Next WRX caught testing in US

[Engineer99]

Originally Posted by JustyWRC

Are you referring to the STI and WRX "sharing" wideboby styling from the beginning? Cause the 08 STI was widebody from the beginning.

Sorry, I should have clarified. I know the 08 STI was widebody, but it was hatchback only. I figure Subaru will make sure to bring out the sedan/hatch versions at the same or similar time, and hopefully will keep the widebody for the entire WRX/STI lineup. Keeping the widebody for the WRX will certainly help differentiate the regular Impreza from the WRX/STI.

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[uspopo]

A widebody or wider fender flares are a must!!!

[Snow Drift]

Originally Posted by a2cpc

Not always true. There was a BRZ mule, the black one, that ran Nurburging.
Toyobaru (Scion FR-S | Toyota GT 86 | Subaru BRZ) test mule in testing at Nurburgring - YouTube

FIIIINE. But this one was true to form!

[Calamity Jesus]

Originally Posted by Snow Drift

FIIIINE. But this one was true to form!

That was also the Toyota... who isn't as secretive as Subaru.

[chanomatik]

Originally Posted by Calamity Jesus

That was also the Toyota... who isn't as secretive as Subaru.

No bull! Last night watching Top Gear USA there was an FR-S commercial during each break, sometimes TWO!!! It just reminded me of how consistent Toyota has been about keeping up the hype of this car, but how quiet Subaru has always been.

I'm really glad we're seeing SOMETHING now. I know someone called it a month or two ago that we should be seeing more legit testing this year. I would've been really surprised and disappointed if nothing leaked until 2013.

[gumby1976]

While I'll never understand Subaru's history of not advertising certain models (SVX, Baja, Tribeca) it doesn't really surprise me that their doing this with the BRZ. At least around here if there is a BRZ on a dealers lot it's already sold. Why bother spending the money to advertise a super low production car that is already selling. I'd assume that as the production numbers climb they'll start the ad push.

[chanomatik]

Our sole, local dealership has sat on two Limited BRZ (Galaxy Blue and Red) for almost a month now. GB is on the showroom floor and Red has been sitting my the busiest street. They just lowered the price on the GB by almost $1500 and I guess are thinking of shipping the Red to California.

I think too little is known about the cars and they arrived too late in the summer. People are gearing up for winter. I almost got my WRX sold last year towards the Fall, but the price was too high. Earlier this year I've tried selling again, but it was too early in the summer. I've refreshed my ad and raised the price and now I'm getting inquiries again because we're almost in Fall and Winter is close.

I really want them to market the crap out of the WRX/STI.

The last couple of articles about this mule have stated that the STI will arrive later. Are they going to pull a bugeye-move on us? Throw out the 4G WRX, then about 2 years later bring out the 4G STI?

[RallyColtTurbo]

Out of curiosity...Autos or manuals? Lowered $1500 closer to MSRP or $1500 less than MSRP?


Yes, I saw the Alaska part.

[distorto]

Originally Posted by Mechie3

My buddy worked at a transmission plant for a time and said he saw all sorts of various underpinnings on the "wrong" body. I don't remember what it was exactly, but I want to say it was a PT cruiser body with SRT4 running gear. They put what fits somewhat easily and confuses people.

that was the turbo pt cruiser.

[4wdwrx]

I don't think Subaru needs to advertise too much on the BRZ, WRX/STi. People who know cars will know about them, and that's what I believe they are aimed towards.

Selling a lot is good, but Subaru is a small company and their volume is right for their demand.

As with the new STi coming after the WRX launch. It's unlike the US WRX debut, since the bugeye STis were already available in Japan at that time.

This is a new direction for the WRX, so this time around an STi version might be still in development, much like the introduction of the WRX in 1993, when there were no STi version until years later.

Originally Posted by chanomatik

Our sole, local dealership has sat on two Limited BRZ (Galaxy Blue and Red) for almost a month now. GB is on the showroom floor and Red has been sitting my the busiest street. They just lowered the price on the GB by almost $1500 and I guess are thinking of shipping the Red to California.

I think too little is known about the cars and they arrived too late in the summer. People are gearing up for winter. I almost got my WRX sold last year towards the Fall, but the price was too high. Earlier this year I've tried selling again, but it was too early in the summer. I've refreshed my ad and raised the price and now I'm getting inquiries again because we're almost in Fall and Winter is close.

I really want them to market the crap out of the WRX/STI.

The last couple of articles about this mule have stated that the STI will arrive later. Are they going to pull a bugeye-move on us? Throw out the 4G WRX, then about 2 years later bring out the 4G STI?

[chanomatik]

Originally Posted by RallyColtTurbo

Out of curiosity...Autos or manuals? Lowered $1500 closer to MSRP or $1500 less than MSRP?


Yes, I saw the Alaska part.

All 12 pre-orders whether purchased or abandoned have been manuals. That might partially be the reason. I really think every dealership should have an auto Premium to demo with a significant discount from Subaru to compensate.

Lowered closer to MSRP. They have a $2k markup to start.

4wdwrx: I was aware that the bugeye STI existed when the US got the bugeyes. Subaru was just testing the waters at that time. The connection I was making to now was maybe Subaru wants to see how the reception goes for the new WRX if it's too radical or too... expected of a design change?

The WRX was meant to showcase what could be done with the Impreza. The STI was meant to expound on that. This is why I've suggested to ONLY have the STI since the WRX will no longer be an Impreza. Just the WRX and the STI. So many people want so many little STI parts that I'd rather have several different STI trims.

What I love about my WRX is that it doesn't come with all of the extra STI tech and weight. I've owned and driven both the WRX and STI and can see why both exist, but I don't think most people are utilizing either properly.

[CopperTopNWOR]

Originally Posted by chanomatik

What I love about my WRX is that it doesn't come with all of the extra STI tech and weight. I've owned and driven both the WRX and STI and can see why both exist, but I don't think most people are utilizing either properly.

Most people don't utilize a vehicle properly. How many women do you see driving around in Suburbans and giant SUV's with only two kids because they happen to use it to tow a boat or camper once or twice a year?

The truth is most of us are only "utilizing" our vehicles for what they were designed a few times a year at best. Why worry about it. That being said, I do wish my WRX had the LSD's from the STI. Don't really want the other bits but the real LSD's would be nice to have.

[WRX_02_227]

Was the bugeye ever caught testing somewhere as a mule or anything like that? It's been so long I don't remember.

[samagon]

Originally Posted by chanomatik

What I love about my WRX is that it doesn't come with all of the extra STI tech and weight. I've owned and driven both the WRX and STI and can see why both exist, but I don't think most people are utilizing either properly.

People utilize a car as their needs dictate, not as an engineer expects them to.

Hell, the only reason I keep my STI around is because it's capable of hauling lumber as well as ass.

And I can guarantee you that even though Subaru placated my demands and made an STI wagon, their intentions weren't for it to be used to haul around raw materials to build fences, or dirt for yard work. And certainly they didn't expect me to drop the back seats and fill it up with paving stones until the muffler was dragging pavement. Maybe I can see them having said "He might toss his bicycle in the back of it".

[chanomatik]

Originally Posted by CopperTopNWOR

Most people don't utilize a vehicle properly. How many women do you see driving around in Suburbans and giant SUV's with only two kids because they happen to use it to tow a boat or camper once or twice a year?

The truth is most of us are only "utilizing" our vehicles for what they were designed a few times a year at best. Why worry about it. That being said, I do wish my WRX had the LSD's from the STI. Don't really want the other bits but the real LSD's would be nice to have.

Originally Posted by samagon

People utilize a car as their needs dictate, not as an engineer expects them to.

Hell, the only reason I keep my STI around is because it's capable of hauling lumber as well as ass.

See, I gave up the 2005 STI because I wasn't utilizing it. I never planned to autox or anything, and I was always annoyed that the rear seats didn't fold down. I didn't mess with the DCCD until after I had it for a year. I only got it because I was pissed at my RS for failing so often at being stock (7th owner). I might have changed my tune had I been in the market for the STI hatch at the time.

The 2008 Forester Sports XT had much more utility. Too much. I utilized it's capacity maybe twice, otherwise I just drove around town and roadtrips (small ones). Not enough to justify keeping it for the sacrifice of having something that felt like a boat.

My current 2011 WRX would be ideal, except it has so many compromises and mine in particular has had enough issues that I'm burned out on performance AWD for a bit. A rear LSD would be awesome, though! I love that it's light and I'm actually okay with 5 speeds instead of 6. I've never autocrossed it and never planned to, but did desire to a couple of times. It was mostly meant for hauling toddlers and daily driving through winter and it's done that very well.

Currently looking at a small, light coupe just for fun in the sun. Doesn't need to be fast, just fun to drive and nice to look at. I would like to race it sometimes and modify it as time and money permitted.

If the next STI comes as a 2-door, lightweight coupe, I might be hard-pressed to ignore it completely. I would actually try to race it and make it even lighter. It would be a project car and still seldom driven in the winter.

The WRX wouldn't sway me unless Subaru said they were ditching the STI.

[Mechie3]

Originally Posted by distorto

that was the turbo pt cruiser.

No, I just remembered wrong. The Dodge Caliber mule was disguised as a PT cruiser because it fit with minimal chopping required.

Originally Posted by CopperTopNWOR;379312
85

Most people don't utilize a vehicle properly. How many women do you see driving around in Suburbans and giant SUV's with only two kids because they happen to use it to tow a boat or camper once or twice a year?

The truth is most of us are only "utilizing" our vehicles for what they were designed a few times a year at best. Why worry about it. That being said, I do wish my WRX had the LSD's from the STI. Don't really want the other bits but the real LSD's would be nice to have.

I missed the LSD's when I started to get really serious about autocross. Realized it wasn't financially smart to build an ESP WRX full bore, so I kept it as a quick DD and bought an Fmod. For DD, I couldn't have cared less if the LSD's were there or not.

[JustyWRC]

[quote=chanomatik;37931142]
The WRX was meant to showcase what could be done with the Impreza. The STI was meant to expound on that. This is why I've suggested to ONLY have the STI since the WRX will no longer be an Impreza. Just the WRX and the STI. So many people want so many little STI parts that I'd rather have several different STI trims.

quote]


I believe the Impreza was brought about because of the WRC. Subaru needed something smaller than the Legacy they were using. If I remember correctly, WRX stood for World Rally X-perimental. Subaru just decided to have a street version of their rally car.

[RallyColtTurbo]

Originally Posted by JustyWRC

I believe the Impreza was brought about because of the WRC. Subaru needed something smaller than the Legacy they were using. If I remember correctly, WRX stood for World Rally X-perimental. Subaru just decided to have a street version of their rally car.

The Impreza was intended to run in the WRC from day 1, so it was designed with that in mind - using the original Legacy as a starting point. However, I think the actual reason for it's existance was that the Loyale was desperately outdated.

In any case, between the original Legacy and the WRC influence, the chassis lasted 15 years (until 2007). I don't think the run would have been nearly that long without the lessons learned on the stages.

[JustyWRC]

Originally Posted by RallyColtTurbo

The Impreza was intended to run in the WRC from day 1, so it was designed with that in mind - using the original Legacy as a starting point. However, I think the actual reason for it's existance was that the Loyale was desperately outdated.

In any case, between the original Legacy and the WRC influence, the chassis lasted 15 years (until 2007). I don't think the run would have been nearly that long without the lessons learned on the stages.

Agreed. I remember driving the first Impreza that came in at my dealer of the time in VA. That car has sure come a looooooong way from the 1.8L. Thinking about it now, it seems like such a turd at 110hp; but at the time, I had a 68hp Justy, so I thought it was a "WRX" in comparison.

[spaceywilly]

Originally Posted by JustyWRC

I believe the Impreza was brought about because of the WRC. Subaru needed something smaller than the Legacy they were using. If I remember correctly, WRX stood for World Rally X-perimental. Subaru just decided to have a street version of their rally car.

This is correct, it was designed with input from Prodrive, as any who has watched the Impreza story would already know

The Subaru Impreza Story - YouTube

The Subaru Impreza Story - YouTube

[chanomatik]

Good info! I've been meaning to watch that, but just haven't sat down long enough to do so.

Since this was all before my time I've base most of my Subaru history on what I've read from other articles. What I read was that the Legacy was doing very well, but Subaru decided that they could make a car that was more entry-level. I thought that's what the purpose of the Loyale was compared to the Legacy? And then the Impreza just replaced that and also happened to be suitable for WRC?

I always read that the "X" in "WRX" was left unexplained purposely to keep it mysterious.

[Snow Drift]

Originally Posted by Calamity Jesus

That was also the Toyota... who isn't as secretive as Subaru.

Uh, they were all Subaru. Subaru developed the BRZ/FR-S/86. It even has Subaru rims even though it has the Toyota front clip. Either way, that was a nearly production ready car testing on the NBR.

[Snow Drift]

Originally Posted by chanomatik

I always read that the "X" in "WRX" was left unexplained purposely to keep it mysterious.

I believe it is well know to mean World Rally eXperiment.

[chanomatik]

Originally Posted by Snow Drift

I believe it is well know to mean World Rally eXperiment.

Today was the first time I've ever heard "eXperiment". Kinda lame and wish I hadn't found out.

[Otobot]

Originally Posted by chanomatik

Today was the first time I've ever heard "eXperiment". Kinda lame and wish I hadn't found out.

Haha, I feel the same way, I always knew the W and R probably meant World Rally but never figured the X.