Subaru has unveiled its new generation AWD Impreza World Rally Car a week ahead of its motorsport debut at the Acropolis Rally in Greece on the 29th. For the first time, the Subaru World Rally Team (SWRT) will use a hatchback design as well as its new blue and silver (as opposed to yellow) color scheme for the race car.
The car features a longer 2,635mm wheelbase with shorter front and rear overhangs than the previous model, and in line with its hatchback design the rear wing is fitted to the tailgate. Power comes from the familiar turbocharged 2.0L horizontally opposed four-cylinder boxer engine and peaks at 224kW (300hp). Torque from the turbo mill is abundant at 650Nm.
The transmission is a six-speed sequential electro-hydraulic unit, and the center differential gets electro-hydraulic control as well for on-the-fly adjustments to drive bias for the tough traction requirements of professional rally racing. Front and rear MacPherson strut suspension provides durability and solid handling.
AP Racing brakes measuring 310mm for off-road courses and 378mm for tarmac use are clamped by six-pot calipers for plenty of stopping power. Wheels are BBS brand, with 18-inch rims specified for tarmac races and smaller 15-inch rims for gravel races that require taller tires.
The car's weight is capped at the 1,230kg (2,706lb) minimum per WRC rules.
The SWRT has won the World Rally Manufacturers’ Championship in 1995, 1996 and 1997, and the Driver’s Championship in 1995, 2001 and 2003. This year’s drivers include Australia’s Chris Atkinson and Norwegian Petter Solberg.
2008 Subaru WRX STI World Rally Championship car
Reader Comments
Tue May 20 2008 10:23 PM
Gus says
Looks fierce.
WRC Rally racing, the ultimate motorsport. As an American, I can honestly say that anything else is bunk. Now, I can understand why this probably isn't the best spectator sport, since sitting around watching the occasional car zoom by can be patience testing, but watching cars go around an oval track is my definition of boredom.
As a TV sport, WRC is unbeatable...
Tue May 20 2008 10:23 PM
chris says
finally, petter wont have to contemplate suicide after every race ends with him on the side of the road.
Tue May 20 2008 10:53 PM
Wizards Lore says
probably stupid questions...but for someone in the know out there !!
the roof scoop. Is that for ventilation into the cabin ?
And the lack of the bonnet scoop, i assumed it wasa for air cooling of the engine or was it purely an aesthetic on the road going car?
Wed May 21 2008 6:08 AM
chris says
wizard: yeah I don't know for sure but I would think interior ventilation. I think for motorsports you can increase downforce if you do your best to pull in air from as low as possible. These cars dont exactly have ground effects, more like skid plates, but if the upper and lowwer grilles there aren't enough I'd bet theres more intact under the car.
I'm really starting to fall in love with this car. I mean really.
Gus: I can't even argue that one bit. but realize, WRC is free to watch, and the cars are separated by 2-3 minutes. you watch a feild of 20-100 cars combe by, that is a good amount of racing. The one area that comes to mind for spectators is one of the up hill hairpins on the early 2000 spanish rally. they've since changed the course but this one hairpin used to be basically a huge natural amphitheatre and I'd guess there would be 10,000 spectators sitting around this turn. not a bad way to spend a couple hours... watching some of the most tallented drivers in the world, drive vehicles that are strongly modified versions of cars that you can buy, going 40kmph sideways on roadways you can drive down.
I won't lie, I've definitely pulled the hand brake on my focus many times... even had my friends help me out by making sure no cars came onto a 9 km section of road in a local national park at around 3am... and blew through the whole thing... managed to average 90 kmph on a piece of tarmac that is barely wide enough for two cars.. winding through trees and hills.. probably the dumbest thing I've ever done, but well worth the risk.
....maybe i'm better off if ford doesnt come out with an AWD hot hatch focus or fiesta.
Wed May 21 2008 7:50 AM
Ivan says
Wizard: Stock Impreza WRX has turbo intercooler mounted above the engine. The hood scoop us used to cool the intercooler, which is rather small in size, given it's position, but good enough for regular car.
On WRC car, intercooler is mounter in front of car (usually under the engine radiator), so there's no need for scoop.
Wed May 21 2008 7:52 AM
chris says
Ivan; thanks, that sounds right. good call.
Wed May 21 2008 10:10 AM
Gus says
That's just it, the talent.
See, a WRC driver can get into a NAAAASCAWR or an EFFF 1 car and drive the spit out of it. A Nascar or F1 driver going 100mph with trees and spectators inches away from them in the snow and in the air would s**t themselves.
Wed May 21 2008 10:58 AM
chris says
do you call that talent or lack of rational centers in the brain? What I find rediculous are the videos from the 80's when the audi quattro made WRC hotter than dirty sex and everyone and their grandmother came out to see the stupid car.. you've got people lined up on either side of the road, 100 deep, and even on the road, to the point where theres just enough room for the car to drive through. and they're still doing 100 mph... and of course there are the special spectators that are literally standing in the course.. to the point where they have to run out of the way when the car comes... see around 0:14s for a visual:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lX1wZ6aBAcM
Thu May 22 2008 6:55 PM
Wizards Lore says
cheers guys for the feedback.
and chris...i remember those videos....still remember Audis Pikes Peak thrashing....i can access the youtube here, but will llook later...but i do remember cars coming screaming around corners and people half way out into the middle of the oad watching the car coming right at them and then remembering it was actualyy THEIR responsibilty to get out of the way !! hahah
Thu May 29 2008 5:29 PM
chris says
yeah.. wizard.. now they have track marshalls that will cancel stages based on the risk/number of spectators. i'm only 23 but.. this generation is getting soft. I know.
yeah pikes peak is an amazing video to watch. just incredible. I couldnt imagine averaging over 100mph in a car on dirt so dry and fine it's basically moon dust, and all this while power sliding around corners that have no guard rails and end thousands of feet downward.
Thu May 29 2008 5:56 PM
Wizards Lore says
yea that was back when cars had more power than was actually safe to have and the drivers had to wrestle the cars to go or do anything anywhere...
Any fans who have not seen Audis hit up on Pikes Peak i implore you to have a look...it will blow you away the skill the that is required to navigate that track, and the speeds travelled. Balls of steel that driver had.....
Thu May 29 2008 7:41 PM
02Chuck says
Remember that MIchelle Mouton won Pikes Peak in 1985 for Audi the firat time.
THe Vids of the Pikes Peak runs are really cool!!!
Mon Jun 23 2008 11:04 PM
Name (required) says
OMFG!!! THAT PIKES PEAK VIDEO WAS AWSOME!!!! MISTER AUDI U FUCCIN ROCK FOR INVENTING THE SPORT OF RALLYING UR A GOODDAMN BADASS NAZI BASTARD I CANNOT EXPRESS MY LOVE FOR U!!!!! (yea i know he's prolly not a nazi!) NOW THAT IS WHAT I CALL RACING!!! PUT UR LIFE ON THE LINE TO PROVE U ARE BETTER :D! YOUR EITHER THE BEST OR UR THE GUY DOWN THE CLIFF!!! WRC makes nascar look womanly !!! THAT TAKES BALLS OF STEEL!!! I LUV U GODDAMN GERMANS!!! U MAKE GOOD CARS!!!! NEXT CAR IM BUYING IS A AUDI OR SUBIE!!!!! THOSE GUYS ARE AMAZING!!! ONE ALMOST FELL OFF THE CLIFF AND THATS A LONG DROP!!!!!!
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