2008 Subaru Impreza WRX
Subaru are currently working at the successor for the Impreza WRX. Spy photographers caught several test vehicles. It appears that the new vehicle will be a hatchback and the overall design is inspired by that of the B5-THP concept car. By making the Impreza a hatchback, Subaru will throw the WRX STI against cars like the Volkswagen Golf GTI, Opel Astra OPC or Ford Focus ST. Do the European and American hot-hatches stand a chance?
As test vehicles indicate the next Impreza, including the WRX model will be offered in a hatchback body. This would be a smart move from Subaru, as the Impreza is having a hard time competing against European sedans and wagons. Thing should be a bit easier in the compact hatchback segment were the WRX could eat alive competitors such as the Golf GTI, Opel Astra OPC, Ford Focus ST and even Audi S3 or even BMW 130i. In addition, with the Subaru pricing, the Japanese vehicle could also be cheaper than the Europeans could.
The general design lines of the upcoming Impreza seem to have been previewed by the 2005 B5-TPH concept-car. While the car’s fancy hybrid technology will not make it to production, some design lines certainly will. Our team of artists has prepared several computer illustrations to point where the next WRX is heading. The front fascia of the B5 Concept seems pretty close to production. The lights will get conventional lamps but their shape is expected to be maintained. Same for the radiator grille, that will feature a regular black plastic net instead of the shiny painted one on the concept.
The front spoiler will be aggressive and will host a large air intake in order to meet the cooling needs of the turbocharged boxer engine on the WRX. The iconic air intake on the hood will be most likely preserved, as it is one element that clearly indicates what the car is. Large round fog lights complete the rally-car look of the front side.
The rear will drop the fantasy optics of the B5-THP and will feature some conventional lights, with a different shape, but similar technology to that of the current models. The exhaust will be probably divided in two, in order to follow the two banks of cylinders the engine has, and also offer a sportier look.
Three and five-doors models are expected for the hatchback models; the sedan and the station wagon, which are very likely to be kept in the range, will offer four and five doors.
Technologically speaking the Impreza WRX will be an evolution and not a revolution. Previous generations of WRX have borrowed most of their technology from the WRC rally-cars, but there are still a lot of elements to be upgraded in order to allow the production car to match the performance of the racer.
The engine will be the same 2.5 liters supercharged 4 cylinders boxer, but with an updated turbo, that will offer up to 330 bhp and even more on some markets (in Japan the power of the production vehicle is restricted by a gentleman agreement to 280 bhp). Also updated should be the high-performance four-wheel drive system featured on the WRX with new active differentials. It is not excluded that some components to be made out of aluminum, as most manufacturers these days try to save weight in order increase performance without raising the fuel consumption.
A launch date for the new Impreza has not been officially announced, but judging on the level of development of the current test cars, they should be ready for production as late as 2008.
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