The new 2011 Subaru Impreza WRX STI sedan was officially revealed at the New York Auto Show earlier this month, but our spy photographers have captured the Japanese maker's big-winged saloon testing at the Nurburgring.
At a first glance, it appears that the car is nothing more than the European specification version of the high-performance sedan.
However, a closer look reveals small but important differences clearly suggesting that the STI seen here may very well be a prototype for a limited edition Spec C model.
These include the blacked out alloy wheels, gold colored brake calipers (quite possibly "brembo"), fog lamp covers and the front lip spoiler, all of which were not shown on the New York Show car but are standout features on the JDM Impreza STI Spec C hatchback (see here).
If Subaru follows the same recipe with the five-door Spec C, then the sedan variant should also boast other performance upgrades including a tweaked engine with a recalibrated ECU, revised suspension and steering systems, beefier tires and a different limited slip differential along with a lightweight aluminum hood, laminar window glasses and a downsized battery.
Friday, December 17, 2010
SPIED: 2011 Subaru Impreza WRX STI Spec C Sedan Scooped at the 'Ring'
Subaru UK Upgrades Impreza WRX & STI with Free Prodrive Performance Packs
Starting from this month and until the end of June, Subaru's Impreza WRX and STI Type UK will be offered in Britain with a bunch of performance upgrades worth over £3,200 at no additional cost.
The free items for both models include the Prodrive Performance Pack, which increases output and further improves acceleration, and new 18-inch alloy wheels and tires.
The Performance Packs, developed in conjunction with Prodrive, add a recalibrated ECU and a high-flow sports exhaust system. On the Impreza WRX, output rises from 230HP to 265HP, and torque from 320Nm to 390Nm, while on the STI, from 300HP to 330HP and from 407Nm to 470Nm, respectively.
With these upgrades, the Impreza WRX accelerates from 0 to 62mph (100km/h) in 5.9 seconds (standard WRX: 6.5 sec) and the STI in 4.8 seconds (standard STI: 5.2 sec).
In addition to the free performance upgrades, the Japanese firm has also reduced the retail price of the WRX by £95.
Subaru Impreza P1 Coupe Owners Celebrate 10th Anniversary
The first and only Subaru road car to bear the Prodrive name, the Impreza P1 coupe, is ten this year. To commemorate the event, 100 owners of the Impreza P1 made their way to Prodrive's headquarters at Banbury on Sunday 9 May. They were joined by some 300 owners of various Subaru Imprezas and more than 1,000 fans of the brand.
Considered by many as one of the most sought after limited edition Imprezas, the P1 was developed as a joint venture between Subaru UK, the Japanese firm's STI division and Prodrive, which was responsible for the automaker's WRC cars.
Based on the Japanese market Impreza Coupe, the P1 had significant enhancements engineered by Prodrive to the suspension, drivetrain, trim and aerodynamics.
It was powered by a modified version of the Impreza Turbo's boxer engine producing 280 horsepower and 363Nm of peak torque, compared to 218HP and 290Nm of the standard version
It came with Subaru's all-wheel drive system featuring a centre differential with viscous coupling while it also shared the Turbo's limited-slip rear differential.
British designer, Peter Stevens who was responsible for the McLaren F1 and Subaru WRC car developed a special front spoiler extension together with a new design of rear spoiler following extensive wind tunnel tests to reduce lift and improve balance.
The two-door car was unveiled by England's only World Rally Champion, the late Richard Burns, at the UK motorshow in 1999, and went on sale in 2000. At launch, Subaru and Prodrive planned a 500 car production run, but due to high demand a total of 1,000 examples were produced, all in the same unique blue color.
Minor Updates for 2011 Subaru Legacy Sedan and Outback
The 2011 model year brings some subtle equipment updates and a modest price increase for Subaru's Legacy sedan and Outback.
Both vehicles receive equipment enhancements including manual-folding exterior mirrors, while Premium and Limited models equipped with Harman/Kardon audio now feature XM Satellite Radio and a three-month trial subscription. There are also new available colors for both cars.
Prices for all Legacy models aside from the Limited trim versions remain unchanged for the 2011MY, and range from $19,995 for the base 2.5 to $24,995 for the 3.6R.
Limited trim models receive a $300 price increase due to the inclusion of XM Satellite Radio, with the Legacy 2.5i Limited now starting from $25,295 and the Legacy 3.6R Limited from $28,295.
The 2011 Legacy 2.5GT sports sedan will be offered only in Limited trim and comes with a starting price of $31,395, an increase of $405. It now includes a standard power moonroof as well as XM Satellite Radio, fog lights, new simulated carbon-fiber dashboard trim, silver contrast seat and armrest stitching, and aluminum pedals.
For the 2011MY, the Outback receives a $200 price increase with the Outback 2.5i starting at $23,195 and the Outback 2.5i Premium at $24,495. New features for the Outback models include the addition of a Rear Vision Camera to the the Power Moonroof Package.
The Outback 2.5i Limited with Lineartronic CVT now starts at $28,495 while the six-cylinder Outback 3.6R is priced at $28,195. Finally, the Outback 3.6R Limited now starts at $31,495 and includes standard XM Satellite Radio.
Subaru Cosworth Impreza STI CS400: Official Photos of 400HP-Strong Limited Edition
The first official photos [high-res] of the hotly anticipated Cosworth edition of the Subaru Impreza WRX STI hatchback are out in the open. Set to go on sale in this June in the UK only and in a limited-run of just 75 units, the Cosworth Impreza STI CS400 promises to bring supercar-like performance figures to the hot hatch segment.
Starting with the Impreza STI's 2.5-liter boxer unit, Cosworth's engineers installed new high-performance pistons, connecting rods, head gasket and bearings. The tune-up also includes a remapped ECU, modified turbocharger and wastegate, and a custom exhaust system.
The result is an impressive output of 400PS (395bhp) at 5,750rpm, sufficient to dispatch the Cosworth Impreza STI CS400 from zero to 62mph (100km/h) in a mere 3.7 seconds. In comparison, the standard 300PS (296bhp) Impreza WRX STI completes the 0-62mph sprint in 5.2 seconds.
Subaru reports that the Cosworth Impreza STI CS400 also gets a revamped suspension with new coil springs and a 10mm lower ride-height as well as a bespoke brake package with six-pot callipers and 355mm discs at the front that was developed in partnership with AP Racing.
In the styling department, the changes are extremely subtle consisting of a redesigned front bumper with an integrated lower spoiler and a mesh grille, Cosworth logos, a different rear spoiler and specific 18-inch alloy wheels.
Finally, the limited edition Impreza STI CS400 gets a pair of Recaro bucket seats, glossy black dashboard trim and Cosworth badges.
Subaru Issues Safety Recall for 2010 Legacy and Outback Models
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration announced a recall for the 2010 model year Subaru Legacy sedans and Outback crossovers equipped with a continuously variable transmission (CVT). The recall affects a total of 29,443 vehicles in the States.
Subaru said in statement that there's a possibility a crack or split can occur in the CVT cooler hose resulting in a fluid leak. According to the Japanese maker, "if the fluid is completely leaked during driving, the vehicle will come to a stop, possibly resulting in a crash."
The company added that it will notify owners and dealers soon and replace any affected cooler hoses free of charge. For more information, owners of the affected models can contact Subaru at 1-856-488-8500.
Subaru to Launch New Impreza WRX STI Sedan and Impreza XV in Japan
Following on from the world premiere of the four-door sedan version of the 2011 Impreza WRX STI at the New York Auto Show in April and the Impreza XV crossover at the Geneva Motor Show in March, Subaru has confirmed that both cars will be offered in Japan with sales set to begin this June.
The Japanese automaker did not release any more details on the JDM-spec Imprezas, but we suspect that the WRX STI sedan will get the same 2.0-liter turbocharged boxer engine as the Japanese-market five-door hatchback model, while the XV appears to have no visible differences with the Euro-spec version.
