Subaru is hard at work on the successor to the legendary Impreza WRX. Spy photographers recently caught several camouflaged test vehicles strutting their stuff. The shots lead us to believe that the new car will be a hatchback, drawing its design inspiration from the ’00 B5-THP concept car. The change from four doors to five will throw the WRX STI against cars like the Volkswagen Golf GTI, Opel Astra OPC and Ford Focus ST. Do the European and American hot-hatches stand a chance?
Although Americans are supposedly hatch aversive, the arrival of the MINI, Audi's “premium compact,” sales of the not-for-fairies Dodge Caliber and the emergence of the “hatches on stilts” CUV genre have all paved the way for a Subaru WRX STI five-door. Equally important, the current Impreza is having a hard time competing against European hot hatches and wagons. Audi's new S3 and BMW's 130i have extended the battle into Subie’s (and the Mitsubishi Evo's) happy hunting grounds. By adding a fifth door, maintaining the brand's astounding value-for-money pricing, and keeping the model's supercar slaying performance, a Subaru Impreza hatchback could recapture lost ground from higher-priced competitors, and obliterate its peers.
The B5-THP’s fancy hybrid technology will not make it to production, but some of its design lines certainly will. At our behest, artist Andrei Avarvarii examined the next gen WRX spy shots and prepared two computer illustrations to give TTAC readers a feel for where the next WRX may be heading.
Judging from the photos, the B5-THP concept’s front fascia seems fairly close to production. The headlights will get conventional lamps while maintaining their radical shape. Same for the radiator grille, which will feature the usual black plastic net instead of the concept’s shiny, painted look.
The STI's aggressive front spoiler will host a enlarged air intake to meet the turbocharged boxer engine’s cooling needs. A fully functional hood scoop will also remain in situ, continuing to project the WRX’ extreme capabilities and rally heritage. To that end, large round fog lights will extend and complete the snout’s rally-car look.
The new WRX’ rear will drop the fantasy optics of the B5-THP for conventional lights, with a different shape (but similar technology) to that of the current models. The sportier-looking exhaust will be probably divided in two, to accommodate the boxer engine’s two banks of cylinders.
Mechanically, the new Impreza WRX will be an evolution, not a revolution. The model will continue to use technology developed for and borrowed from the company’s phenomenally capable WRC rally cars. Obviously, racing technology marches on; so there’s plenty of scope suspension and drivetrain upgrades– that will increase the car’s hard-man reputation for extreme performance.
Although the new WRX STI's turbo boxer engine will still displace 2.5 liters, rumor has it that the updated blower will boost power (so to speak) to 330hp, perhaps more in selected markets (in Japan, a “gentlemen’s agreement” limits a vehicle’s power output to 280hp). Subaru’s engineers have also addressed the powerplant’s lack of bottom end torque– one of the few chinks in the WRX’ mechanical armory.
The WRX STI's legendary four-wheel drive system is slated to be fitted with new active differentials. It’s not known, but likely, that some of the components will made out of high-strength, low-weight aluminum, as more and more automotive manufacturers are turning to the material to try to save weight, to increase performance without raising fuel consumption.
The WRX STI's interior is a question mark. Subaru would have to be deaf, dumb and blind not to know they need to raise the WRX' cabin's game to meet the encroaching threat of the premium hot hatches. Whether or not the WRX will sacrifice some of its maniacal nature to achieve greater ride comfort is another quandary that won't be answered for some time yet. On one hand, a more civilized Impreza would make serious inroads into the hatchback market. On the other hand, the car's take-no-prisoners nature has won it a large and devoted following– who would not want the car to go "soft" in any way, shape or form.
A launch date for the new WRX STI has not been officially announced. Judging from the current test car’s level of development, the new STI should be ready for production in late 2008.
[For more of Mr. Avavarii's work, please visit www.spyshots.carbonmade.com]
I wouldn’t worry too much about the WRX’s interior if the new Legacy / Outback is any indication. It’s not Audi quality, but it’s good for its price point with solid fit and finish and ergonomics. It’s definitely head and shoulders above the current Impreza and Forester cabins.
Wow. Thats ugly.
No offense to the Photoshopper. Its well done and all. But whew, that concept car is not a pretty place to start.
What is it with everyone trying to copy BMW’s “smoothie car” look? Those taillights look like they were tacked on at the last second.
I think it’s Subaru’s eternal mission to produce weirdest, ugliest cars in its class (although in this case, the new Legacy is a miserable failure).
Speaking of Legacy, I wonder why Subaru is hammering it out of the performance area. The 05 base GT was a great model (which I had, and, unfortunately, it met a tree shortly after I got it). The 06, you can only get the heavier GT-L, and for 07, power output is down to 243hp and still no base GT. 7hp loss and 100lb weight gain don’t sound like much, but in the face of ever-improving competition, it becomes a deal-breaker.
Alex: I thought the change in HP rating was just due to the new SAE rules. I agree that the lack of a plain GT model is disappointing. Subaru has an unfortunate tendency to bundle features – you can only get stability control if you get navigation, for instance.
Johnny…
MSN shows a curb weight of ~3351 lbs for the STI.
http://autos.msn.com/research/vip/spec_Exterior.aspx?year=2006&make=Subaru&model=Impreza&trimid=-1
~11.7lbs/hp
Hmmm
Apparently Subaru have already ditched the ‘flying vagina’ grille …
http://carsguide.news.com.au/story/0,20384,20248914-21822,00.html
And the latest spy shots I’ve seen of the WRX don’t look anything like B5 concept …
http://www.thecarconnection.com/Enthusiasts/Spy_Shots/Spy_Shots_2008_Subaru_WRX.S178.A10857.html
I am pretty sure that you need to see these photos to read the article.
http://www.autoblog.com/2006/09/13/spy-shots-2008-subaru-impreza-wrx-hatch/
Also remeber that the hatch is going to come in 3 door and 5 door formats. It is based on the shortened Legacy platform and will be competing directly against the A3 and Gti.
I have always admired subarus in spite of the often hideous appearance of them. Unfortunately, my theory (that the 05 legacy being a looker was in fact a design fluke) may have been proven correct if these pics are anything close to reality.
Maybe they can pay Maria Sharapova to do her “I feel pretty” advertising magic for the new WRX???
Qfrog — good call — teh STI is 3350. The standard WRX is abotu 3150 and the wagon is 50 or so pounds heavier than that.
Hopefully, the STI version will be available as the 5-Door, cause I’ll buy one.
Actually… I’d buy a three door as well.
Go Subaru!
If I owned a dog that was as ugly as those things, I would shave its hind end and make it walk around backwards.
I’m not sure how the artist got from the recent photos to that contraption, but I think he’s off the mark. And I can only hope way off the mark, as that hideous beast will never find a place in my driveway next to my current WRX.
Um, part of a WRX being a WRX is to-the-bone ugliness.
I hope the actual car is even uglier.
I want it to look like a burn victim.
I don’t like the look of the current WRXs at all. If these images are accurate, the new one is going to have much more appealing aesthetics in my view, even though the straight on rear view reminds me of a Citroen Ami 6. With the new look, I could actually imagine owning one.
The new Legacy isn’t ugly. But then again, I like Omnis.
I would rather drive a burn victim than that yellow one.
The yellow one looks basically the same as the current one.
Which I happily drive.
I’m still partial to my bug-eye ’02. Had the opportunity to step up to the new STi, but opted for a complete driveline swap and engine/turbo upgrade. I love Subaru, but I’m not so hot on the Version 8 Impreza nose…this artist rendition seems to clean it up a bit, but not enough to make me change my upgrade plans. Regardless, I can hope the new WRX and WRX STi (they are two very different models, after all) continue to represent themselves well in performance tests. Can’t wait to have a JDM, STi 6MT in my ol’ bug-eye. :)
I thought the supposed gentelmen’s 280hp agreement was long gone. BTW, who the hell agreed to that dumb agreement in the first place?
Wow, that was a kick in my sense of reality! The WRX being cross shopped with an Audi A3? What’s just happened?
I guess I’m still thinking of the old 2.0 blown to 220 hp. No torque until 3500 rpm and then it screams at ya, kicks you in the back until you come back to your senses, or pee your pants.
The WRX is a cheap ass ugly compact with a big engine. Has anyone cared about the interior? or comfort? or anything remotely disconnected from engine and ride? … didn’t think so.
This concept and rendering is ugly, but who cares, see previous paragraph.
Why on earth are they making it a hatchback? Is there some logical reason for this, or are they just trying to be different? It just looks like a Focus with a hood scoop.
They are making it a hatch because the small size of a hatch is a tremendous advantage in the World Rally Championship where Subaru made the WRX legend. Now they get beat by citreons as the WRX is just not as wieldly.
The plane inspired grill has been a flop, so it is being binned by Subaru, thankfully, so I don’t think these photos really give an idea of the design direction.
Huh, learn something every day.
+1 to Johnny,
the rex has to be ugly yo maintain exclusivity.
Here is a better picture of the new impreza
http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1110605&page=2
Wow! Sad….about Mr. Zapatina’s grille design…
I was looking foward to owning an entire fleet of Flying Vagina’s – trading in my Spec. B and starting with the new STi then getting bigger ones from there.
I M 29 years old and i have my first impreza from 21 years old. I M happy with my car and i have 160,000 happy k.m. IN CASE THAT THIS WOULD BE THE NEXT DESIGN OF IMPREZA I WOULD SALE IT MY OWN AND I WILL DON T WONT TO HEAR ABOUT IT AGAIN>