Subaru Impreza News

Subaru's concept pointed to the styling of the next Impreza, due in the first quarter of 2017

Exclusive report reveals one of the biggest factors in the deaths of young drivers.

Like us, you probably want to be just like Ken Block when you grow up. Also like us, you probably lack his massive budget and specially-built Subaru Impreza or Ford Fiesta gymkhana weapons.Despair no more, as scooter brand Razor has developed the Crazy Cart, which allows anyone above the age of 9 and below 66kg to hone their Ken Block-style drift skills from the comfort of their own cul de sac.Or warehouse, as Razor’s promo clip proves. This sharply shot footage shows ‘Ken Box’ drifting a cardboard-clad ‘Mister’ livery Crazy Cart through the makeshift arena, deftly manoeuvring through a series of signature Ken Block gymkhana stunts. There’s the forklift, the ultra slo-mo close shaves, and the guy in the gorilla suit. No sign of a Segway though.Powered by rechargeable batteries, the Crazy Cart sends its power through a single wheel at the front with 360 degree steering, with two castor scooter wheels at the rear to permit extreme tail wagging action.  With December 25 approaching, we suspect many stockings will be stretched to Crazy Cart-size this year. Watch the Ken Box gymkhana video here. This reporter is on Twitter: @Mal_Flynn    

That might sound like a silly answer to a serious question, but it's the best solution for optimum shopping in the back end of 2013. You see, Korea now makes better Japanese cars than the Japanese. And that's a fact.There are some exceptions, and some categories where the Koreans are still getting a foothold, but a Hyundai i30 or a Kia Cerato is a far better choice than a Mitsubishi Lancer, a Kia Sportage makes more sense than a Honda CR-V, and a Hyundai Santa Fe is much better buying than a Toyota Kluger.This Korean tide has been rising for a while, but it's now filled showrooms with quality cars that are backed by industry-leading five-year warranties with capped-price servicing costs. The two Korean juggernauts are also serious about tuning their cars for Australian drivers and roads, which is becoming a serious selling point and also a battlefield for bragging rights between Hyundai and Kia.Even Daewoo, which was absorbed into the Holden empire to provide cut-price cars such as the Barina and Captiva, is now doing a better job as the engineering and design expertise from Fishermans Bend is absorbed deeply into the Korean content on the cars. And don't forget that the Aussie-made Cruze compact, despite its local tweaking and assembly in Adelaide, began its life at the GM Daewoo division in Korea.Without getting into a history lesson, the seismic shift between Japan and Korea comes down to three things. First is the deep-seated rivalry between the two countries, second is the well-lit path to success blazed by Japanese makers including Honda and Toyota, and third is the Global Financial Crisis. How's that?Well, nothing makes a Korean businessman happier than beating a Japanese rival, even though the Japanese were the first Asian companies to achieve success in motoring thanks to cars like the Toyota Corolla, Honda Civic and the classy machines that followed. These days, the Nissan GT-R is a legend and the Toyota LandCruiser is an icon.So the Koreans assimilated the Japanese business model for cheap, reliable and sensible cars - think of the Hyundai Elantra and Kia Rio - and then found a way to build them with similar quality at a lower price. There was a time when the cabins of Korean cars stank - because of the 'release agent' applied to plastic parts - and the assembly was slipshod and downmarket, but not today. They also have aircon with Japanese efficiency, always a pointer to intelligent engineering in Australian weather.But it's the GFC which has made the biggest difference. While the Japanese brands panicked, cutting costs and stretching the lifetimes of their cars, the Koreans accelerated their development plans, brought new models, and invested in their dealerships in Australia.The results are obvious now as many Japanese cars - we're talking about the Honda Civic and Subaru Impreza - have lost their previous edge, while others - think Mitsubishi Pajero and Subaru WRX - are way overdue for a remake.In the meantime, Hyundai is now plotting a move upmarket with its luxury Genesis models and Kia is setting a global standard for quality styling thanks to its recruiting of design genius Peter Schreyer. Best of all, when you're buying, it's the driveaway pricing that's been a Korean signature since Hyundai blazed that trail in the 1990s to get nervous shoppers over the line.This reporter is on Twitter: @paulwardgover 

Rev-heads rejoice! The new Subaru WRX promises to be the fastest ever. But the concept car unveiled at the New York motor show overnight still had to be pushed onto the stand as it didn't have an engine -- or an interior. Japan’s favourite performance car -- which has regained its styling mojo after the company brought in younger designers -- was unveiled ahead of a production car debut at the Tokyo motor show this October. The new Subaru WRX will be faster than before even though the new generation turbocharged 2.0-litre engine will be smaller and more fuel-efficient than the 2.5-litre turbo in the current model. For the first time in its 20-year history the WRX will have a completely unique body, rather than a modified version of the regular Impreza model. As a result, it will drop the Impreza name. The fourth-generation Subaru WRX will likely debut as a sleek four-door sedan, which could lead to a two-door coupe at a later date. The wagon and hatch are expected to be discontinued. Subaru says it investigated hybrid power for the new WRX (as Mitsubishi has done for the next version of its rival the Lancer Evolution) but insiders say this has been ruled out for now because the extra weight of the electric motor and battery pack would blunt performance. To that end Subaru will make the WRX available with a carbon-fibre roof on the top-end STI model, while all variants are expected to come with an aluminium bonnet, boot and front fenders -- which should lead to a weight reduction of about 100kg compared to the current model. Subaru insiders say a six-speed manual transmission will be standard as a dual-clutch auto has not yet been developed. Instead, a CVT auto will likely back the self-shifting model. Subaru executives at the show would not disclose details about the new WRX but did promise better performance. The production version of the new Subaru WRX is expected to be unveiled at the Tokyo Motor Show this October. It should arrive in Australian showrooms early next year priced about $40,000. This reporter is on Twitter: @JoshuaDowling  

But not in the disastrous manner of 2011, when the  brand's production was stalled by natural disasters. The Australian arm of the Japanese car maker may struggle to get enough of its two new models, the Impreza and the XV, until production capacity is improved later this year. Subaru Australia managing director Nick Senior says sales targets are around 700 per month. "Last year was 11,000 with 2000 WRX - our biggest problem will be supply for Impreza and XV - adding the XV we have another model without increasing production capacity, that's later this year," he says. The introduction of the rear-wheel drive BRZ (a shared development with Toyota) has given Subaru a boost as it continues to overcome its 2011 performance that was marred  by natural disasters. "It has already started doing things for us, there's a focus on Subaru since the announcement, with all the coverage and the unveiling - we've never seen so much coverage for the brand. "When it goes on sale there will be a potentially new audience for us," he says. While the rear-wheel drive model has been seen by some in the industry as a dilution of the Subaru All Wheel Drive mantra, Mr Senior says there were no plans to go front-wheel drive with its new Impreza to provide a cut-price contender in the small car market."The short answer is no - we've been able to demonstrate that the changes we've made to the Impreza, in terms of weight reduction and transmission technology, has put us towards the top of the pack."In terms of fuel efficient and low emissions, a competitive price, the strategy we have adopted is the correct strategy and there's not a lot of benefit to gain from trying to compete at the bottom end with a front wheel drive car in that category," he says. Sales targets for 2011 were set above the brand's 2010 record of around 40,000, numbers. Mr Senior is aiming to see in the year-to-date total column at the end of December, but without resorting to a front-wheel drive model. "We at the moment have a point of difference in the small car class, we've demonstrated it doesn't have to add weight and in fuel consumption we are ahead, we've addressed a whole lot of issues - there's not going to be a huge saving going FWD any way, our system is simple and we do it efficiently," he says. Four new Subarus will grace local showrooms over the next 12 months - XV, Impreza, BRZ and Forester - but the wait for new WRX and STI models (now a line-up divorced from the Impreza) will be a little longer. "WRX and STI is now it's own model in its own right, the business model is being done at the moment, it will not be here this year - we've seen the strongest WRX sales we've seen in the last 5 years on the changes made, that will continue for a couple of years," Mr Senior says.

A funky family wagon and a new coupe are shining lights to buoy Subaru Australia in 2012 after enduring a sales disaster this year. Its managing director, Nick Senior, says the effects of Japan's tsumani in March crippled production of its mainstay Impreza range, pushing back the launch of its important successor model by four months. "The sales figures are ugly," he says. "Impreza makes up 45-50 per cent of sales and that relates to about 1400 a month. We're now doing less than 1000." The effect will slash Subaru Australia's predicted 42,000 total sales this year to around 34,000, Senior says. It recorded about 40,000 in 2010. "The disaster has affected two months of production and probably another month of backlog," he says. "We expected the new Impreza on the market this week. It'll now be March. "But the good news - and there is some good news - is that Australia will be the first market in the world - even beating the home market of Japan for the first time ever - to get a new Subaru model. "I think the XV will become an important volume model and will go a longway to recoup the sales shortfall we're experiencing now." The XV - set to launch here on January 1 - is a cross-over wagon based on the Impreza.Senior says there may be some cannibalisation of Forester sales but sees them attracting different buyers.

The company’s general manager of overseas sales and marketing, Mitsuro Takada, apologises for the delay. “We would like to express our gratitude at offers of assistance from Australia,” he said.“It is a key market for Subaru and the delay in the 2012 Impreza is disappointing.”When it does arrive the Impreza promises more space from the same footprint.The 2012 models now rides on a bigger wheelbase but the overall dimensions are virtually unchanged from the previous cars.The growth in wheelbase has added 50mm to rear seat legroom, along with more space for hips and shoulders, and let the engineers fit bigger doors front and rear to improve getting in and out of the cars.The bigger interiors are wrapped in new soft-touch plastics and a central infotainment systems handles the in-car controls. The 2-litre boxer engine produces 110kW/196Nm and is matched to a continuously variable transmission or six-speed manual. The side mirrors have been moved from the A-pillars to the doors and are nearly 25 per cent bigger.The sedan’s boot arms are now repositioned within the boot interior trim to stop them hitting items when the boot is fully loaded.The final Australian specs have yet to be set, but the US entry level model has power windows, door locks and side mirrors, a 60/40-split/fold rear seat, outside temperature gauge, a multi-function display with fuel economy information, remote keyless entry, security system with engine immobilizer, tilt/telescopic steering wheel, variable intermittent windscreen wipers and a low windscreen washer fluid warning light.Stepping up the range adds alloy wheels, steering wheel-mounted audio and Bluetooth controls and connections for iPods, USB sticks and a 3.5mm audio jack.Subaru expects the 2012 models to be more fuel efficient than the current car but it is yet to undergo ADR fuel consumption testing.

China is clearly on top of the car world in 2011.