"PushToStart" (pushtostart)
03/30/2015 at 14:53 • Filed to: Subaru, WRX, STI, hatchback
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"PushToStart" (pushtostart)
03/30/2015 at 14:53 • Filed to: Subaru, WRX, STI, hatchback | 0
| 25 |
With rumblings of a Subaru unveil in the near future (this Wednesday to be exact) is it possible that a hatchback version of the current WRX and STI will finally come to be?
The answer: uhh, maybe? It certainly isn't out of the realm of possibility, seeing as how Ford has officially said "Yup, were bringing an AWD hatchback to America, and it's going to be !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! ." But at the same time, it's also quite possible that Subaru will be revealing their full-size Tribeca replacement after discontinuing the model over a year ago in January of 2014.
!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!
So, we'll see. Personally, I'm keeping my fingers crossed for a hatchback WRX/STI, but it should be noted that I'm not holding my breath...
HiMyNameIsJayAgain
> PushToStart
03/30/2015 at 14:56 |
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I'm actually in talks right now with a salesman from the local dealership for a 2015 sedan. If they announce the wagon then that's all out of the window.
CB
> PushToStart
03/30/2015 at 14:56 |
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You do know what Wednesday is, yes? I bet you do. No sources. You bastard. Oh look, I'm crying again.
RightFootDown
> HiMyNameIsJayAgain
03/30/2015 at 15:06 |
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I know where you can get a Limited 6-speed with STI goodies for $29k... http://www.rightfootdown.com/thoughts/to-ja…
Tareim - V8 powered
> PushToStart
03/30/2015 at 15:09 |
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I've read elsewhere that its the launch of the Impreza sedan
BoxerFanatic, troublesome iconoclast.
> PushToStart
03/30/2015 at 15:10 |
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Don't care, as long as they introduce this on thursday, when they get serious.
Why bother with a low-riding 5-door, that will just add to Subaru's CAFE liability, when a taller XV STI would be classified as a light truck, be counted against a lower FE standard, and dilute Subaru's thirsty turbo-H4... on a more versatile vehicle, that can go more places, and would actually compete in the GROWING compact CUV market, rather than in the shrinking 5-door passenger-car market.
Rally cars aren't supposed to get high-centered on parking lot speed bumps.
It would paint a target on the Juke Nismo, and pull the trigger to obliterate it.
R Saldana [|Oo|======|oO|] - BTC/ETH/LTC Prophet
> PushToStart
03/30/2015 at 15:13 |
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This car is "meh" on Acura levels.
nafsucof
> Tareim - V8 powered
03/30/2015 at 15:14 |
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I don't follow?
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HiMyNameIsJayAgain
> RightFootDown
03/30/2015 at 15:17 |
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That's actually right in my neck of the woods (well, 1.5 hrs away).
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PushToStart
> CB
03/30/2015 at 15:17 |
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lol, I dont follow...
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PushToStart
> Tareim - V8 powered
03/30/2015 at 15:18 |
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hmm that'd be interesting, but I kind of doubt it.
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PushToStart
> BoxerFanatic, troublesome iconoclast.
03/30/2015 at 15:20 |
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as cool as that would be, does anyone actually need to paint a target on the Juke Nismo? Does anyone really buy those? (Honest question, I pretty much never see them)
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CB
> PushToStart
03/30/2015 at 15:21 |
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Wednesday is April Fool's.
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BoxerFanatic, troublesome iconoclast.
> PushToStart
03/30/2015 at 15:29 |
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I've seen one Nismo... but I see lots of standard Jukes, and Rogues.
The problem, aside from the HORRIBLE aesthetic design, is that even on NISMO, AWD = CVT, and Manual = FWD, IIRC.
Personally, I think a WRX STI 5-door hatch is a decent idea, but kind of second-verse, same as the first. 2015 WRX and WRX STI were supposed to be a new, fresh tune... but it is 5th verse, same as the first... a boy-racer turbo Impreza sedan with a wing.
I think a true high-performance XV would be the next resurgence of the WRX, like it went gangbusters when it was new, when people were excited about a manual, turbo, AWD car... that is now expected. Adding a hatch, and ride height to step over broken pavement, accumulating snow, and to step off the pavement entirely sometimes, would add a whole new dimension.
That, in addition to the sedan low-height cars still being sold side by side in the showroom.
A compact, light-ish weight car, with a practical body-style, with weather conquering AWD AND ride height together....
long-throw bilsteins, maybe with 2-stage spring coil overs, forged wheels, monoblock brakes with nice big discs, 5x114 wheel hubs and strong STI-grade bearings...
FA20DIT tuned to 296 horsepower, backed by the WRX STI DCCD gearbox, with a torque-biasing and torque-vectoring rear diff... even if it isn't as high as the EcoBoost Focus RS, it would go more places, with a true 3-diff AWD system, and more ground clearance.
A fast, capable road car, that isn't strictly limited to pavement...
Focus RS doesn't yet have a dash of SVT Raptor in it's DNA... Subaru has the possibility of beating all of the compact CUVs to the higher-performance punch, and doing it better than most transverse layouts can.
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PushToStart
> CB
03/30/2015 at 15:34 |
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ohhhh ok
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Tareim - V8 powered
> nafsucof
03/30/2015 at 15:56 |
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the picture above is the wrx sti , it's no longer an impreza, this reveal is meant to be the standard impreza
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Tareim - V8 powered
> PushToStart
03/30/2015 at 15:58 |
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To make things more interesting the same report said it's styling is closer to the wrx concept than the real sti
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nafsucof
> Tareim - V8 powered
03/30/2015 at 16:10 |
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so there is a new Impreza coming out?
revrseat70
> BoxerFanatic, troublesome iconoclast.
03/30/2015 at 16:18 |
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I actually looked at a current WRX parked next to one of those and all you have to do is swap the bumper designs and lower it and you could fool anyone that it indeed was a hatchback version.
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Tareim - V8 powered
> nafsucof
03/30/2015 at 16:25 |
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that's the rumour
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BoxerFanatic, troublesome iconoclast.
> revrseat70
03/30/2015 at 16:25 |
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An XV is basically an Impreza 5-door with some chassis structural stiffeners and higher ride height, and black plastic around the bottom edges.
A WRX is basically an Impreza 4-door sedan with some chassis structural stiffeners, a high-performance turbo drivetrain, and an aero-kit with new bumper covers and headlights.
There is some conjecture that the chassis structure upgrades might actually be quite similar, except for the ride height subframe spacers on the XV.
A Turbo XV, either WRX-spec, or even higher STI spec, should be about as technically easy as building with legos out of Subaru's parts bins.
There have been those who did that with 08-14 WRX STI donor cars, and 09-13 Forester bodies, creating aftermarket Forester STIs out of base or XT Foresters, and the pedals and console trims from the 5-speed base Forester. It was a lot of dis-assembly and re-assembly, but it basically fit together like it was made that way. (Unfortunately, 2014+ Forester is too boring to worry about doing that... but XV may step in as a ripe candidate for that swap... as well as being lighter, and with a lower CG for the same ride height.)
All the more frustrating that it isn't being done by the factory, without the cost and effort of having to make 1 car out of 2 cars, after the fact.
NeedsmoreaftermarketXTparts
> PushToStart
03/30/2015 at 17:35 |
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In talking with our local rep at corporate a few weeks ago (I work in sales)...as far as the hatch is concerned, still not really on the radar. As far as the new 7 seater is concerned, as of last month concept images were still be bounced off of SOA by Subaru Japan and being tweaked. SOA has been trying to secure more turbo models for state side but the powers that be over seas want to see sales in models such as the forester XT pick up before even thinking about it.
A concept / partially production ready version of the new standard model impreza is probably the best guess due to the fact that test mules have been seen on the road since this past summer. The new Impreza is slated to launch towards the end of '16 as a '17 model and as was stated earlier is supposed to follow styling of the most recent concept wrx closer than the wrx did.
However, on the dealer side Subaru has given us zero heads up of any kind of reveal for the NYIAS so all we can do is wait and see.
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PushToStart
> NeedsmoreaftermarketXTparts
03/30/2015 at 19:47 |
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Thanks for the great insight! It's a real shame that it appears that Subaru is generally unconcerned about introducing a hatchback WRX, as if I'm not mistaken, at least 50% of the WRX and STI sales in previous years/generations were hatchbacks. That's a pretty large group to alienate, especially seeing as how Ford is fully prepared to take advantage of the lack of AWD hatchbacks in the US market.
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NeedsmoreaftermarketXTparts
> PushToStart
03/30/2015 at 19:54 |
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I'm sure it's somewhere on the back burner. The problem is right now they are starting to experience growing pains. With the way that their brand popularity continues to grow they are more concerned with trying to meet demand and scale up production while focusing on the continuing improvement of other models. I'm sure we'll see the return of a hatch but not for at least the next couple years.
Hell I'd love to see the Levorg come state-side. In other fun news though motortrend posted a photo a while back of an STI in bright yellow running the new 2.0 on suzuka circuit so I'd say that looks to be the next item on the horizon at least for the WRX/STi
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NeedsmoreaftermarketXTparts
> PushToStart
03/31/2015 at 12:10 |
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well for what it's worth, subaru just revealed their 2015 STi Red Bull GRC car and it will be on display at the auto show
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PushToStart
> NeedsmoreaftermarketXTparts
03/31/2015 at 20:21 |
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Hmmmmmmm, this is interesting... http://jalopnik.com/what-is-this-s…