auto express article
26 October 2000 | 01:14 PM
#3
Scooby Regular
Joined: Sep 1999
Posts: 236
Likes: 0
just found this on the Auto Express Website
Subaru Impreza
Imagine McDonald's saying it had changed the recipe for a Big Mac. Or hearing that Guinness is adding something extra to its brew. There would be a sense of outrage, pickets on the streets and petitions handed in.
Reaction to the announcement that Subaru was replacing the legendary Impreza Turbo has been only slightly less extreme. Why mess with a formula so successful it has transformed the image of Subaru from a purveyor of sheepdog-carrying pick-ups into one of the most respected performance car manufacturers in the world?
The bitter pill for enthusiasts did not taste any sweeter when the first pictures of the replacement were seen. The rear and sides were predictable enough, and the interior featured some much-needed improvements, but the front was a huge surprise, with round headlamps which drew unkind comparisons with the last model Toyota Corolla or even the droopy-faced Ford Scorpio. The name has been changed for the UK, too, with the Turbo tag replaced by the WRX badge used everywhere else in the world.
But the Impreza Turbo never sold because of its styling or name. It was a driver's car through and through, able to cover ground in all conditions faster than many supercars, and yet could still carry a family. All this for the price of a mid-range Ford Mondeo.
Can the new car live up to the legend? We put it head-to-head against its toughest competitor, the car it must beat if it is to win over the enthusiasts, despite those radical new looks. Yes, Auto Express pits new Impreza against old Impreza in the ultimate shoot-out.
When parked next to each other, it's clear that the WRX is the bigger car. The new Impreza is longer, wider and higher, and, from most angles more aggressive, too. Flared wheelarches - a feature only used on the four-door - are lifted from the rally-bred 22B version of the old car, and the wheels have increased from 16 to 17-inches to fill them. We will let you make up your own mind about the front, but it is less aggressive than the old car's, with only one bonnet vent and those round headlights. At least the huge foglamps retain a visual link with the previous model.
Jump from one driver's seat to the other and it makes you realise how good the old Turbo must be to drive if owners are prepared to put up with such a bad interior. The plastics would not even be considered good enough to make the toolkit on a Volkswagen or BMW. Slide controls for the ventilation show the car was designed nearly 10 years ago, and the switches are scattered about wherever there is a space for them. The WRX won't be winning any style prizes either, but the interior design is more bearable, with a rounder, silver-trimmed facia and rotary switches giving a more modern look.
Thankfully, the basic layout remains the same - so the Momo steering wheel is just where you want it to be, the pedals and gearlever are perfectly placed and the bucket seats still hug you like an over-protective mother.
It's time to turn the keys. The WRX is first and it all seems a bit tame. There is no drama, and the noise from the engine is subdued enough to let you hear the Impreza Turbo parked beside you bark into life.
Out on to the road, and the WRX does not require any effort to get out of parking spots, no delicate manoeuvres on the near-weightless clutch to pull away cleanly, and the steering is light and easy. Up until 2,000rpm, you could almost be driving a Nissan Micra, but then the turbo wakes up and starts to build speed rapidly. The power delivery is far less peaky than the old car's, with a steady accumulation of boost up to the red line.
Despite the WRX weighing 150kg more than its predecessor, Subaru claims it is faster when accelerating from 0-60mph, knocking 0.4 of a second from the old model's 6.3 seconds sprint time. However, it does not feel like it. Refinement may be what some buyers want, but the sensation of driving a special car has been filtered out. The shove-in-the-back acceleration of the Turbo, the noise of the rushing air and the exhaust's bark have gone.
The new car's superior acceleration is probably due to its strange gearing. First and second are low to give maximum thrust, while the top three ratios are chosen for relaxed cruising. In fact, 70mph on the motorway equates to only 2,800rpm - just inside the turbo- charger's range - and means you need to downchange to get maximum overtaking performance. In the old car, 70mph arrives at 3,000rpm, but if you require an extra squirt of power the turbo is already on boost and willing to help out. It is the same story in the corners. There is no question that the WRX is at least as fast through bends and on the straight as the Turbo. In the streaming rain it went round bends with confidence - even at speeds you would not contemplate in a supercar.
In addition, the Turbo's tendency to plough on in fast, tight turns has been lessened to give a more neutral feel, and the body remains perfectly composed even after the car encounters a series of bumps mid-bend. Take corners in the Turbo and you find yourself working much harder to drive fast. The firmer ride and more communicative steering mean you feel the wriggle of every tyre in a puddle, each shift of balance and the slightest change in road surface. Bumps easily absorbed by the WRX will send the old car off line for a fraction of a second before it regains composure. In addition, each movement of the clutch is harder work and the gearchanges more frequent to keep in the turbo's boost range.
At the end of a long day with the prospect of motorway jams ahead, it was the WRX we wanted to go home in. But the Turbo would be our choice for a cross-country blast. The WRX is undoubtedly the more sensible choice for the driver using the car daily, when it will go supercar-quick in wet or dry with the minimum of effort or skill. But is this what the Impreza Turbo buyer really wants? The beauty of the old car was that it was thrilling to drive and awesomely fast in all conditions. The new model is less effort to drive fast, although many of the thrills have been removed from the recipe.
Those controversial new headlamps and name are not the only risks Subaru has taken with the Impreza WRX. The car is just as fast as the Turbo it replaces, and is easier to drive, with lighter controls, less weighty steering and smoother power delivery. But drivers have to do without the raw thrills which made the old car special. The WRX will be more appealing to buyers wanting refined, fast everyday transport, but enthusiasts will prefer the old model.
At a glance
*All-new version of legendary Impreza Turbo, renamed WRX
*On sale late next month priced £21,495 - £250 more than previous model
*Powered by 215bhp turbo-charged 2.0-litre flat-four
*Improved interior quality, spaciousness and safety
*Features air-conditioning and built in CD player as standard.
[This message has been edited by webmaster (edited 26 October 2000).]
Subaru Impreza
Imagine McDonald's saying it had changed the recipe for a Big Mac. Or hearing that Guinness is adding something extra to its brew. There would be a sense of outrage, pickets on the streets and petitions handed in.
Reaction to the announcement that Subaru was replacing the legendary Impreza Turbo has been only slightly less extreme. Why mess with a formula so successful it has transformed the image of Subaru from a purveyor of sheepdog-carrying pick-ups into one of the most respected performance car manufacturers in the world?
The bitter pill for enthusiasts did not taste any sweeter when the first pictures of the replacement were seen. The rear and sides were predictable enough, and the interior featured some much-needed improvements, but the front was a huge surprise, with round headlamps which drew unkind comparisons with the last model Toyota Corolla or even the droopy-faced Ford Scorpio. The name has been changed for the UK, too, with the Turbo tag replaced by the WRX badge used everywhere else in the world.
But the Impreza Turbo never sold because of its styling or name. It was a driver's car through and through, able to cover ground in all conditions faster than many supercars, and yet could still carry a family. All this for the price of a mid-range Ford Mondeo.
Can the new car live up to the legend? We put it head-to-head against its toughest competitor, the car it must beat if it is to win over the enthusiasts, despite those radical new looks. Yes, Auto Express pits new Impreza against old Impreza in the ultimate shoot-out.
When parked next to each other, it's clear that the WRX is the bigger car. The new Impreza is longer, wider and higher, and, from most angles more aggressive, too. Flared wheelarches - a feature only used on the four-door - are lifted from the rally-bred 22B version of the old car, and the wheels have increased from 16 to 17-inches to fill them. We will let you make up your own mind about the front, but it is less aggressive than the old car's, with only one bonnet vent and those round headlights. At least the huge foglamps retain a visual link with the previous model.
Jump from one driver's seat to the other and it makes you realise how good the old Turbo must be to drive if owners are prepared to put up with such a bad interior. The plastics would not even be considered good enough to make the toolkit on a Volkswagen or BMW. Slide controls for the ventilation show the car was designed nearly 10 years ago, and the switches are scattered about wherever there is a space for them. The WRX won't be winning any style prizes either, but the interior design is more bearable, with a rounder, silver-trimmed facia and rotary switches giving a more modern look.
Thankfully, the basic layout remains the same - so the Momo steering wheel is just where you want it to be, the pedals and gearlever are perfectly placed and the bucket seats still hug you like an over-protective mother.
It's time to turn the keys. The WRX is first and it all seems a bit tame. There is no drama, and the noise from the engine is subdued enough to let you hear the Impreza Turbo parked beside you bark into life.
Out on to the road, and the WRX does not require any effort to get out of parking spots, no delicate manoeuvres on the near-weightless clutch to pull away cleanly, and the steering is light and easy. Up until 2,000rpm, you could almost be driving a Nissan Micra, but then the turbo wakes up and starts to build speed rapidly. The power delivery is far less peaky than the old car's, with a steady accumulation of boost up to the red line.
Despite the WRX weighing 150kg more than its predecessor, Subaru claims it is faster when accelerating from 0-60mph, knocking 0.4 of a second from the old model's 6.3 seconds sprint time. However, it does not feel like it. Refinement may be what some buyers want, but the sensation of driving a special car has been filtered out. The shove-in-the-back acceleration of the Turbo, the noise of the rushing air and the exhaust's bark have gone.
The new car's superior acceleration is probably due to its strange gearing. First and second are low to give maximum thrust, while the top three ratios are chosen for relaxed cruising. In fact, 70mph on the motorway equates to only 2,800rpm - just inside the turbo- charger's range - and means you need to downchange to get maximum overtaking performance. In the old car, 70mph arrives at 3,000rpm, but if you require an extra squirt of power the turbo is already on boost and willing to help out. It is the same story in the corners. There is no question that the WRX is at least as fast through bends and on the straight as the Turbo. In the streaming rain it went round bends with confidence - even at speeds you would not contemplate in a supercar.
In addition, the Turbo's tendency to plough on in fast, tight turns has been lessened to give a more neutral feel, and the body remains perfectly composed even after the car encounters a series of bumps mid-bend. Take corners in the Turbo and you find yourself working much harder to drive fast. The firmer ride and more communicative steering mean you feel the wriggle of every tyre in a puddle, each shift of balance and the slightest change in road surface. Bumps easily absorbed by the WRX will send the old car off line for a fraction of a second before it regains composure. In addition, each movement of the clutch is harder work and the gearchanges more frequent to keep in the turbo's boost range.
At the end of a long day with the prospect of motorway jams ahead, it was the WRX we wanted to go home in. But the Turbo would be our choice for a cross-country blast. The WRX is undoubtedly the more sensible choice for the driver using the car daily, when it will go supercar-quick in wet or dry with the minimum of effort or skill. But is this what the Impreza Turbo buyer really wants? The beauty of the old car was that it was thrilling to drive and awesomely fast in all conditions. The new model is less effort to drive fast, although many of the thrills have been removed from the recipe.
Those controversial new headlamps and name are not the only risks Subaru has taken with the Impreza WRX. The car is just as fast as the Turbo it replaces, and is easier to drive, with lighter controls, less weighty steering and smoother power delivery. But drivers have to do without the raw thrills which made the old car special. The WRX will be more appealing to buyers wanting refined, fast everyday transport, but enthusiasts will prefer the old model.
At a glance
*All-new version of legendary Impreza Turbo, renamed WRX
*On sale late next month priced £21,495 - £250 more than previous model
*Powered by 215bhp turbo-charged 2.0-litre flat-four
*Improved interior quality, spaciousness and safety
*Features air-conditioning and built in CD player as standard.
[This message has been edited by webmaster (edited 26 October 2000).]
26 October 2000 | 06:22 PM
#5
Orange Club
Joined: Oct 1998
Posts: 13,763
Likes: 1
I've just had to delete a ridiculous comment in Mr Stancer's orignal post which helped nobody.
I have also emailed Auto Express to see if they mind the article being posted here.
They graciously said they were OK about it, but would have liked to have been asked. I'm sure the comment I deleted must have cheered them up no end though!
For future reference, why don't we put a link to the article? That way we're not doing anything illegal!
Best regards
Webmaster
I have also emailed Auto Express to see if they mind the article being posted here.
They graciously said they were OK about it, but would have liked to have been asked. I'm sure the comment I deleted must have cheered them up no end though!
For future reference, why don't we put a link to the article? That way we're not doing anything illegal!
Best regards
Webmaster
26 October 2000 | 07:36 PM
#6
Scooby Regular
Joined: Dec 1998
Posts: 465
Likes: 0
I think that it will soon be time to get some of the more technically minded members here to actually look under the hood of this new car!
Once able to do so I think we will all be able to get a better idea of answering the big question all of us wait upon. And this question is- Can the 01' be made to drive with the same feel and fun as the old?
These people will have to see just what Subaru have done to the 01'. Has the suspension/steering componetry become muddied with added links, subframes, rubber bushes etc. And if so, can and how these comprimises be banished?
Once able to do so I think we will all be able to get a better idea of answering the big question all of us wait upon. And this question is- Can the 01' be made to drive with the same feel and fun as the old?
These people will have to see just what Subaru have done to the 01'. Has the suspension/steering componetry become muddied with added links, subframes, rubber bushes etc. And if so, can and how these comprimises be banished?
26 October 2000 | 11:13 PM
#7
Scooby Regular
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 2,706
Likes: 0
One of the things that niggle is that the car has to be smooth. If I wanted smooth I would have bought German.
I love the feal of the large turbo spinning up, then throwing me into my seat as I hit max boost. I laugh almost everytime.
Can one over-use first gear?
P.
Trending Topics
27 October 2000 | 02:39 AM
#8
Scooby Regular
Joined: Feb 2000
Posts: 290
Likes: 0
The report says it all! Motorway cruise or "b" road blast?
As Sith said if you want refinement buy a BMW or a Merc.
If you want raw power and a drivers car stick with the old model.
I know Plato liked it ( new model ) and said you don't have to look at when driving, but who want's to be seen in a cross between a Toyota Corolla and a Chrysler Neon on steroids?
The old car wins for me, BUT, I hear the twin headlight version of the new car looks OK, anyone got any pics?
Jon
NB: lookout for a report on the bumpsteer mod under suspension in 2 weeks. Being done on Monday.
As Sith said if you want refinement buy a BMW or a Merc.
If you want raw power and a drivers car stick with the old model.
I know Plato liked it ( new model ) and said you don't have to look at when driving, but who want's to be seen in a cross between a Toyota Corolla and a Chrysler Neon on steroids?
The old car wins for me, BUT, I hear the twin headlight version of the new car looks OK, anyone got any pics?
Jon
NB: lookout for a report on the bumpsteer mod under suspension in 2 weeks. Being done on Monday.
28 October 2000 | 09:59 AM
#9
Scooby Regular
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 8,897
Likes: 4
From: Newmarket Suffolk
....but the really funny thing was the article said "the noise from the engine is subdued enough to let you hear the Impreza Turbo parked beside you bark into life" - only because the MY00 car has an aftermarket exhaust on not a peashooter!! 
Mr Croney, it looks suspiciously like one of yours!! .
Mr Croney, it looks suspiciously like one of yours!!
.
28 October 2000 | 01:41 PM
#11
Scooby Regular
Joined: Sep 1999
Posts: 236
Likes: 0
Whoops ......sorry everyone!
already e-mailed the editor and expanded my er...... over simplified
discription of his worthy magazine and explained my reasons for that discription ,didn't mean to be offensive, that's realy not me ,far from it, honest 
As for the copywrite thing , I don't know the law on re-publishing stuff on the web but I didn't change or distort the text in any way, and clearly stated where it was from ( if a touch brutaly )it's not private information and all publicity is good publicity as they (sometimes mistakenly) say
In future I'll keep the "ridiculous" confined to my receeding hairdoo
,
and continue to help anybody I can in my simple country boy way
Coat well and truely collected
even better Regards
Ian
already e-mailed the editor and expanded my er...... over simplified
discription of his worthy magazine and explained my reasons for that discription ,didn't mean to be offensive, that's realy not me ,far from it, honest As for the copywrite thing , I don't know the law on re-publishing stuff on the web but I didn't change or distort the text in any way, and clearly stated where it was from ( if a touch brutaly
)it's not private information and all publicity is good publicity as they (sometimes mistakenly) say In future I'll keep the "ridiculous" confined to my receeding hairdoo
,and continue to help anybody I can in my simple country boy way
Coat well and truely collected
even better Regards
Ian
29 October 2000 | 01:48 AM
#15
Scooby Regular
Joined: Feb 2000
Posts: 400
Likes: 0
Well, it seams the imports will win again.
The Jap version not only has 247BHP on tap but also variable valve timing give max torque at only 2000 rpm!
Has anyone got one on order yet.
Will it pas SVA without much work?
Or could the headlamp be a problem?
The Jap version not only has 247BHP on tap but also variable valve timing give max torque at only 2000 rpm!
Has anyone got one on order yet.
Will it pas SVA without much work?
Or could the headlamp be a problem?
29 October 2000 | 01:52 AM
#16
Scooby Regular
Joined: Feb 2000
Posts: 400
Likes: 0
Well, it seams the imports will win again.
The Jap version not only has 247BHP on tap but also variable valve timing give max torque at only 2000 rpm!
Has anyone got one on order yet.
Will it pas SVA without much work?
Or could the headlamps be a problem?
The Jap version not only has 247BHP on tap but also variable valve timing give max torque at only 2000 rpm!
Has anyone got one on order yet.
Will it pas SVA without much work?
Or could the headlamps be a problem?
29 October 2000 | 09:44 AM
#17
Scooby Regular
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 8,897
Likes: 4
From: Newmarket Suffolk
Simon
Yes but we all know you are a world class pillock. Take your post and get on the bus to MuppetTown immediately!!
PS actually I don't mind it either - will change mine in 2 years or so, MY01 + STI bits should be a good car by then!!
Yes but we all know you are a world class pillock. Take your post and get on the bus to MuppetTown immediately!!
PS actually I don't mind it either - will change mine in 2 years or so, MY01 + STI bits should be a good car by then!!
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post