Subaru Impreza 2008 News

That their idol has been defiled by marketing executives.

This is despite new STi's ability to sprint to 100km/h in about 5.0 seconds, a little quicker than its predecessor.

It was put to use last week for the pricing of the new Impreza STi (right), which is going to put huge pressure on the new Mitsubishi Evo X with its predicted pricing in the $70,000 range.

Subaru officially launched the third-generation 2008 “Rex” today to motoring writers at Simmons Plains Raceway.

Only 550 of the Brooklands model Bentleys are available worldwide."They are tailor-made to the exact specifications of each customer,” said Sue Young, the spokeswoman for Queensland Bentley.Ms Young said the Brisbane buyer wanted to remain anonymous, as did two other Queenslanders who have expressed an interest in getting one of the luxury coupes.She said all three currently own a Bentley Arnage T, worth about $545,000.Maserati's latest GranTurismo will be seen in Australia for the first time at the show, which opens at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre at noon on 1, February 2008.The sports car's appeal seems to have outweighed its $293,000 price tag, because 150 Australian orders have already been taken for the new model, including 20 from Queensland, according the company's Australian general manager, Edward Butler.No other Maserati has sold as quickly and the waiting list for the 2008 GranTurismo is greater than the firm's Australian and New Zealand sales last year, Mr Butler said.Luxury-car sellers say their models have become increasingly popular with younger professionals."The 20 to 35-year age group is taking a much bigger slice of the market share,” said Audi Centre Brisbane dealer principal Greg Willims. “There is no doubt the prosperity in Queensland is growing.”Adam O'Brien, of Brisbane Prestige Cars in Fortitude Valley, said manufacturers were working harder to attract young customers in a bid to keep them for life.Danny Singh, 31, of Brendale in Brisbane's northwest, recently bought a luxury H3 Hummer from Brisbane Prestige Cars for $70,000 then spent a further $15,000 on modifications.Also making their Australian debuts at the show will be new-look versions of cult street machines the Subaru WRX STi, the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution — known as the Evo X to fans because it is the 10th in the series.Both are expected to be in the $60,000 bracket.Australia will be represented in the go-fast stakes by a Ford Performance Vehicles version of the Territory SUV, the yet-to-be-released F6 X all-wheel-drive wagon.Brisbane International Motor Show, Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre, South Bank, runs from Friday to February 10; Monday to Saturday, 10am-10pm; Sunday, 10am-6pm. Adults $17.50, children $10.

For performance enthusiasts it is like winning the lottery twice.

A hectic 2007 proved to be lucrative for the car industry with a plethora of new cars launched and more than a million sales throughout the year. And there's no indication that it will be slowing down in 2008.AUDI The new A4, to rival the 3 Series and C-Class is expected here about April, while July will see the hot sports wagon, the RS6 Avant and the A3 Cabrio. Extra A5 variants will follow. BMWBMW has a busy year ahead, starting with the 320d and 335i touring this month. The 1 Series Coupe will go on sale around April, followed by the convertible in May-June. But its big one for the year will be the new X6 Sports Activity Coupe, arriving between July and September. It comes with three engine variants, all twin-turbo, an in-line six, a 3.0-litre diesel and a 300kW 4.4-litre V8. Pricing is expected to start at just under $100,000. And the X5 scores a new engine in February, with the first variable twin turbo diesel offered in the range. CHRYSLER/JEEPJanuary will be a busy month for Chrysler, with the Sebring Cabrio and Grand Voyager people mover both arriving in Australia. The Jeep Cherokee will also get a total makeover. CITROENBased on the C4 Picasso, but bigger and better equipped, Citroen will introduce the Berlingo van between July and September, with a mainly diesel range. This will make room in the line-up for the new Nemo small van mid-year. The C5 will also get a new V6 diesel engine.FERRARIDeliveries of the exquisite F430 Scuderia, priced at about $550,000, will start mid year. Only about 40 will come to Australia and New Zealand. FIAT The reincarnation of the 1960s Bambino will arrive in March, but Fiat has already sold the first four months' supply. The new Fiat 500 will have three engine choices, a 1.2-litre petrol, a 75kW 1.4-litre petrol engine or a 56kW 1.3-litre turbo diesel. Pricing is expected to start from $22,000. The new Ritmo will join the Fiat 500 in March with pricing from $30,000. FORD One of the biggest launches for the year will be the new Falcon. Ford will release details of the new model in February and it's expected to be followed by an unveiling at the Melbourne motor show in the same month, with the official launch around May.FPV FPV will start the year with a new model, the hot turbo Territory, known as the F6 X model. It's the first non-Falcon model from FPV, with 270kW and 550Nm. The FPV Falcon range will also arrive this year. HOLDEN/CADILLACWith Ford's big year planned, you can't expect Holden to keep quiet. But so far, Holden has only announced it is expecting the VE Sportwagon, due in the first half of the year. GM-Holden is also introducing Cadillac with the first model due late in 2008. HONDA Honda will start the year with the new Accord model, due to be launched in February. The small Jazz is also getting an update after the middle of the year. Details on the new generation will be released closer to the launch. The Accord Euro is also expected to arrive later this year. HYUNDAI No big launches just yet, although an upgraded Sonata is expected mid year. JAGUARJaguar's major release for the year will be the new XF in June, with pricing expected to start from $105,000. It will be available in a V6 diesel, as well as a V6 and V8 petrol. KIAPreviewed at the Sydney motor show last year, Kia will launch its new seven-seater Rondo crossover in February. It is expected to start from as low as the mid-$20,000 mark. LEXUSNew for Lexus will be the LX570 around April or May, followed by the IS-F towards the end of the year. Details still to come. MAZDAThe second-generation Mazda6 will go on sale at the end of February with pricing from less than $30,000. It will be powered by a 2.5-litre, four cylinder engine, with 125kW and 226Nm.MERCEDES-BENZThe first arrival for Mercedes-Benz is expected to be the C 63 AMG in mid March. It will be followed by the S 320CDI, priced at $189,874 and the C-Class wagon, which will carry a $3000 premium over the sedan, coming in just under $60,000. MINIAnother new version of a 1960s cult car is also headed our way, with the Mini Clubman launched in February. The modern successor of the Morris Mini Traveller, the Austin Mini Countryman and the Mini Clubman Estate won't get into showrooms until March or April. Pricing will start in the mid-$30,000 area. MITSUBISHIMitsubishi will release two turbocharged Lancers this year. The top-level Lancer Evo X GSR will be here in April and sell for about $58,000. The 2.0-litre four cylinder turbo engine pumps out 200kW and 422Nm. Joining it will be the detuned version in the Ralliart all-wheel drive, at about $40,000. NISSANNissan's first addition for the year will be the all-wheel-drive wagon, the Dualis. Starting at $28,990 and stretching to $35,990, it's powered by a 102kW, 2.0-litre engine. PEUGEOTThe big launch for Peugeot will be the 308 replacing the 307 range, which will start with the 308 hatch in February in both petrol and diesel guises. The touring will follow in June or July, with the 308cc model a prospect for late 2008 or early 2009. PROTONProton has announced the Persona, based on the Gen2 hatch platform, will make its debut at the Melbourne motor show in late February, going on sale in March. It will be priced around the mid-teens. The Gen2 will also get engine updates and minor styling changes. RENAULTThe all-new Laguna will go on sale mid-year with a 2.0-litre diesel engine. SAABJune sees the arrival of the Turbo X AWD. SSANGYONGThe South Korean company will go completely diesel in 2008, with no more petrol engines on offer in Australia. SMARTThe new Fortwo arrives in Australia in February. The one-model brand will get both the 52kW and 62kW models, in hatch and cabrio, being bigger than the current models. SUBARUThe star WRX STi comes in February with a 2.5-litre turbocharged engine, although pricing is still to come. The third generation Forester arrives in March. SUZUKIFebruary's proving to be a busy month, with Suzuki also launching its Grand Vitara diesel. TOYOTAAfter a big year in 2007, Toyota is expecting a quiet year, with only the TRD Hilux due to be launched in April-June. VOLKSWAGENVolkswagen will kick off the year with the SUV, the Touareg R50, to be released in April. It's powered by a 258kW V10 TDI engine. The Tiguan also arrives about October.  VOLVOThe recently launched XC70 arrives in showrooms this month, joined by the C30 diesel also in January. It's priced at $43,950. A base model C30 will also enter the line-up, at $34,450. A 3.0-litre six-cylinder engined V70 will arrive in March. 

The meanest Impreza of them all has moved upmarket away from the boy racers who have so passionately adapted the super-fast small cars.Its price alone will scare a lot of them away, with Subaru stating two STI models will cost somewhere between $60,000 and $70,000 when the cars arrive in Australia next February; a significant increase over the previous model's $56,990.The STI is a more exclusive model than the last, with changes that can be picked at first sight. Subaru has given the STI its own unique and menacing body shell; complete with pumped-out front and rear guards.The panel changes are significant, with only the bonnet, front doors, roof and rear hatch in common with the standard WRX.Its wide wheel arches not only look cool, but allow for the STI's front and rear track (the distance across the axles) to be increased by 40mm and 45mm respectively, which gives the car a greater footprint than the just-introduced WRX.While the STI's wheelbase is the same as the new WRX, it is longer than the previous model.The STI is available only as a hatch and Subaru insists there will be no STI sedan.Subaru actually designed the new STI before the other Impreza models. It wanted to build a car that could win the World Rally Championship after years of poor results.The engineers decided a hatchback was the best possible solution as it offered a longer wheelbase with less front and rear overhang.Of course, the WRC car will have a very different mechanical make-up, but the base and body are the same as the STI road car.While some STI fans will mourn the passing of the sedan, there are other advantages for switching to a hatch apart from the handling benefits, including increased headroom for the rear passengers.There are also more improvements under the bonnet, including a power total that rises from 206kW to 221kW at 6000 revs and raising torque from 392Nm to 407Nm at 4000 revs.The engine is still a 2.5-litre turbocharged boxer, but several changes have been made to boost its responsiveness as well as peak power and torque.The last STI engine had variable control for the inlet valves but not for the exhaust valve. Now they are both variable, making the engine meatier. There is also a bigger intercooler, redesigned turbo, a more free-flowing exhaust for less back pressure and the repositioning of the catalyst closer to the engine.The same 2.5-litre engine is used for all Subaru STI export countries, while the domestic market uses a higher-revving 2.0-litre engine with a hint more power and torque.Tests of the European STI have found the car is able to dash from 0-100km/h in just 5.2 seconds, but Subaru Australia said it would wait to carry out its own test, using its own method, before announcing the official sprint times for the local model.The new STI comes standard with a six-speed manual and there is no automatic option.The constant all-wheel-drive system uses a helical front limited-slip differential (LSD), a Torsen rear LSD and a mechanical centre differential paired to an electronic LSD.Subaru has introduced a more complex version of its centre differential control system. It now features different differential control configurations as well as the ability for the driver to manually set the front/rear drive split between 50/50 front/rear and 41/59 front/rear.STI drivers can also use the SI-Drive system which controls the engine mapping and alters the throttle character, allowing a choice between more aggressive and more conservative modes. Will consumers maintain their loyalty to the latest Subaru 'hatch' range? 

Subaru has issued a teaser shot of its eagerly anticipated new Impreza WRX STi which makes its debut at the Tokyo Motor Show on October 24.

If it comes to fruition, the Suzuki SX4 Sport, as the road car might be called, would be a direct competitor for the new Subaru WRX, which has been a dominant force in the performance small car segment for years.But the new Rex (WRX) has lost its hard performance edge and is unlikely to appeal to its traditional audience. A Suzuki hot rod could be too tantalising for keen drivers looking for a Rex replacement.It would be made in Japan, have rally cred, look the business and carry the Suzuki name which has a lot of respect.And what would be really good for Suzuki is that Nobuhiro (Monster) Tajima, one of the most dominant drivers at the frightening Pikes Peak hill climb in the US, would have direct input into the road car.It would be a finely fettled device to be sure and would quite possibly rattle the cage of good, many so-called performance models.The WRC car, is due to embark soon on its initial foray into the title challenge, which has impressive specifications.It runs a 2.0-litre, turbocharged, four-cylinder engine delivering 235kW/590Nm output. That's equivalent to a good V8 in a small car weighing 1230kg. It has a five speed sequential manual transmission and a carbon clutch. Drive is to all wheels via an electronic centre differential.The suspension is by struts using high quality adjustable dampers and the brakes are 370mm discs on the front with eight piston calipers, 355mm at the rear with four piston calipers.It's a wild looking car with a huge multi-deck rear wing protruding from the rear screen and a low centre of gravity. The wheels are 18-inch diameter and carry Michelin tyres at present.Tajima has used expertise gleaned from Pikes Peak on the WRC car so it should be able to cut it right from the outset. Tajima has built up and stored a huge knowledge base over the years and refers to it for the correct set up when racing.Obviously, any road-going version of the car wouldn't be specified to this level but it is conceivable that the SX4 Sport would be good for 150-160kW, without too much trouble and would have running gear to match, which means big brakes, firm suspension and sporty dynamics.Suzuki execs go a little bit coy when potential specification of an SX4 Sport is mentioned. They throw back the line of being more concerned about carbon dioxide emissions than sports performance. But pressure is building from many quarters within the Suzuki world, to leverage the company's involvement in motor sport and the World Rally Championship by building a road car.Otherwise, what is the point of competing?An SX4 would need to sell in the $40,000 range to be competitive and be specified to a reasonable level of luxury and safety, all of which is available from the Suzuki parts bin.Tajima would be able to tell Suzuki how to calibrate pretty well the entire car for road use while retaining a sporty flavour.The current SX4 all-wheel drive is a handy car, but lacks a hero model in the range to attract performance car buyers to Suzuki. That's where the SX4 Sport comes into the picture.It's all hypothetical right now but entirely do-able by Suzuki. Here's hoping.