You know what, that's almost exactly how the Impreza came into being. Subaru needed a smaller, lighter car than the Legacy they were using in the WRC, so they went to work developing a car specifically for the WRC. They didn't drop the Legacy line, but it does show that the WRC is important enough to Subaru to develope a car specifically for it.

 

It may be a minor competitive series in th US but everywhere else it's like NASCAR. There is rumors of Mitsu dropping the EVO for the Colt simply to do better in the "minor series" (not from production but from WRC)
I dont think they would need to drop the Imprezza, they could just make a hatch version.

 

I just have to give my .02 here. WRC is not a minor motor sport by any means. look at the manufacturer's competing. Citroen, Peugeot, Ford (UK), Mitsu, Toyota, and Subaru all have cars designed specifically w/ racing in mind. even Skoda is switching to a smalled lighter wrc car later in the year. thats a lot of development. like shane said, it may be minor in the us, but it's one of the leading motorsports in on every other continent. now if we could only make it the leading motorsport in the US!! just think of the cars we would have! why do you think europe has so many awesome cars?? b/c of racing development. which is also why we have tanks like the monte carlo, and taurus, eeeew.


-PJ

 

WRC status.

If it wasnt for the WRC there would be NO WRX...

So, it makes plenty economic sense to me, they need to start designing now, to continue being competitve.

 

I thought I read ( and the forum police will correct me if I am wrong ) that the 4 door's reduce the car "flexing" around turns by 80% over how a coupe takes that same turn. Making a coupe would seem to be a step backwards for the rally based WRX.

 

EXACTLY!

WRC ROXORZ more than any other Motorsport, imo of course.

:-D

 

i knew that HK to Beijing Rally before WRC

oops..

man... it's all Subie all th time!

not sure if anyone else could finish..

 

Sure, but this guy is talking about dropping the whole Impreza line, not just the WRX. The Impreza is not built just to run in WRC. It has been adapted to that purpose. I'd say you have it backwards: WRC is about running a stock chassis; building those chassis is not about running them in WRC.

 

Very well said, except Toyota is not in WRC (as official team) since 1999, they dropped the WRC to develop the F1.
Mitsu is dropping the lancer for the Colt. So we might see some changes in Subaru in the near future, as they are becoming the only sedan on the races.

 

Yeah Toyota has been out for a while. there are a few privateer teams. but if you look at the most competitive teams, they all have smaller, lighter, 2dr cars. mitsu has gone out for 03, and i would suspect to see a 2dr entry for next year. skoda is switching to a smaller 2dr. subaru will be the only left. it seems they will have to go back to a 2dr version. either that or grow wings to catch sainz, gronholm, and mcrae. we'll have to wait and see...


-PJ

Rally Of Sweden starts this week!

 

I'd really like to see a coupe version as well.

 

Mitsu said they would need more then a year to develop the Colt as a rally car. The EVO is such an institution to Mitsu that I think they will find a way to make it a winner again. Nicky Grist on Speed channel said the big secret weapon the 206 has is its torque, not thats its smaller and lighter. I will have to check but dont all the rally cars weigh the same and have a minimum length they must achieve ?

I an wayyy of topic.....hatchback ( hows that )

 

Me being older than the average on this board, I am all about the 4 door. :-D

Taking the kids to school in a 300+ wrc powered sedan.

HELL YEA

:-D