Subaru Impreza News

NewsText - PITSTOPS Marcos misses outMARCOS Ambrose could manage only 33rd after crashing in the Sprint Cup race at Darlington on the weekend. The resulting trip to the garage for repairs left him 20th on the Nascar points table going into the next race, his home event at Charlotte in North Carolina.Vintage RemoREMO Luciani scored the 49th state title win of his karting career as Victorians dominated their home championship at Puckapunyal. Luciani won in the over-40s clubman class to head a winner's list including Aaron Johnstone in junior national heavy, Jarrod Egan in junior clubman and Reece Sidebottom in midgets.Rising starBRENDAN Reeves is Australia's Star Driver under a scheme that is searching for the next generation of World Rally Championship winners. Reeves trumped four other youngsters competing for the Pirelli prize in Rally Queensland last weekend with his Subaru WRX.

RYAN Briscoe has slipped to second in the IndyCar championship chase after a fourth-place finish behind defending champion Scott Dixon at Kansas Speedway last weekend. Briscoe led for more than 50 laps in his Team Penske racer and managed to improve three spots from his starting position.CHAD Reed must win the grand final of the AMA and World Supercross series in Las Vegas this weekend to have any chance of beating James Stewart to the crown, after a controversial second-place finish last weekend in Salt Lake City. Reed was badly baulked by Stewart's team mate as they battled for top spot in the second-last round of the series, although the Australian refused to blame the incident for another second-place finish behind Stewart on his Rockstar Suzuki.CASEY Stoner was only fourth on his Ducati as Jorge Lorenzo took a surprise win for Yamaha at the Japanese MotoGP at Motegi. Lorenzo led home Valentino Rossi and Honda's Dani Pedrosa.SEBASTIAN Loeb and Daniel Elana stretched their unbeaten run in this year's World Rally Championship to five events when they took an easy victory in Argentina last weekend, with their Citroen C4 team mate Dani Sordo following them home. Loeb's job was made much easier when his only potential title rival, Mikko Hirvonen of Ford, retired with engine trouble.JAMES Davison finished where he started in the latest race of the Indy Lights series in the USA. He qualified eighth and was in the same slot at the finish of the oval race at Kansas Speedway.CHRIS Atkinson will be back in a rally car on the weekend of May 8-10 when he drives a Subaru in Rally Queensland. But it's not what the World Rally Championship refugee really wants, as he will only be the course car for his home event in this year's Australian championship, currently led by defending title holder Neal Bates in his Corolla.WARREN Luff is back with Dick Johnson for this year's V8 Supercar enduro races. The former fulltimer with the Queensland team has been signed to race again for Jim Beam Racing at Phillip Island and Bathurst, with Jonathan Webber filling the final endurance seat for the team alongside James Courtney and Steven Johnson.JOEY Foster extended his lead in the Australian Formula 3 championship when the Shannons Nationals classes competed at Wakefield Park in NSW last weekend. The latest English raider got the job done despite 2007 champion Tim Macrow taking a race from him, with Garry Holt and Adam Wallis also on the winners' list in the Australian manufacturers championship and the V8 touring car series.TALENTED young co-driver Rhianon Smyth has earned a big break with a spot in this year's Asia-Pacific rally championship. Smyth, who has done most of her work alongside her brother Brendan Reeves in the Australian series, was chosen by Emma Gilmour as her partner in a Subaru WRX STi for this year's Asia-Pacific series, starting with Rally Queensland next week. 

DAVID Reynolds is finally confirmed with Walkinshaw Racing in  the team's fourth Commodore for this year's V8 Supercar championship. The car for the Carrera Cup graduate is predominantly red, with a giant Bundy bear on the side and a grey tail with support from Holden Special Vehicles.After seven straight second places Chad Reed finally broke through for a win in the latest round of the AMA-World Supercross championship in the USA. Reed finally got a good start in Indiana on his Suzuki and beat home James Stewart, putting the pair equal on points heading to the 10th of 18 rounds in Florida this weekend.THE Indianapolis 500 will have a major Australian connection this year, but not just because Ryan Briscoe and Will Power will be racing for the crack Penske team. The race will be paced by the all-new Chevrolet Camaro coupe, which will be sold in the USA but has been developed in Australia using the mechanical package of the VE Commodore.Jason Bargwanna is gone, back to the V8 Supercar championship with Sprint Gas Racing, but his Mini Challenge team will continue in 2009. Bargwanna Motorsport will continue to field his cousin Scott in this year's one-make series with backing from Rock Energy Drinks and with Brendon 'BJ' Cook joining him as team mate.VETERAN motorsport commentator Barry Oliver will be back at the microphone this year after being dumped last season as the official V8 Supercar track announcer. Oliver, who is also a winning co-driver with Jim Richards in a range of road rallies in Australia, will be calling the Biante Touring Car Masters as the official on-track commentator from the start of the series at the Clipsal 500 meeting in Adelaide.CHRIS Wootton has won a $100,000 scholarship to compete in the 2009 Formula BMW Pacific series, including starts in supporting races at the Malaysian and Singapore F1 grands prix. The young Queenslander was a kart start before moving into Formula BMW and hopes to follow earlier graduates from the series who have made it to Formula One, including Timo Glock, Adrian Sutil and Sebastian Buemi.TWO-time Australian rally champions Simon and Sue Evans have switched to Mitsubishi following the closure of the factory Toyota team which took them to their titles. The pair had originally expected to switch to a Subaru Impreza after taking second at their final Toyota start, Rally Tasmania, but will drive a Lancer Evo IX in a family team alongside Eli Evans, who will continue in a Subaru.

Two-time winner John Bowe leads the pilgrimmage - heading a group that includes Glenn Seton and Jason Bargwanna and Brad Jones and Neil Crompton - for a unique tilt at the Mountain.They are all chasing victory in the 12-hour Bathurst Showroom Enduro with cars which are much closer to stock than anything in The Great Race in October.The entry for the half-day grind is dominated by turbocharged Mitsubishi Lancers and Subaru Imprezas, with a sprinkling of fast Fords and Commodores and BMWs, and Bowe will be trading his traditional blue-oval cap for Subaru overalls.Bowe has never raced an all-wheel drive car before, but a shakedown at Eastern Creek in Sydney last week has him pumped for another run at Bathurst."I did 23 Bathurst 1000s so any opportunity to drive on that track is special. It's always good. It makes the rest of our Australian tracks look pretty second-rate," Bowe says."I'm not sure what to expect in the Subaru, but it looks like it will be a bit of fun. We still have a bit of work to do on our car but I can understand why people are drawn to this sort of car - you just put your foot down and it drags you around the corner."Bowe has battled since retiring from V8 Supercars at the end of 2007, but the 50-something racer re-invented himself last year as the one to beat in historic racing with a thundering V8 Camaro."I really like that series and the car I'm driving. It reminds people that you are still around," Bowe says.He was quickest qualifier in every race he contested with the Camaro, although his target is more modest at Bathurst."The aim is always to finish in the top 10. But with a 12-hour race you never really know," Bowe says."I'm with a good team run by Jim Hunter, and he and Gavin Bullas can both drive, but the first thing in a long-distance race is to have a reliable car. Subaru builds a pretty solid car so I'm hopeful."The Bathurst 12-hour runs from February 20-22 and is the start of a mixed year for Bowe."I'm doing the Biante series again in the Camaro, I have plenty of corporate work with Dunlop and Rare Spares and Wilson Parking, and driver training. I'd also like to do the odd drive in an historic open- wheeler or sports car."So I'm retired, but not retired, if you know what I mean. I still love racing and I want to keep buys. That's what Bathurst is all about, with the chance of a bit of a good result if we're lucky." 

But it won't be back in Australia.Chris Atkinson is fighting to rebuild his shattered career after Subaru's shock withdrawal from the World Rally Championship.Atkinson has just completed his best season — finishing fifth in the championship with a string of second places and beating Subaru team leader Petter Solberg — but now finds himself without a car.“At the moment I still have a contract with Subaru for 2009. But obviously if they are not competing then neither am I,” Atkinson said yesterday from his base in Monaco.“That's about as much as I know at the moment. I've been loyal to Subaru and that's the disappointing thing.“There are only five or six drivers in the world at our level so hopefully I will be wanted somewhere.”The Queenslander has battled to establish himself among the world's motorsport elite, winning a multi-million-dollar salary with his speed and commitment to the British-based team.But Subaru company president Ikuo Mori said in Tokyo the withdrawal was forced by the global economic crisis.“While this decision is sudden it was necessary,” Mori said as he battled tears.Subaru's move follows Honda closing its Formula One team and a similar WRC withdrawal by Suzuki.Atkinson admitted he was shocked when told of Subaru's decision by Prodrive, which runs the factory's Impreza rally squad.“I'm a little bit surprised. I definitely didn't expect it, especially with everyone having contracts for next year,” Atkinson said. “Maybe at the end of next year . . .”Atkinson and his management team are looking for another team but, despite his world ranking, there are only two remaining WRC manufacturer teams — Ford and Citroen — and both are full.“Obviously I still want to race and compete, but with the championship at the moment it looks difficult to get a drive,” Atkinson said.“You've always got to keep your eye out for what's available, but there is not too much to chase in the WRC.”Prodrive plans to continue with privately-funded Subarus in the WRC next year, and Ford and Citroen also field second-tier teams, but Atkinson will not pay to drive.“I think of the options that are available they require sponsorship to be brought,” he said. “It wouldn't be ideal. That's not what I want to do.”But he plans to keep rallying at the highest level possible.“I have to drive something. You can't just stop,” he said.That could mean a move to the International Rally Series, which fields S2000 cars similar to the Toyota Corolla which Neal Bates took to this year's Australian Rally Championship, or stepping back into a production class Subaru Impreza in the Group N category of the world championship.“There are a lot of good things about that championship (the IRC) and we need manufacturers in there, so that's an interesting situation,” Atkinson said.“I don't know if Subaru is planning anything on that front, or the Super 2000 category, but they will still be involved in Group N.“I'll be happy if the phone rings, but we have to see what happens.“I don't want to be too confident. I haven't looked at too many options. We only found out on Monday.”But Atkinson has no intention of retreating to Australia, even if he could pick up a drive in the national championship.“I've got no plans to come back at the moment,” he said. 

STEVE Owen became the newest development series winner in the V8 Supercar world at Oran Park on Sunday afternoon. He claimed the Fujitsu Championship crown, despite young Jack Perkins taking top points for the weekend, after a season-long battle with another 'main game' refugee, Dean Canto.HONDA is not the only company winding back its motorsport involvement because of the global economic decline, even if the Japanese maker is the first to desert Formula One. Audi is slashing its sports car racing schedule for 2009, withdrawing entirely from the American Le Mans series, although it has built is new R15 turbodiesel racer to try and continue its string of Le Mans 24-hour victories in France.DRIVERS have begun their team switches for the 2009 V8 Supercar season, with James Courtney moving to Dick Johnson and Jim Beam, Todd and Rick Kelly setting up a new Melbourne workshop for Kelly Racing, Will Davison moving into the Holden Racing Team, and Alex Davison doing ride days as he gets ready for Stone Brothers Racing. Among the potential changes for next season are David Reynolds in a fourth car with Walkinshaw Racing, although no-one knows yet who will take the plum place at the Toll-HSV Dealer Team which has been vacated by Rick Kelly.COST cutting in motorsport has even hit the well-funded Nascar series in the USA. All off-season testing has been banned in the stock car series, although the decision only applies to tracks where the three championship series teams actually compete.CHRIS Atkinson had a miserable end to a miserable season when he crashed out of Rally GB on the second day in his Subaru Impreza. The young Australian was in the leading group when he slid into the trees on an icy corner in Wales with a heavy impact that meant a precautionary trip to hospital, although he was not injured.PHILLIP Island will host the long-distance lead-up to Bathurst for at least the next decade under a new deal agreed with V8 Supercars Australia. The two-driver, 500-kilometre enduro moved to its new home this year from Sandown Park and has now been confirmed until 2018 in a deal negotiated by Phillip Island's Andrew Fox.DAVID Murcott continued his strong recent run with sprintcar victory at Avalon Raceway in the fourth round of the SRA series, a win made easier when Luch Monte blew his right-rear tyre with just seven laps to go in the feature. The win made Murcott a three-straight winner of the Fireball Derby as he beat out series leader Matthew Reed and South Australian Steven Lines.ADELAIDE motorcycle racer Brendan Roberts will hit the big time next year when he competes in the World Superbike Championship. He is joining the Guandalini Racing team in Italy and, not surprisingly, will be racing a Ducati.A GOOD samaritan act in the Classic Adelaide rally has finally been rewarded, with Kevin Weeks and Bec Crunkhorn being named as winners after eventually losing top spot with a time penalty after stopping for a crashed car. Bill Pye and Grant Geelan were originally named as winners in their Porsche 911, but Weeks appealed and was given back enough of his lost time to regain the lead he held throughout the event and another victory in his Porsche.LAMBORGHINI racer Mark Eddy is Australia's new GT Champion. He claimed the title with his Gallardo at Sandown Park in Melbourne, as Richard Kimber took the GT Challenge crown with his Porsche and Tim Poulton used a Lotus Exige to become GT Production champion.RICK Kelly is really shaking his racing world. He has already confirmed he is leaving the Toll-HSV Dealer team to drive for Kelly Racing in 2009 and has also set up his own website, rickkelly.com.au 

Subaru Australia managing director, Nick Senior, credits the Impreza with having driven sales, particularly since the arrival of a sedan model earlier this year.Next week the range will get another boost with the updated 2.5-litre WRX sedan and hatch.Senior says that despite the recent new car sales slowdown, Subaru is on track to achieve its 11th consecutive record sales year.The Impreza is a big contributor, he says.“We've seen Impreza sales up 7 per cent this year in a small car market that is up only marginally up year to date and that is despite the fact that we haven't had a sedan, which accounted for 50 per cent of our sales in the previous Impreza,” he says.“We launched the Impreza sedan in May and next week we launch the 2.5-litre WRX in sedan and hatch variants.“We are anticipating that our WRX sales will also increase.”Senior admitted that the past six months had been difficult but the company was performing solidly on the back of the Impreza and new Forester.When the Impreza was launched last year it pushed sales up 7 per cent without the added bonus of the sedan by attracting new buyers.“We had a thorough look at Impreza and in terms of a pure marketing campaign it has been a success in attracting those new audiences, particularly the professional womens' segment... female buyers from 25-30 right through to 50-55 that are working business professionals,” he says.“So we have grown that audience despite not having a sedan model.”Subaru will go into 2009 with the existing Liberty and Outback range, which is not due to be replaced until the end of the year.Senior says the company is also close to signing off on the Exiga minivan.“We're having a look at Exiga,” he says.“We've done clinics here.“There's one running around at the moment doing some preliminary work on testing.“We haven't pressed the button on it, yet, that's probably going to come after a few more discussions in late January.“So I imagine in January we'll be making a decision and if it is coming it's probably late next year.”Senior says unlike Japan, which has both turbo and non-turbo Exigas, only one normally aspirated model will be available here.That is expected to be a 2.0-litre four cylinder.In Japan that engine produces 108kW at 6000 revs and 191Nm at 3200 revs. 

In extreme situations, owners have been warned their vehicles may catch fire.Mitsubishi was hit with the biggest safety recall for the three month period. It has written to owners of Pajeros built between 2000 and 2003 to warn them of a potential brake problem. As many as 13,400 vehicles may need to be checked.The company also recalled 4400 of its now-defunct 380 sedan, built between 2006 and 2007, which may have a faulty fuel tank retaining strap. In a severe collision the tank may be dislodged and spill fuel.Mitsubishi is also checking more than 8300 Colts built this year which may have a problem with door windows which may drop and unlock or open the door while the car is being driven.Honda has recalled 11,800 of its 2004-05 Jazz to check whether they have a faulty handbrake, while Mazda needs to look at 1770 of its B4000 utes built between 2005-2006 because the bonnet may open unexpectedly.Subaru has recalled 5380 of its Imprezas, built between 2001 and 2003 because of a faulty rear tailgate which may suddenly drop.Subaru Australia spokesman, Dave Rowley, said many of the recalls were to check for "minor or niggling" faults."We have had no incidents of anyone being injured in Australia and we found only six cars which had the faulty (tailgate strut) connection."Many recalls are done as a pre-emptive measure to avoid possible problems further down the track, " he said.Other potential faults include electrical short circuits, which in extreme circumstances, may start a cabin fire in Landrover Freelander diesels built since 2007. Landrover warns the fault may occur when the vehicle is parked and unattended.Other recalls were to check for short circuits in Fiat's Grande Punto; and a chance that the panoramic glass roof in a small number of Citroen's Picasso could be dislodged.Suzuki has warned of potential fire risk in its 3-door Suzuki Grand Vitara (2006-07) because of a possible cracked fuel pipe, while the 2005-08 Vitara diesel has a remote fire risk in a filter because of a problem with the intercooler outlet pipe insulator.Other problems include faulty rear seat belt D-loop attachments in the current Jaguar XF, and the potential for a loss of steering in Chrysler's 300C built last year because of a problem with rear axle hub nuts which could see the half shaft disengage from the wheel hub.Mercedes Benz wants to look at axles, springs and the park brake in its Sprinter or Vito vans.Jayco has recalled some of its motor homes to check and fix awning and exhaust pipe problems.Of the 1500 motorcycles recalled, safety issues to be fixed include a faulty fuel filler on Kawasaki models, a windshield which may come off Buell bikes if ridden at high speed and a rear view mirror which may fall off on certain Yamaha models.An ACCC spokeswoman said this year's figures were actually less than last year but the number has been steadily rising over the past 20 years.The ACCC says there have been 52 individual recalls this year compared to 171 last year.Full details of the recalls can be found at www.recalls.gov.au 

Not all the new cars at the show are designed strictly for the road. They may be based on the standard production cars, but there are a number of race cars on display that offer some colour and speed beyond what the showroom can offer. Some are the genuine racers, some are mock-ups, but all offer a little spice to the show.Ford’s new FG V8 Supercar is yet to debut on track, but the show car is on display at the Ford stand. Subaru’s new Impreza STi World Rally Car that debuted in August in the hands of Aussie Chris Atkinson is set up in tarmac guise, while Toyota’s Australian Rally Championship Corolla sits alongside the TRD V6 Hilux Heroes stunt truck, as well as a Toyota Formula 1 car.New maker Isuzu has teamed with Bruce Garland to attack some off-road safaris, while on a production scale, George Miedecke’s Hyundai Tiburon.PlayStation’s influence infiltrates a couple of cars too, with the Motor Storm Pacific Rift monster truck and a Mitsubishi Lancer that houses a Gran Turismo 5 Prologue simulator. 

Not all the new cars at the show are designed strictly for the road.