Posted on Wednesday 12 September 2007
Endeavoring to prove its new Impreza is not the ugly duckling people the world over are claiming it is, Subaru has displayed an aggressively styled World Rally Championship Concept version of the car at this week’s Frankfurt Motor Show. Based on the new five-door hatch instead of the usual sedan body, the new WRC concept gives us an accurate look as to what the final competition car will look like.
Giving the car its tougher appearance are the widened fenders, twin exhausts and aggressive front bumper. The car’s five-door body was chosen as it’s said to positively affect the vehicle’s ability to spin its tail during cornering.
Other features of the WRC car include the yellow painted 18in wheels, short overhangs and the endearing four-cylinder boxer engine. The new car is expected to make its debut in next year’s WRC season as well as the American Rally Series.
Awesome looking car. MUCH better, no let me rephrase that, not even in the same league as the old car.
And it p#&*@#s me off something fierce that WRC isn’t shown on American TV, or that they have any events here. It is the absolute pinnacle of racing and driver skill. NASCAR and all pavement only race drivers should hang their heads in shame that they aren’t rally drivers…
I agree completely, but I still think the consumer version of the car has taken a definite step backwards in the looks department. And the anal retentive side of me wishes to point out that the car has gold wheels - the same as always. Not yellow.
Jus’ sayin’ . . .
This car looks GR8!
I disagree with most and think that the new Impreza looks just spot on! I like the understatement, a REAL wolf in sheep’s clothing! The epitome of a “Q car”, Lovely! It’s a real pity I’ve grown out of the Impreza’s size. I hope this is an indication of the STi to come!
I’m a hard core ford fan. My dad makes them, My moms sells them, I stay up late nights to watch WRC live on WRC.com. yes.. SPEED.. ever since you got taken over by fox, your nothing but P#$$Y NASCAR TV. thats another discussion. As a die hard fan of WRC Ford, this thing.. besides ofcourse citroen (damn you Loeb)… is my arch nemesis. inspite of that, I cried, puked, and contemplated suicide when i saw the new officials for the new subaru a couple months ago. I’m a hatch man and I thought this thing was fugly…. Its growing on me though, like the slimy mold that it is. I think the shock of the imprezza being a hatch will wear off slowly.. and people will see a pretty stylin design.. if you take off your glasses and cross your eyes anyways. Its a nice shape but there’s a couple wrinkles that they may fix come the half gen.
Let us not forget, front to rear weight distribution is one of the biggest reasons why the hatch has been used in rally as much as it has. This car has always been a Rally car modified for the street, unlike every other rally car. Its about time they moved towards a body style that lends itself more towards rally.