene by storm.

Today, Canada is considered a powerhouse

in paralympics and Stephanie Dixon, one

of Canada’s most successful international

swimmers with a disability and one of the most

decorated Canadian athletes ever to compete

at the Paralympic Games, has a lot to do with

that moniker. Stephanie has won a total of 19

Paralympics medals, including seven golds.

It was her performance at the Paralympics in

Athens in 2004 that really vaulted her onto the

world stage. It was there that Stephanie earned

eight medals and really stood out as a champion.

And, while all Paralympics are fantastic

experiences, they are not all created equal. Of

all the medals she has won, it was the gold in the

women’s 100-metre backstroke at those 2004

Athens Paralympics that really meant the most.

It was also the one that Stephanie fought the

hardest for. For Stephanie, the Athens games

represented the coming of age of Paralympics

athletics. It represented stiff competition and

deep talent pools. No longer were athletes

able to participate simply because they were

disabled. Finally, participation had reached the

point where in order for athletes to qualify, they

needed to be truly elite athletes. “In Athens,

we were a group who really pushed ourselves,”

Stephanie emphasizes. “We were athletes first.”

And, if stiffer competition meant that she was

taking home fewer gold medals, Stephanie was

thrilled with the trade-off. “I would much rather

kill myself to win a race by a millisecond, than

easily win by 7 seconds.”

Among the many distinctions Stephanie has

received, she was named Sport BC’s Athlete

of the Year in the Athlete with a Disability

category in 2004, and Swimming Canada’s

Compared to the centuries-old Olympics, the Paralympic Games is a relative newcomer. In 1948, Dr. Ludwig Guttmann, a neurosurgeon at Stoke Mandeville Hospital in England, created the Stoke Mandeville National Competitions, a wheelchair event to coincide with the 1948 London Olympics. Guttmann’s dream was to build a sports competition for people with disabilities who come from all over the world.

Four years later, these games became international when a team from the Netherlands participated. In 1960, the first Paralympic Games, with 400 wheelchair athletes from 23 countries, were held in Rome, Italy. The first Winter Paralympics took place in Sweden in 1976 and introduced athletes who had a disability, but were not necessarily in wheelchairs.

That same year, Canada made Paralympic history by playing host to 1,600 athletes from 40 countries at the Summer Paralympic Games in Toronto. The list of participants opened up to include athletes with a wider range of disabilities including amputee, Cerebral Palsy, intellectual disability, wheelchair and visually impaired among others.

For athletes though, the real coming-of-age for the Paralympic Games may have been at the 1988 Summer Games in Seoul and the 1992 Winter Games in Albertville where competitors were thrilled to share the same facilities as those used at the Olympic Games. Even better, in 2001 a formal agreement was made to ensure that the Paralympic Games be held the same year and in the same facilities as the Olympic Games.

paralympic games: The new(er) kid on The block

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feature

Female Para-Swimmer of the Year in 2008. She

competed with able-bodied swimmers at both

the Canada West and Canadian Interuniversity

championships. In 2009 at the International

Paralympic Committee (IPC) World Short Course

Championships in Rio de Janeiro, Stephanie

smashed the world record in the women’s

S9 400m freestyle and the 100m backstroke.

Right up until the 2010 IPC Swimming World

Championships in Eindhoven, Netherlands,

Stephanie participated in Paralympic and World

Championship events all over the globe and

you would be hard-pressed to read a story

about disabled swimmers without Stephanie’s

name coming up and her brilliantly smiling face

beaming from the newspaper pages.

That beaming face has also become one

of the symbols of Canada’s participation in

Paralympics sports. In one Canadian Paralympic

Committee poster, though, Stephanie is

anything but beaming. In the ad, she is seen

looking especially fierce and the copy reads,

“She doesn’t want your sympathy. But her

opponents might.” When asked which is the

real Stephanie — the beaming smile or the fierce

expression — she admits that even under intense

pressure, behind that serious face is a smiling

person who can’t really believe she is able to

participate in these great adventures.

life outside of swimming... yes, reallySo, what does any red-blooded Canadian

swimmer who is at the top of her game and

living life immersed in a swimming pool

do next? Well, become an au pair in Spain

of course. For the last 15 years of her life,

Stephanie had seen herself as a swimmer

first, second and third. “I was the centre of

my own world for so long,” she says. “I was

the one being supported to get to my goals

and for a change I wanted to turn those

tables.” In the fall of 2010, Stephanie retired

as a competitive swimmer. To celebrate, she

decided to get away from everything that

identified her as a swimmer. “It was time for

me to remember that I have value as a person

besides being a swimmer and to discover

who I am outside of a swimming pool,”

she said.

Stephanie had a friend who loved being an

au pair and she thought it was something she

would like to try. She also admits that there

are times in her life when she must appreciate

that her disability might affect her lifestyle.

“I was curious to see if I would experience

any difficulties taking care of a child,” she

says, “as one day, I hope to become a parent.”

Stephanie was looking for a short-term

placement so, armed with some Spanish

she had learned in school, Stephanie found

herself a temporary job as the au pair to a

2½ year-old girl in Spain whose parents

wanted their daughter to learn more English.

Like anyone going into a brand new

situation, Stephanie had trepidation. Her

biggest fears revolved around her ability to

respond to an emergency. “I had the fear

that if she ran out onto the road, if I was

wearing my prosthetic, I would have hands

free to grab her, but I would not be quick

to get to her. If I had my crutches, I'd be

fast, but I would not have free hands,” she

remembers. But it all worked out beautifully

and Stephanie had a wonderful break from

the pool.

life outside of swimming... maybe laterIt was not too long before the call of the

swimming pool once again became too

great for Stephanie to ignore. Last fall, her

mother moved to Whitehorse, Yukon, and

while Stephanie was visiting, she was asked

by the local swim club, the Whitehorse

Glacier Bears, to work with some swimmers.

As Stephanie says, she jumped in foot first,

and has not looked back. What started as

a vacation has now become a new chapter

in Stephanie’s life. The Whitehorse Glacier

Bears has a roster of about 100 swimmers

(all able-bodied), ranging in age from six to

seventeen. Stephanie loved the experience

and the club loved her. She didn't leave at the

end of her vacation and she has now been

asked to become the club’s head coach.

This is a place where Stephanie will shine,

but she also loves the challenge it will bring.

“It is a very different thing being on the other

side of the deck,” she says. Learning new

skills, training hard, and having fun while

recognizing the uniqueness of each swimmer

are the cornerstones of this competitive

swimming program, which could not be more

perfect for Stephanie.

One of Stephanie’s personal missions

in her new role is to teach these young

swimmers about humility. “Part of being

successful is to know when you need help

and to ask for it,” says Stephanie. “People are

raised to believe it is a dog-eat-dog world

and that asking for help is a weakness. It is

just the opposite – it is a strength.”

Stephanie is also continuing to push

herself to go outside of her comfort zone.

She believes that we stop growing as soon as

feature

we choose to always stay in our comfort zone.

For Stephanie, this often means being seen

on her crutches instead of with her prosthetic.

Just recently, she made the decision to go to

a formal gala for the first time on crutches.

“Crutches do not scream sexy,” she says,

“but what is attractive is confidence.”

Stephanie has always had a very pragmatic

viewpoint with respect to the attention she

receives as well as the labels people put on

her. It is refreshing that she does not get

caught up in it. “Sure, people stare but that’s

just because they are curious and let’s face

it, I am different.” Stephanie has never felt

weaker or less capable just because she has

only one leg. To prove this, she has recently

challenged herself to get exercise outside of

the swimming pool. She does what she calls a

little skip/run manoeuvre on her crutches. She

admits that it looks ridiculous, but it is a good

way to exercise. “What the heck,” she says.

“People are staring at me anyway. If I can’t

laugh at myself, I will simply be swallowed up

by self-consciousness.”

And, of course, some experiences come

along just to keep one humble. Recently,

Stephanie was coaching at a pool and

someone came in and said to her, “Aren’t

you the girl in the bus shelter?” It seems

a Canadian Paralympics poster featuring

Stephanie was hanging on the outside of the

shelter. It was all very impressive until she

realized that it was covered in bird droppings.

“We had a good laugh and then we cleaned

off the poop,” she says.

It is impossible to know what Stephanie

will accomplish down the road. Right now,

along with taking over the coaching reins at

Whitehorse, she has motivational speaking

engagements sprinkled throughout her

calendar; this past summer, for example,

she spoke at the annual Subaru National

Dealer Meeting in Vancouver. Stephanie

has an important message to share about

the personal rewards that confidence,

perseverance and resilience can bring. She

has come to understand that, even though

others may think so, neither swimming nor

her leg define her. She has a very healthy

attitude with respect to the curious attention

she receives, but she also knows that who

she is, disability and all, has brought many

extraordinary experiences to her life. She is

remarkably comfortable speaking to groups.

She has no set script and simply speaks from

the heart. And she is very real. “I get a bit

nervous before each speech, I laugh at my

own jokes and I talk a bit too fast, but I know

I have a lot to share,” she says. “I understand

that I have had experiences that would

normally scare others so even when I am

talking at $200-a-plate dinners, I know they

are listening and they care about what I

have to say.”

From the moment she was born, that missing

leg became a gift. It set the course for a life

full of wonderful challenges and remarkable

achievements. While she has retired from

competitive swimming, don’t count her out

as a competitor. Stephanie is currently feeling

some very friendly heat, from Subaru dealer Bob

Saunders of Victoria, BC, to participate in one

of her life’s dreams, a triathlon. In order to do

this, Stephanie will require a hand cycle for the

bicycling portion and a racing wheelchair for the

running portion. But would anyone doubt she

could make that happen?

Whatever happens, Stephanie will keep her

life moving forward. “I don’t want to spend

the rest of my life making speeches about the

person I used to be, about the high points in my

life in the past,” Stephanie says. “I want to peak

the day before I die.”

Seen in newspapers, transit shelters and on television screens coast to coast, this high-impact advertising campaign – initiated by the Canadian Paralympic Committee – is sure getting attention. This, of course, is the point – to raise awareness of the Paralympics, the elite athletes (Paralympians) and the highly competitive, hard-core nature of the sports involved.

| 39

tecH taLk

Tech Talk: car care and cusTomer care

We recognize that many drivers have a very

strong connection with their cars, so we treat

our customers and their cars in the very same

way — with the utmost respect, courtesy and

care. There are countless different things we

do every day, both seen and unseen, which

combine to create a truly holistic approach to

this business.

Car design is about more than just how a

vehicle looks from the outside. Of course, it’s

important to draw a car that’s pleasing to the

eye, but there are other key considerations

to take into account, such as reliability,

safety, longevity and eco-friendliness. A car

must be designed in harmony with its

environment — the owner, passengers,

other vehicles, pedestrians and the world at

large — in order for it to be considered a truly

successful effort.

From the moment a new Subaru vehicle

hits the proverbial drawing board, the entire

life cycle of that vehicle is top of mind. For

example, the vehicles comprising our

current model lineup inherit a hard-earned,

never-say-die reputation. In fact, 95.4%

of vehicles sold in Canada over the past

10 years are still on the road today.2

Of course, the longer a car stays on the

road, the less impact it has on landfill sites

and on the resources needed to build a new

car as a replacement. Furthermore, many

vehicles sold here are built in our Subaru of

Indiana Automotive, Inc. (SIA) facility, the very

first automotive plant in the U.S. to send zero

material to landfill sites and the only one

in the U.S. to also be designated as a

Backyard Wildlife Habitat by the National

Wildlife Federation.

| 39

40 |

tecH taLk

There are other ways that Subaru shows

care for you, the customer — and these come

down to the design of the cars themselves.

Every Subaru is designed and engineered

to instill confidence in the driver. This is why

every one of our vehicles comes standard

with Subaru symmetrical full-time All-Wheel

Drive, the world-renowned system that

provides incredible handling and superior

control in all road and weather conditions.

Our cars are further supported by the

latest active and passive safety technologies,

including Vehicle Dynamics Control, a full

complement of airbags and the advanced

ring-shaped reinforcement frame for even more

peace of mind. What’s more, other technology

incorporated into our new SUBARU BOXER

engine and our Lineartronic® CVT transmission

give the driver improved performance and fuel

efficiency, cutting your operating costs while

delivering a more satisfying experience overall.

All of this advanced engineering has another

side benefit: It gives Subaru vehicles high

residual values. The Automotive Lease Guide

(ALG) has named Subaru the best mainstream

brand for the past two years in a row and

also recognized several Subaru models as

having the highest predicted residual value

in their class.

From the drawing board to your driveway,

every Subaru is designed to perform to the

highest standards when measured against

the most stringent criteria and measured

by the toughest critics. Read on to discover

valuable tips and available resources that will

help you keep yours running like new.

40 | 2 Based on Subaru Canada, Inc. sales from 2001 to 2010 and R.L. Polk Canada, Inc. 2010 VIO registration data.

tecH taLk

| 41

Most car manufacturers don’t bother to

publish a maintenance schedule that runs

beyond the 160,000-km mark. But longtime

Subaru owners know that their vehicles are

capable of easily eclipsing that number

and running strongly well into the future.

This is why Subaru Canada is extending the

maintenance schedule for our vehicles all

the way up to 500,000 km. Look for it in the

New Year on subaru.ca or at your local

Subaru dealer.

This initiative provides added peace of

mind in two ways: first, it shows that we are

confident that our cars are built to deliver

superior longevity and, second, it provides

you with a set of clear guidelines for keeping

your Subaru running smoothly for years

to come.

The extended maintenance schedule is

an example of how Subaru Canada and our

dealers value our longstanding customers

for more than just potential new car sales.

Our reputation has been built on our cars’

reliability and longevity — and we’re thrilled

to be able to help our customers support

this reputation.

With superior performance and driver

confidence in mind, your Subaru dealer

promotes the use of synthetic motor oil in

all vehicles. In fact, it is now a requirement

for most 2012 Subaru models.

New engines have fewer emissions and

little to no residue build-up and synthetic

oils have the qualities needed to keep them

running like brand new. These oils perform

better in both the extreme cold weather of

a typical Canadian winter and the extreme

heat of a normal Canadian summer. They also

retain greater fluidity, flow more easily and

maintain viscosity better than conventional

motor oils, delivering greater performance

and better fuel efficiency.

These characteristics, in turn, serve to

protect your engine better: Due to the

fact that synthetic oils don’t break down as

easily under high operating temperatures,

they keep your engine running cleaner and

longer. They also last longer with oil change

intervals suggested at 10,000 km.

If your Subaru is topped up with synthetic

oil, you can rest assured it’s ready to perform

no matter how rigorous the demands, such

as driving in stop-and-go-traffic, taking

repeated short trips, or towing a trailer or

boat. The next time you take your Subaru in

for service, ask for more information on the

benefits of synthetic oil.

While you’re at your local Subaru dealer, you

may notice a series of informative videos

playing in the customer waiting area. These

videos provide details on all the products

and services available in the dealership,

including Subaru parts and accessories that

are designed to work perfectly with your

Subaru. For added convenience, these

same videos have also been uploaded to

www.youtube.com/subarucanada and

to www.subaru.ca.

In the waiting area, you can also find

Subaru Quick Cards, a series of quick

and easy-to-read pamphlets designed to

help make informed decisions on what’s

best for you and your Subaru. The topics

include everything from the advantages

of the Subaru Lineartronic CVT over other

continuously variable transmissions to the

steps you need to take in the event of an

accident and much more.

These are just two more ways that we hope

to give you all the information needed to

keep your Subaru in tip-top shape.

synTheTic oil: long-Term care in a boTTle

cusTomer knowledge, cusTomer confidence

builT To lasT, backed all The way

genuine subaru accessories:add-ons mulTiply The fun, convenience and performance

As a Subaru owner, you’re no doubt keenly aware that Subaru builds vehicles to the very highest standards — vehicles that are engineered to perform from the ground up and for years to come. But perhaps you haven’t had the chance to sample other examples of advanced engineering; namely, the long list of Genuine Subaru Accessories that are available for your vehicle.

Built to the same exacting standards as your vehicle, these accessories showcase forward-thinking design and bring added versatility, comfort, convenience, performance and style to each and every Subaru. For the complete list of Genuine Subaru Accessories, you can visit subaru.ca or consult your local dealer — but for a small sampling, just read on.

Manufactured exclusively for Subaru by

Kicker®, this 10-inch subwoofer produces

mighty, mighty bass and helps create clean

sound reproduction from the entire speaker

system. The subwoofer uses a passive

crossover network and an integrated

100-watt amplifier to generate power.

Housed in a self-contained unit in either

the trunk (on 4-door models) or behind the

rear seat (on 5-door models), the molded

cabinet adds to the bass response. The

installation kit comes complete with detailed

instructions and a custom harness. Available

for all 2011/12 Subaru Impreza, WRX and

WRX STI models without a navigation system.

For the active cyclist out there, the Thule®

“Domestique” Fork-mount Rooftop Bike

Carrier has been custom-designed to quickly

and easily attach to all Subaru crossbars. The

fork-mount attachment ensures the bicycle is

securely attached to the crossbar and locked

in place, yet can simply be removed and

stored when not in use.

The sleek design of this unique bike carrier

increases the style factor of your vehicle,

while the aerodynamic profile helps reduce

air turbulence and wind noise. Safe, secure

and stylish, this fork-mount bike carrier is the

perfect complement to an active lifestyle.

Available for all Subaru Legacy, Outback

and Forester models, 2011 Impreza models,

2011/12 WRX and WRX STI models, and

2012 Impreza 5-door models.

Not just for the performance enthusiast,

but for anyone who would like that little

extra degree of safety. Designed by the

performance gurus at Subaru Tecnica

International — the development engineers

responsible for the Subaru WRX STI — this

strut tower bar offers the perfect balance

between comfort and control. The bar helps

the suspension system absorb imperfections

in the road, while keeping the front wheels

and the suspension components parallel to

each other at all times, even under high stress.

This gives your Subaru improved steering

and braking feel which, in turn, fuel driver

confidence — especially when needing to take

evasive action to avoid a potentially hazardous

situation in the road ahead. Available for all

recent Subaru Forester, Legacy and Outback

models, as well as 2012 Impreza models.

flexible sTruT Tower bar

Thule fork-mounT roofTop bike carrier

kicker subwoofer

FOr mOre aCCeSSOry OpTiOnS ViSiT:

www.subaru.ca

accessorIes

42 |

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Six Star magazine is produced for the enjoyment and reference of Subaru owners and is published by Subaru Canada, Inc. All rights reserved. Contents of this magazine may not be reproduced without the expressed permission of Subaru Canada, Inc. We reserve the right to edit all letters, opinions or articles sent for publication to Six Star. Subaru, Legacy, Outback, Impreza, WRX, WRX STI, Forester and Tribeca are registered trademarks. © 2011 Subaru Canada, Inc. Printed in Canada.

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Six Star Magazine | Winter 2011/2012

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