The new Subaru Impreza WRC

[Marco_Wrc]

At the Rally of Mexico Subaru will race with their new Impreza.

I wonder how this car will look like so I searched around a bit and found the following pictures.





These pics are different in that the first one seems to be a hatchback(?) and the other a sedan.
So I guess the latter one could be the possible next Impreza.
(But I think this is just a concept picture, notice the Pirelli decal, that should be BF Goodrich as of this year)

Anyone who can share a light on this?

[Marco_Wrc]

What's this? Could this be the next Impreza?

It's a testrun on the 7th of December 2006 in Catalunya on a surface similar to Maxico.

[ales]

Very likely it is. I have to admit, though, that I've not paid much attention to the 06 Scooby, so I have no idea what's different.

[freakray]

All indications are that the 2008 Impreza will be a hatchback, photos which have appeared in auto magazines of a disguised test car from Subaru showed a 4 door hatch was definitely the same chassis size as an Impreza.

[Marco_Wrc]

I'm not so sure about that hatchback Ray. Maybe it'll be the new streetversion of the Subaru Impreza (and maybe in the future the new WRC).
But for rally Mexico I think we'll see an updated sedan.

Here are some pictures of the link I posted:



Differences I can spot are the (repositioning of the) opening vents in the bonnet (just like the 1999 version) and repositioning of the exhaust.

Someone posted a link on the rallycarmodelgroup:
It's the hatchback version.




I just found some more test pictures which show the sedan version:
In my opinion it's more plausible we'll see this one in March.

[Marco_Wrc]

Found an interview with Chris Atkinson (source crash.net) in which he says he has driven the new Impreza at the start of december.

When you look at the pictures of the link I posted earlier you see him testdriving the car, and that's on the 7th of December.

Draw your conclusions.

Q:
Staying with testing, have you driven the new car yet?

CA:
I drove it at the start of December and we are testing with it next week as well. I will know more then. Obviously the first time I drove it, it was the first test and although the initial feeling was good, I will wait and see.

Q:
You said the 'initial feeling' was good. Can you elaborate on that? How is the 2007 spec Impreza better?

CA:
I can probably explain more after the test next week, but they have worked on the balance of the car and on addressing all of the problems we had last year. It is heading in a good direction.

[freakray]

I disagree, that sedan appears to be an '07 model with aerodynamic mods.

[Marco_Wrc]

Hmm, are you sure we'll see the hatchback in Mexico in March?

Originally Posted by freakray

I disagree, that sedan appears to be an '07 model with aerodynamic mods.

[freakray]

To be honest Marco, I can't answer that one. I know that the only photos of any type I've seen of the '08 Impreza are a hatch and I know that those photos clearly show an '06/'07 body style. Perhaps there's an '08 drivetrain under the skin they're testing?

BTW, look at those rcmg photos carefully, those are a low grade photo chop.

[freakray]

Confirmed, the car testing in those photos is a 2008 version transmission under a 2007 skin - Subaru wanted to move forward with the development of the rally car without revealing the shape of the new Impreza.

Sneaky Subaru, very sneaky

[Marco_Wrc]

The new Impreza was revealed today.

Here's some interesting reading.

Yeah baby:




Hopefully it will perform good in Mexico.

[turtlecrxsi]

I am glad they stayed with the sedan. The hatch looks really forced... photochopped like Ray said and not very Subaru-like at all.

[freakray]

Take note guys, the 2007 Impreza WRC is a 2007 model, it is NOT the 2008 model which will be a new body style.

[madan80]

Along with the Evo X, the new WRX launch is a head to head. I read a rewivew a while back that said that the new WRX is a hatch. it looks HOT! sigh! if only they launch it here!