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View Full Version : My Subaru Impreza WRX STI impressions - a suicide mission !


Just_me
06-18-2006, 08:02 AM
Today there was a "Subaru Performance Caravan" in my hometown, which mean they had the latest Subaru Impreza WRX STI. Turbo, 280 hp and 4WD. The car look like the Ralley version, a huge wing and spoilers, a look like a typical japanese performance cars. The car also had two serious sportseats but it amaze me how good you sit in these seats.
They also had a Rally version of a Impreza, of course not for the public road. I have a little sound clip of the car at idling.

I took the streetversion of the Impreza, STI with 280 hp. One of the Subaru guys sat in the passenger's seat and me in the driver's seat. This car was equipped with R-tires, nothing much left of them, worn out and well-used. It had the beautiful blue Impreza colour, its apparently the most popular colour for this car. For a 1100 Euro extra you get stripes and stickers, just like the Ralley version. The street version has a button where you can change the diff setting. Also when you accelerate, there is a red light blinking so you know when to change the gear.

280 hp, 4WD and a Impreza, you know you are getting a raw but a fun car. The interior isnt like the germans but this car doesn't need it. Like I said this is a hardcore and a raw car that's begging to be driven hard. You will forget about interior materials in this car when you drive this beast.
Impreza WRX STI is a much better car than the Astra OPC I drove. Both have Turbo but the difference is that the Impreza has 4WD which mean it can handle the power better without a shaking steeringwheel. You rather play and drive fast with a Impreza than a OPC. The acceleration is very good and you and will leave many cars in the dust ( I spanked many cars today :) ). Thanks to 4WD you can push this car very hard in the corners before you lose grip.

The Subaru dude asked me if I wanted him to show how the car behave when you push the car very hard in a sharp courve. I said of course.
We reached 90 degrees corner and he stamped on the gaspedal and suddenly the rear lost its grip. We did a sudden move to the left and the Impreza went to the opposite lane, a quick right turn to try to get control of the car again and the car was woobling. Still no control and he went back on the left lane again and I saw two cars coming our way, probably not more than 15 meters away from us and then he managed to steer to the right again and finally he got control of the car. I believe I saw the famous white tunnel and was ready to meet God, It sure scared me a bit.
I still dont know if he had everything under control, somethings tells me he wasnt controlling the situation.

Anyway, we survived and finally it was my turn to drive again. We were heading back to the dealer but I had to try the acceleration again and so I did although the speedlimit was only 50 km/h in this street, I stamped on the gaspedal and reached 160km/h before a car in front of me forced me to slow down.

I finally understand why Impreza and EVO's are so popular cars. Its really a toy and not many cars offer so much fun like these cars. Its not luxurious or refined as the germans but it sure is a raw beast, in a good way.


http://img100.imageshack.us/img100/6866/img05679cn.th.jpg (http://img100.imageshack.us/my.php?image=img05679cn.jpg)http://img100.imageshack.us/img100/6885/img05685tx.th.jpg (http://img100.imageshack.us/my.php?image=img05685tx.jpg)
http://img100.imageshack.us/img100/6883/img05693fn.th.jpg (http://img100.imageshack.us/my.php?image=img05693fn.jpg)http://img100.imageshack.us/img100/2189/img05709lx.th.jpg (http://img100.imageshack.us/my.php?image=img05709lx.jpg)
http://img156.imageshack.us/img156/3057/img05726bv.th.jpg (http://img156.imageshack.us/my.php?image=img05726bv.jpg)

The ralley car
http://img151.imageshack.us/img151/7793/ralley3cx.th.jpg (http://img151.imageshack.us/my.php?image=ralley3cx.jpg)

Video, a ralley car at idling:
http://rapidshare.de/files/23392970/ImprezaRally.wmv.html

dingo
06-18-2006, 08:37 AM
I agree with everything you said! :D

We had a trackday/autokhana with 18 WRX's today and I was amazed how well even the standard cars handled/performed.....for the money I don't think you'll find a quicker car in events like these.

Then you can drive it home in perfect comfort and break the speed limit in about 5secs. :twisted:

espen
06-18-2006, 09:20 AM
Just wait til you try one with a good exhaust and a boost controller :D

Pehtren
06-18-2006, 10:13 AM
Nice writteup Justme, i hope that i will someday drive this car, for me its cool. :P

Glad you are ok, that you didnt crash. :)

evoWalo
06-18-2006, 10:22 AM
I wouldnt suggest an Impreza or Evo for people above 40 years old. It may worsen their arthritis. ;) Nice thing about these two cars is that you have less electronics to deal with if they break down.

MIHALS
06-18-2006, 10:34 AM
wow, nice experience... :D

so what was that guy's expression in his face after that "accident"? I'd like to know, if he was POSing and lost the controll :prr: :mrgreen: but it ended ok, so glad you had fun :D

I wish I could have WRX one day... maybe one day... :| :D

thanx for write up Just_me!!!

Just_me
06-18-2006, 10:59 AM
so what was that guy's expression in his face after that "accident"? I'd like to know, if he was POSing and lost the controll :prr: :mrgreen: but it ended ok, so glad you had fun :D


He started to talk about the tires being worn out :lol:

oscargarza88
06-18-2006, 12:21 PM
nice experience...
but hey as i far as i know it has 300hp... doesnt it... im pretty sure mine does... the 05 had 280, and the 06 was bumped to 300 to beat the Evo.
And yea as far i have 2000+ miles in my sti and im lovin it, besides that it spends gas like crazy, its soo fast to drive fast in this car! i dont even feel its fast... just stopmp on the gas pedal, and a couple seconds later im goin 7o or 80, if it wasnt for the spedometer i would think im still goin 50... so fast!
and in a track! it gets even better!
so did u have time to mess around with the DCCD control in the middle? if u did did u feel the difference?

RC45
06-18-2006, 12:31 PM
sounds like he wasn't in control. pretty strange and funny how some people don't understand that in an AWD car, the back end CAN swing out at any moment with adequate momentum, and handling an AWD car isn't as easy as some people think....i've seen so many AWD cars including Audis, Subarus, Evos, spin out on tracks and take turns wrong and get into that "wobble" that you described.

AWD tends to give the drive false confidence sometimes, especially when its limits aren't as well known as they should be. They can easily bite the driver's head off if not managed appropriately.

the STI is a good car..just not my cup of tea.

Actually from what was described it sounds exactly like a hi-po car on worn out tyres.

In that situation it wouldn't matter who you were - even Schumi could not make up for the lack of grip with smooth/heat cycled street tyres.

Nice thing about these two cars is that you have less electronics to deal with if they break down.
You sure abou tthat? It would seem there are more electical systems in the EVO and STi than the space shuttle... hmmm

Just_me
06-18-2006, 12:31 PM
nice experience...
but hey as i far as i know it has 300hp... doesnt it... im pretty sure mine does... the 05 had 280, and the 06 was bumped to 300 to beat the Evo.
And yea as far i have 2000+ miles in my sti and im lovin it, besides that it spends gas like crazy, its soo fast to drive fast in this car! i dont even feel its fast... just stopmp on the gas pedal, and a couple seconds later im goin 7o or 80, if it wasnt for the spedometer i would think im still goin 50... so fast!
and in a track! it gets even better!
so did u have time to mess around with the DCCD control in the middle? if u did did u feel the difference?

In Sweden we have 280 hp, I guess it change from country to country. :D
I know the Subaru dude changed DCCD control but I guess I didnt push it hard enough since I didnt notice any difference :D

evoWalo
06-18-2006, 01:43 PM
You sure abou tthat? It would seem there are more electical systems in the EVO and STi than the space shuttle... hmmmyeah i am. other than changing my yokos to another set I havent had anything odd happening with my car. if it wasnt for hard ride i'd drive it more often than the civic. The Benz on the other hand had its electronics screw up almost on an annual basis.

then again if drive like an idiot, abuse the car like it was running the wrc and modify it without thinking then you'll definatly have problems.

RC45
06-18-2006, 01:51 PM
You sure abou tthat? It would seem there are more electical systems in the EVO and STi than the space shuttle... hmmmyeah i am. other than changing my yokos to another set I havent had anything odd happening with my car. if it wasnt for hard ride i'd drive it more often than the civic. The Benz on the other hand had its electronics screw up almost on an annual basis.

Well just because you haven't had issues doesn't mean it has any less electronic gizmos than any other modern car.

evoWalo
06-18-2006, 02:05 PM
Well just because you haven't had issues doesn't mean it has any less electronic gizmos than any other modern car.
no sat nav

no in-steering wheel audio controls

not an automatic

no electronic user interface that monitors if the anything's wrong with the car other than the standard.

no g-meter

no lcd

audio head unit isnt tightly integrated into the car itself other than power supply, antenna & speakers.

no run flats

you could spec one out without power windows, AC, electronic windows or a radio.

RC45
06-18-2006, 02:46 PM
Well just because you haven't had issues doesn't mean it has any less electronic gizmos than any other modern car.
no sat nav

no in-steering wheel audio controls

not an automatic

no electronic user interface that monitors if the anything's wrong with the car other than the standard.

no g-meter

no lcd

audio head unit isnt tightly integrated into the car itself other than power supply, antenna & speakers.

no run flats

you could spec one out without power windows, AC, electronic windows or a radio.

Your point?

I was not refering to any of the above...

The car could not funciton without the onboard electroncs that control the fuel, air, turbo and power distribution.

If any of these system fail you have a problem.

Anyway - you obviously want an argument - I don't.

The topic was about an enjoyable STi drive.

evoWalo
06-18-2006, 03:47 PM
my apologies for inadvertedly hijacking the thread. i fell for RC's really messed up flamebait.

RC45
06-18-2006, 04:13 PM
my apologies for inadvertedly hijacking the thread. i fell for RC's really messed up flamebait.

Inadvertently? You knew exactly what you were doing. Flamebait? Kiss my backside - are you trying to keep this going for your own gain? Just admit you were mistaken by implying the EVO and STi rely less on electronics than other modern cars.

Then we can all continue enjoying the original thread....

Right? :D

MIHALS
06-18-2006, 09:38 PM
:mrgreen: STFU :mrgreen:

dutchmasterflex
06-19-2006, 09:15 AM
Nice write up Just_me, I sure as hell wish a truck full of Suburu Rally Cars would come through my town and let random people drive!


I don't know about letting some lunatic behind the wheel on public streets though..

What did you have the differential set to? under steer or over steer?

:lol:


and evoWALO, the WRX and EVO are both known for the vast amount electronic gizmos. It' just that you don't see them.. The computerized Active Yaw and Differentials is what makes those cars.

dingo
06-19-2006, 09:21 AM
...Nice thing about these two cars is that you have less electronics to deal with if they break down.

but what about my full sik doof doof system? Oh and my neons use electronics too....

Pehtren
06-19-2006, 09:22 AM
you have neons, you ricer you :mrgreen: