Subaru video series “Launch Control”: Part 1 Episode 2
Subaru teased us with the introduction to a new series featuring rally cars in North America. And now we have episode 1.
Rallying is the most original form of motorsports. It takes us back to the days when there were no paved roads in the country – but with modern cars and engines. The object is simply to get the fastest time on a closed off section of back-country road, called a “stage”, and there are several of them over the course of a day or two.
No restrictions, no excuses. And thankfully, no Olympian egos, no Danica Patrick love life, no redneck fist fights, or any other drama. Safety? No whining about how many guardrails a track should have – there isn’t a track and there are no guardrails. Just driving in its purest form.
One of the highlights of our own motorsport hobby has been attending professional rallies in Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Washington. We were never able to attend the Sno*Drift rally, unfortunately, but hope to do so one day. As the name says, it’s in the dead of winter, and the conditions are the worst possible. And that’s exactly what ralliests do.
Go full screen, turn up your volume, and enjoy!
Subaru WRX concept: Subaru shows it still has it
At the New York International Auto Show this week, Subaru presented its concept of the next WRX. We love it!
The current WRX and STI are built off of the previous Impreza chassis… the current Impreza having moved up in the world (and improved considerably) over a year ago. The concept is build on top of the new Impreza chassis, so there aren’t any surprises there. Then there is the styling of the concept… which is of course not the production car (like most concepts, the over-sized wheels and tires wouldn’t provide enough suspension travel to service in the real world). And the question of the roof profile and height – which are not production and again subject to major change (you’ll note the rear windows are likely unable to roll down). Same for the concept flares, the brakes, and the 20″ wheels (although at 245, the width is likely to remain).
Subaru didn’t say anything about the engine, but it’s likely to be the same variation on the BRZ motor that has already been introduced into other lines with turbocharging and direct injection (by Subaru, not the Toyota system) and a bit more power.
Selected images from our Gallery (32 high-res images):
Subaru Press Release follows:
March 28, 2013
THE ALL-NEW SUBARU WRX CONCEPT DEBUTS AT THE 2013 NEW YORK INTERNATIONAL AUTO SHOW
- SUBARU WRX CONCEPT hints at next generation WRX design language
- Focus is on sharp handling, AWD grip and turbo power
The bold and muscular design emphasizes turbocharged power and AWD grip in a more agile and athletic form. The SUBARU WRX CONCEPT blends the WRX’s famous power and road-holding prowess with an even greater focus on sharp handling, steering and communicative chassis. To further improve handling dynamics, the SUBARU WRX CONCEPT features a carbon-fiber roof to enhance the already low center of gravity and reduce weight.
Considerably lower, sleeker and wider, the SUBARU WRX CONCEPT delivers even more street presence than previous generations of WRX. The new grille design is larger and bolder and sets off the classic WRX hood scoop. A pronounced powerbulge provides clearance for the new turbocharged engine and intercooler. A prominent hexagonal grille form and deep lower valences with air intakes are designed to enhance aerodynamics, add downforce and aid engine cooling.
The three dimensional mesh pattern of the grille denotes the sporting nature of the SUBARU WRX CONCEPT and sets the Subaru star cluster apart, while the new hawk-eye headlights integrate the Subaru family design heritage.
A sharp character line runs from the front corner through to the taillights, intersected by the boldly flared wheel arches emphasizing the Subaru’s AWD system. The compact cabin greenhouse draws attention to the power and solidity of the body and focuses attention to wide stance that provides a visual link between body and chassis.
The rear design echoes the hexagonal design motif from the front grille and features a dramatically curved trunk lid that also acts as a rear spoiler. The distinctive wide rear bumper of the SUBARU WRX CONCEPT adds to the powerful street presence of the car and is off-set by large quad tailpipes denoting the powerful turbocharged engine. The aggressive rear diffuser improves vehicles aerodynamics.
The all-new SUBARU WRX CONCEPT features a new paint color, “WR Blue Pearl III”, which modernizes the iconic WRX look. Fluorescent Yellow is used as an accent on the WRX badge on the front grille, the brake calipers and the exhaust tip finishers, adding character notes to the design.
Filling out the broad fenders are BBS “RI-D” One Piece Forged Duralumin wheels and featuring 245/40ZR20 Dunlop tires with an exclusive tread pattern.
Key Dimensions (Overall Length x Width x Height): (178.0in x 74.4in x 54.7in ), Wheelbase: (108.7 in.)
About Subaru of America, Inc. Subaru of America, Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd. of Japan. Headquartered in Cherry Hill, N.J., the company markets and distributes Subaru vehicles, parts and accessories through a network of more than 600 dealers across the United States. All Subaru products are manufactured in zero-landfill production plants and Subaru of Indiana Automotive Inc. is the only U.S. automobile production plant to be designated a backyard wildlife habitat by the National Wildlife Federation.
Sabaru mule at Nurburgring wildly misinterpreted
The Subaru-esque mule circling the Nurburgring has been wildly misinterpreted. The usual elements on the web are calling this “one ugly Subaru”. They couldn’t be more wrong. Even a writer at Jalopnik fell for it (and should know better) along with a bunch people on various forum sites.
This, folks, is a “mule car”: nothing more than a hacked-together assemblage of various oddball and unrelated parts cut from various other Subarus and welded together. No relationship to the upcoming Subaru brother to the FT-86 other than length, width, wheelbase, H-point, and a couple of other points in between.The shape of the car has no exact relationship to the upcoming Subaru. The windshield, side windows, hood, and the rest (such as the taped-together rear spoiler) will never be seen in public again once a few more months pass. The only purpose of this mule is to test engineering samples and prototypes - engineering in this case being suspension and drivetrain.
Given these images, however, certain things can be inferred – and you can bet the competition is doing so (such as Nissan, for a rumored Silvia competitor). Such as the front/mid location of the engine. Given the amount of space behind the wheel wells, it’s clear that the engine is located well to the back. The weight balance and handling dynamics will be excellent.
So, fans of the future Toyota/Subaru car – RELAX. We have no idea what the upcoming “Subaru coupe” will be named, much less what it will look like (although one Japanese magazine has a pencil drawing that reflects nothing more than their own imagination).
What we do know is that it’s engineers are testing it on the most demanding road course on the planet. And that’s a very good thing that says it all about how serious they are.
Evo versus STI: 2 differences that are important to me
At the L.A. International Auto Show this month, two things immediately struck me when visually comparing these cars.
Left – STI; Right – Evo
1) The North American STIs don’t get the Recaros that JDM models have. Look at the difference in seat bolsters here. Night and day. Advantage: Evo Recaros.
2) Both cars have the same size tires, and both use Brembos. However, the Evo brakes are larger in diameter front and rear. And look at those 2-piece rotors on the front of the Evo. That’s a must for track use. Advantage: Evo.
There are many more differences than just these two, and certainly much more information will be forthcoming to highlight even more.