2008 Subaru Impreza WRX Motoring
Channel Staff - 28/Mar/2007 | 
Subaru Impreza WRX
The new WRX hatch is a very different
looking car to its forebear and plans for
the sedan WRX may have been scrapped
Restyled WrexWell, it's been leaked,
and now the WRX cat is out of the bag. And the verdict? Most people
questioned in this office were ambivalent at best, and I reckon the car
has lost a fair bit of its aggression with this new style. It used to
look more athletic, and now there's a really chunky Euro-hatch thing
going on, and it will be interesting to see if previous owners accept
the new 2008 model. The worst part of the new design has to be
the brake lights. They are simply not very nice to look at, with
little creativity in their design, looking like
a copy from some mid-1990s car rather than a design that will
ring-in 2010. While
the front of the car is not quite as dour, it has a certain Hyundai
look to the headlights and grille, but it's good to see the trademark
bonnet scoop is back, adding a much-needed level of anger. Currently
there is discussion among forums and other motoring websites suggesting
that these images are not the real deal. We can only hope... - Feann Torr, Editor |
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New York, USA —
Even though the STI won't break cover until 2008, images for the
new Subaru WRX have leaked onto the 'Net ahead of an embargo. The car
is to be officially launched (and revealed) at the New York Motor Show, which kicks off on Friday April the 6th. Fans
of the current Impreza shape may need to take a seat - the new model is
markedly different, taking some of its design cues from a
2005 concept car, the B5-TPH. The design of the hatch model appears to
be more curvy than the previous version, with a more rounded rump that
creates a profile reminiscent of the BMW 130i. It's
clear that Subaru have decided to inject some 'Euro' styling in its new
performance hatch, and though many people will be hoping the images are
hoaxes, they appear to be scans taken from a magazine and are likely to
be the real deal. The front end features new headlight
clusters and a new front apron complete with an all-new grille, giving
the car a Mazda3-ish look, while the famous hood scoop is as prominent
as ever, only with a sleeker implementation that more seamlessly
integrates into the WRX's smoother lines. The inclusion of a
new-look grille is also confirmation that Subaru's 'triple
element' grille is no longer part of the Subaru design
ethos. Andreas Zapatinas was the man behind the new triple
element, or propeller grille, which polarised opinion because of its
radical design, and hence the new Impreza WRX grille does not use the
triple element design seen on cars like the B9. It is also believed
that the triple grille design will not be used in future due to the
backlash from the media and the public. As mentioned
already, from the side the 2008 Subaru WRX appears much curvier than
its originators and has a similarity to the BMW 1 Series profile, while
from the rear the design seems to have been neglected by Subaru's
current head of design. The new look brake lights - while stacked with
LEDs - are not complimentary to the rear end, which has a more squat
stance. The rear apron looks slightly better, with a decent diffuser
section with a nicely integrated exhaust outlet. Apart
from the major change - the exterior design - not a lot is expected to
change in the new model's underpinnings. The engine types are expected
to be of the 2.0- and 2.5-litre turbocharged nature, though they are
likely to get small hikes in power to possibly 175kW or about 235hp. Subaru's
symmetrical all-wheel drive system will be retained, as will 18-inch
wheels with sports tyres. The Subaru WRX STI model that will compete
with the new Mitsubishi Evolution X will not be revealed until next
year. Related
articles:
- Subaru
Impreza WRX (Road
Test)
- Subaru
Forester XT (Road Test)
- Subaru WRX - Tuned by STI (2007)
- Subaru Develops Diesel Boxer Engine (2007)
- Subaru
Liberty Blitzen (2006)
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