Subaru WRX 2016 News

Australian Subaru boss Nick Senior says he would support a production-based race series in Australia that would pit his company's WRX against the likes of VW's Golf GTi, the Renault Megane RS265, Benz A250 Sport and the Ford Focus ST.Senior says he would like the race series to encompass sprint events of six or more laps and also endurance events up to 12 hours duration. He says the mix was already there for a solid production series involving a range of sporty hatches and sedans.He said the Subaru WRX's all-wheel drive was not an issue on the racetrack with the sophisticated two wheel drive technology available these days. "We have a slight weight penalty with all-wheel drive and the two wheel drives don’t have as much outright grip which evens things out."Senior went on to say that many car manufacturers were disenfranchised with motor sport due to the dominance of the V8 Supercar series. "Not everyone has a V8," he said.He added that he would like determine what interest there was in his proposed race series with other manufacturers, many of whom are seeking new ways to spark (declining) interest in cars from younger consumers fixated with phones and multi-media technology.

We’ve been spying prototypes for Subaru’s next-generation WRX for months -- and also got a close look at the Subaru WRX Concept when it visited Australia recently --  but soon the wraps will be coming off the production version in its global reveal. That debut will reportedly take place at the 2013 Los Angeles Auto Show in November, where Subaru is confirmed to make a world premiere. According to Automotive News, we’ll see simultaneous debuts of the new WRX and its more extreme STI variant in LA. Both cars will then go on sale in the first half of next year, as 2015 models. It’s likely we’ll also see the cars at the 2013 Tokyo Motor Show, as this year's press days for the shows in LA and the Japanese capital take place on the same date: November 20. Though Subaru previewed its 2015 WRX with an aggressively styled concept at this year’s New York Auto Show, the production version will be considerably tamer, as confirmed by our spy shots. We hear the hatchback body will also be dropped. Look for the 2015 WRX to come with a conventional sedan body with a taller roof and narrower fenders than those found on the concept. The lower air intakes and rear diffuser will also be much smaller than those on the concept. Thankfully, the WRX’s signature hood scoop will remain. Power in the 2015 WRX is expected to come from a 2.0-litre boxer four-cylinder engine. The engine is closely related to the unit in the BRZ but will come with Subaru’s own direct-injection system and a turbocharger to match or surpass the output of the outgoing model’s 198 kilowatts and 330 Newton Metres of torque. The 2015 WRX STI will feature the same engine but with output dialed up to 227 kilowatss or more. While power levels aren’t expected to deviate much from current levels, performance of the new cars will be improved thanks to a lighter curb weight, improved suspension tuning and a more aerodynamic body. www.motorauthority.com  

In its 40th anniversary year and 20 years since the original turbocharged "pocket rocket" WRX went on sale in Japan, Subaru Australia has launched the last of its current generation WRX special editions, the RS40. Priced at $44,490 the all-wheel drive WRX RS40 adds more than $7000 of value-packed features that pay tribute to Subaru's motorsport heritage. The Subaru WRX RS40 will be in showrooms from the end of August, with a host of extra kit. The list includes Recaro seats with blue coloured Alcantara inserts, STI rear spoiler, STI front lip spoiler, STI short shift gear assembly, STI flexible tower strut brace, Gold-coloured 17" WRX alloy wheels, exclusive RS40 decals, and numbered RS40 internal badge. It's only available in sedan and is strictly limited to 300 units, all in WR Blue Mica paint.  

The edgy WRX Concept car revealed at the New York auto show last month has landed in Australia, although the details of its visit are still unclear.It is definitely headed for public showings but Subaru Australia refuses to reveal its plan for the car following the cancellation of the Australian International Motor Show in June.The WRX was originally booked for a down under visit to star at the show in Melbourne and is spotted this week being unloaded at the Melbourne docks. The timing of its arrival suggests it was shipped from the USA as soon as the show closed in the Big Apple.Its local destination is unclear, although the Japanese brand's flagship dealership - Subaru Interactive@Docklands, in the Victorian capital - has just been given a major facelift.It could easily host the WRX Concept for the coming month, although visits to Sydney and Brisbane are also likely to spread the message on the renewal and revival of Subaru's turbocharged, all-wheel drive signature car."No comment," is the trademark answer to Carsguide from the managing director of Subaru Australia, Nick Senior, to any and all questions on the WRX Concept's visit.However, Subaru admits it is looking at alternatives to traditional motor shows and - unlike most of its showroom rivals - is prepared to pay to test the reaction to new ideas. Most brands are looking closely at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in Britain, where cars are driven in front of a sellout audience on a closed hill climb course.The WRX Concept will only be a static display, however, as the NYC standout does not have a finished cabin or proper running gear.Any showing is likely to re-ignite Australian speculation about the new WRX, which has also been caught testing with heavy camouflage at the Nurburgring test course in Germany.There is no question that the car will be quick and confident, but there are doubts about the final styling and how closely it will reflect the work on the WRX Concept. There has been widespread condemnation of the Nurburgring test car, even though the New York WRX was praised for its edgy looks and an overdue move away from the basic four-door bodywork of Subaru's mainstream Impreza.This reporter is on Twitter @paulwardgover

This heavily disguised Subaru prototype has been spotted lapping the Nurburgring in Germany and has raised far more questions than it answers. It's definitely more clunky looking than the edgy WRX concept car unveiled recently at the New York auto show, and the mis-mash of body bits -- and even an STI rear wing -- raise some doubts about its relationship to the final WRX production car that will be ready for the road later this year. It's also hard to balance Subaru's claims that the new WRX moves away from a body shared with the four-door Impreza against the sedan-like look of the test car. But Subaru Australia is already planning for the arrival of the new WRX and company boss, Nick Senior, makes one promise. “The critical component of the WRX – and it has been since day one – is that it provides an exhilarating drive. That was and always has been in the brief and we’ve never failed to deliver on that,” he tells Carsguide after seeing the WRX production car at Fuji Heavy Industries in Japan. Senior is unusually guarded on the look of the upcoming hero, and the car lapping the Nurburgring. “FHI’s intention has always been to differentiate new-generation WRX from Impreza, and the new generation car will reflect that intention,” he says. “As with any new interpretation of an iconic product, it must continue to appeal to those that contributed to the success. For us, that means a vehicle that will continue to resonate with the more than 25,000 passionate and enthusiastic customers. Our core.” Senior continues his riddles with his assessment of the new car's role. “It is important that we grow our customer base and appeal to a broader audience,” he says. “The new generation WRX and STI tick both those boxes. I cannot imagine any of the current owners being disappointed. I do imagine it appealing to more.” But the Carparazzi crew that caught the Subaru in Germany is strong on their interpretation of the new look. “The styling of the car isn’t as dramatic as what we saw on the New York concept, although there are clear similarities between the two, particularly in regards to the lights and elements such as the fender vents, grille and the aforementioned diffuser. If you squint a little there's even a resemblance to the legendary WRX models of the 1990s,” Carparazzi. “Sadly, the production version gets a conventional sedan body with a taller roof and narrower fenders than that found on the concept, and its side mirrors are mounted to the doors instead of on the A-pillar. Finally, the lower air intakes are also much smaller than those on the concept.” But there is some hope for WRX tragics. “Look a little closer and there are some elements that suggest that this may in fact be a prototype for the even more extreme STI version of the new 2014 WRX. The most obvious sign is the giant rear wing, which shares a design with wings found on past WRX STI models including the current 2013 one. There’s also a slightly toned-down version of the aggressive rear diffuser we saw on the WRX concept as well as wheels that almost completely fill out their arches.” Senior tells Carsguide that Subaru is maintaining absolute security on the WRX until it is ready to go public with the production car, but admits there is already plenty of interest in early deliveries in 2014. This reporter is on Twitter: @paulwardgover  

The Subaru Tecnica International packs come with an STI front lip spoiler, short-shift gear lever assembly and a flexible tower bar. The parts are suited to the current generation turbocharged WRX. The sports packs will give Subaru WRX owners more performance to complement the 2.5-litre turbocharged Boxer engine, which can already go 0-100kms in 5.3 seconds. The front lip spoiler will add more of the STI look, and improves stability at high speeds. The short shift gear lever assembly has been fine tuned specifically for the WRX, and reduces the shifting distance by approximately 10 per cent. The flexible tower bar holds strongly against lateral forces, which improves the ride comfort and the handling. “The STI sports pack gives WRX owners the opportunity to customize their car with the peace-of-mind of Subaru factory production and warranty,” said Nick Senior from Subaru Australia. Only 100 kits will be made available, and can be found and ordered through the Subaru retail network.

...when they’re flattened. There is nothing like an election campaign to get politicians into theatrical stunt mode. State elections often become bidding wars on crime and there is hardly a state in Australia where our politicians haven’t tried to demonstrate their toughness by advocating so-called “hoon” laws under which ratbag drivers have their cars confiscated and crushed. Having spent much of my life living in a hoon haven suburb of inner-west Sydney, where boofheads in souped-up Skylines and WRXs would habitually fang it along Norton St, Sydney’s Lygon St equivalent, I have no personal issue with the concept of crushing cars. Save for the fact that the stupider and most reckless offenders aren’t sitting behind the wheel when their cars are flattened. Hoon driving is a genuine scourge in this country, not only is it obviously dangerous, it is also deeply irritating, and habitually tops the list of number-one concerns of law-abiding folks in Australian suburbia. Nice though the idea of crushing their cars sounds, the only problem with it is that it also appears to be illegal. The Supreme Court ruled this month that mandatory legislated car crushing denies judges their right to discretion, and as such is unconstitutional. Read full story here.  

...but the car is a star in this trailer.

The car will not be replaced, Subaru Australia says, until 2014. And to prove the point there is another in the long line of limited-edition Club Spec versions. This time around there are only 300 cars, priced at $41,490, which pick up leather trim, black 17-inch alloys, an STi spoiler, black mirrors and special badging. There are only two colour choices: tangerine with orange interior stitching and black with red interior stitching. The cars land in August and Subaru says STi fans can also add a front lip 'under spoiler', a short-shift gear change and a strut tower bar.  

The man who went upside-down at Bathurst at 280km/h has landed on his feet for the 2012 V8 Supercars season. Coulthard was lucky to escape unharmed as his Commodore barrel rolled at The Chase in 2010 and has survived another near-miss with Walkinshaw Racing. This time he has parachuted into the fast-improving Brad Jones Racing, which has picked up a $1million-plus deal with Lockwood for the new season, after he was left standing when the music stopped at the Holden factory operation. Coulthard lost his spot when Russell Ingall arrived with Super Cheap Auto cash for 2012 and his own backer, Bundaberg Rum, stepped down. "There were four drivers for three cars. Someone was going to be left with nothing," Coulthard revealed to News Limited yesterday. "Credit though to Walkinshaw Racing and Ryan Walkinshaw, as they've put this in place for me. They've honoured everything they said they would do. I'm basically on loan for a year. "I've got no hard feelings. At the end of the day motorsport is a business and you have to run it like a business." Coulthard joins a BJR operation that continues with three cars, with Jason Bright on point and David Wall joining as a rookie. The transplanted New Zealander is confident he will turn his career around and deliver on the promise he showed with Paul Cruickshank's under-funded effort before winning a spot with Walkinshaw Racing. "I've had a tough couple of years. I was looking to become one of the top five. It wasn't just me that didn't perform, we all struggled. "My goals and aspirations haven't changed. I go into every race wanting to win. The fact I haven't done it makes the will and the hunger even more desirable." Coulthard said his next step comes at the official V8 Supercars pre-season test at Sandown on February 11, when he will drive his Lockwood Commodore for the first time. "I want to pick its brains and get familiar with it. I don't want to throw my input into BJR until I've driven the car. Until the test day there is no point. I'm pretty keen to just do that phase and see what the car's stregnths are, then go from there." Coulthard is now 30 and past the 'young gun' stage of his career, but still taking every race and season at a time. "I do one year at a time. I'm not going to look to next year because there is a lot to achieve before 2013 even gets here," he said. "If we have strong year and get results then it will look after itself."