ricochet
03-12-2007, 02:13 PM
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2007 Impreza WRC Makes Debut at Rally Mexico
Travis Geny, Subiesport Magazine (http://www.subiesport.com)
Subaru World Rally Team unveiled an updated WRC car this weekend at Rally Mexico. The car was already on site two days before the drop of the green flag and being tweaked for the event which is the first gravel rally of the year. High temperatures are the norm at Rally Mexico which is a marked change from the snow and ice that usually accompany the opening of the WRC calendar in Northern Europe.
The new car is an evolution of the previous Impreza WRC car and not the complete redesign due out later this year. While similar in appearance to the 2006 car, changes to both the mechanicals and exterior abound according to director of engineering for SWRT, Steve Farrell.
“The targets were to produce a car that has a more responsive front end with better traction and more balanced tire wear, particularly on longer stages," Explains Steve. To achieve that, we have applied a different philosophy into areas such as weight distribution, suspension geometry and differential set-ups. We also have new dampers to improve road-holding and traction.
“The car also has a different radiator and intercooler pack. We made an evolution in the middle of last season and, with the benefit of the new homologation, we’ve been able to make a further step on that. We have simplified the layout, which has improved the air flow, made the front end of the car easier to service and lost some weight.
“Externally, the differences are relatively subtle. The front bumper has been restyled to suit the new radiator pack and the bonnet vents are different – we have twin side exits on the bonnet this time rather than one central one.”
Another new change for this year is the switch from Pirelli, to BFGoodrich tires. Subaru was the last of the top teams to make the switch and suffered dearly for it last season.
“Since the latter part of last year we’ve worked very closely with Subaru in Japan to look at certain specific areas of the 2006 car and bring the new version to fruition as quickly as possible," said team manager, Richard Taylor. "This season we have started to work with BFGoodrich and Mexico will be our first gravel event with its tires, so we still have a considerable amount of learning to do in that respect.”
Other new developments include a powerplant that features more lightweight materials and an engine that is more responsive in the low and midrange of the power band. Development happened simultaneously in England and Japan to develop a more drivable platform as late as last autumn. In that short time frame, both SWRT and STI engineers were able to take work together to bring the new powerplant into service.
“Our engineers in Japan are responsible for two main areas: the first is designing the body shell, including aerodynamics, and the other is improving the power unit," said Shigeo Sugaya, manufacturer principal, engineering, for the Subaru World Rally Team. "The engine itself contributes to further improving drivability in the middle to low speed range, which worked effectively in the Impreza WRC2006. As with previous designs, the engine is an all-aluminum construction, but the further use of light-weight materials means it is even lighter than before."
(WRC spoiler! Highlight to read) So far the new car has done moderately well by current Subaru standards. At rally Mexico, Atkinson scored points by finishing in the top 5, while Solberg still struggles to find the finish of any rally despite leading the first five stages on the final day before retiring.
For a full report of Rally Mexico and the WRC season up to date, stay posted for the June issue of Subiesport Magazine (http://www.subiesport.com).
2007 Impreza WRC Makes Debut at Rally Mexico
Travis Geny, Subiesport Magazine (http://www.subiesport.com)
Subaru World Rally Team unveiled an updated WRC car this weekend at Rally Mexico. The car was already on site two days before the drop of the green flag and being tweaked for the event which is the first gravel rally of the year. High temperatures are the norm at Rally Mexico which is a marked change from the snow and ice that usually accompany the opening of the WRC calendar in Northern Europe.
The new car is an evolution of the previous Impreza WRC car and not the complete redesign due out later this year. While similar in appearance to the 2006 car, changes to both the mechanicals and exterior abound according to director of engineering for SWRT, Steve Farrell.
“The targets were to produce a car that has a more responsive front end with better traction and more balanced tire wear, particularly on longer stages," Explains Steve. To achieve that, we have applied a different philosophy into areas such as weight distribution, suspension geometry and differential set-ups. We also have new dampers to improve road-holding and traction.
“The car also has a different radiator and intercooler pack. We made an evolution in the middle of last season and, with the benefit of the new homologation, we’ve been able to make a further step on that. We have simplified the layout, which has improved the air flow, made the front end of the car easier to service and lost some weight.
“Externally, the differences are relatively subtle. The front bumper has been restyled to suit the new radiator pack and the bonnet vents are different – we have twin side exits on the bonnet this time rather than one central one.”
Another new change for this year is the switch from Pirelli, to BFGoodrich tires. Subaru was the last of the top teams to make the switch and suffered dearly for it last season.
“Since the latter part of last year we’ve worked very closely with Subaru in Japan to look at certain specific areas of the 2006 car and bring the new version to fruition as quickly as possible," said team manager, Richard Taylor. "This season we have started to work with BFGoodrich and Mexico will be our first gravel event with its tires, so we still have a considerable amount of learning to do in that respect.”
Other new developments include a powerplant that features more lightweight materials and an engine that is more responsive in the low and midrange of the power band. Development happened simultaneously in England and Japan to develop a more drivable platform as late as last autumn. In that short time frame, both SWRT and STI engineers were able to take work together to bring the new powerplant into service.
“Our engineers in Japan are responsible for two main areas: the first is designing the body shell, including aerodynamics, and the other is improving the power unit," said Shigeo Sugaya, manufacturer principal, engineering, for the Subaru World Rally Team. "The engine itself contributes to further improving drivability in the middle to low speed range, which worked effectively in the Impreza WRC2006. As with previous designs, the engine is an all-aluminum construction, but the further use of light-weight materials means it is even lighter than before."
(WRC spoiler! Highlight to read) So far the new car has done moderately well by current Subaru standards. At rally Mexico, Atkinson scored points by finishing in the top 5, while Solberg still struggles to find the finish of any rally despite leading the first five stages on the final day before retiring.
For a full report of Rally Mexico and the WRC season up to date, stay posted for the June issue of Subiesport Magazine (http://www.subiesport.com).