WRX Sighting!!

[1994SubaruSVX]

I was at the dealership Monday and I saw a maroon WRX. After reading all the hype I was really expecting something spectacular and to be honest it looked whatever. I was actually disappointed. The only thing I liked was the Momo steering wheel and the blue pedals. The interior looked tight and the entry/exit of the front doors is horrible. I like the big doors of the SVX because it makes it easy to get in and out of the car. The interior was average and beyond the pedals and steering wheel it looked like every impreza I have ever seen. As far as the exterior was concerned, it was fairly simple with big headlights and subtle wheel arches. The tires were 55's which seem inadequate for a car with all-wheel drive and 227hp. It needs at least the 50's the svx came with. They also did not seem wide enough. I cant imagine being able to corner well on those tires. Overall the car looked unimpressive and unless you saw the WRX badging on the back you would never know it was a high performance Subaru. I think the Legacy GT looks better and certainly the SVX. As far as I am concerned the SVX is still king in the United States. This new WRX really pales in comparison to the Juggernaught Japanese WRX's of the past. If they ever come out with another SVX I hope they do not ruin it like this latest WRX.

[svxxx26]

<<I was really expecting something spectacular and to be honest it looked whatever. >>

To me, that's the beauty of it. I don't suppose you drove it? That may alter your opinion somewhat.

I'm really not looking at it as competition for the SVX anyway. WRX is a fast car based on an inexpensive body, not a luxury touring car like the SVX.

Me? I want BOTH of them!

[svxter]

I am HOPING that Tim at Earl Duff Subaru will have one or more WRXs on the floor for the April meet. I'm taking Maxine next week to get her oil changed, so I'll talk to him then.

Untill I see a WRX STi in the states it is nothing more than a turbo market hyped imprezza to me. I had a turbo AWD car called an eagle talon (remember Eagle? haha im jokin) that would have walked all over the WRX. It just is nothing special to me.

And i have seen one in person. havent driven it but could it be better than a talon? doubt it

PAUL!

Rev Hard - I love the DSM cars but help me understand how a car that is heavier and has 30 less hp is going to "walk all over" the WRX.

Tires - 55 is pretty low. I don't see how you would put anything lower on a car that is trying to be a rally car. This is not a Z28. Anyway, Car and Driver and GRM both loved the car. But then again they just drove it, what would they know compared to judging the car by looking at the tires and deciding that they seem too narrow and tall for the car to perform well

I'm sorry to vent but here as well as on the I-club some people seem to live in some kind of la la land where sub-$25k AWD cars that run the quarter in the mid 14's, grow on trees. I don't consider that "ruined". The car is as good or better than any overseas-market WRX from the past, it's just not as good as the STI's.

/rant mode off
mbs

[svxxx26]

WELL SAID, Micah!

Look, it's an Impreza with a 227 hp turbo engine. Talk about Talons all you want, but I LIKE that concept!
As far as Talons go, I really don't care for them. But that's just personal taste, I'm sure they're great cars.

Micah,
Well sir its a simple concept. (and i wont even go into cost to effectiveness ratio) I bought mine for 2500$. spent 80$ on a tuneup. -plugs oil K'n'N filter- then did the required 'free mods'. went to dragstrip 14.7 e.t.

The talon was seriousely detuned on US shores. Argue it all you want, but, it has been proven. I wont go into serious stats as i have been out of the 'DSM scene' for a while but if you really need info got www.dsm.org

I spent $1000 on the car and it would have run 13's had i ever made it to the strip. (the car died due to a t/belt failure -my fault-)

so there you go.. and BTW i have a few freinds that will back up the fact that it is a remarkable car. 'as does your friendly SVX.net host Chris'

Yes, a used Talon is cheaper than a brand new WRX and yes, a modified Talon is faster than a stock WRX. I really didn't think we were comparing used and modified to new and stock. In that case, yes it is "simple".

This is beside the point but were Talons exported from Illinois? What was different about the export ones? I looked at DSM.org and couldn't find anything about export market Talons so if you could just give me the basics that would be great. Don't worry, I'm not going to argue at all because I don't know anything about that. I will defer to what ever you say about the matter.

A stock WRX is a faster, arguably better handling, car than a 1G, 2G or _definitely_ a 3G talon, STOCK. I can make a Festiva faster than a Talon but you don't see me saying that a Festiva can walk all over a Talon.

<shrug> If AWD and mid 14's in the 1/4 is "nothing special" than that's fine for you. For those of us who don't all drive the "gold standard" of a used Talon that doesn't run, it sounds pretty darn good

cheers
mbs

ps My father has a '93 Laser RS and I love that car. One of the worst trends about modern cars is the move away from tight "cockpit" style interiors and that Laser has one. It's one of the only fast cars that makes any sense in Maine too.

<<For those of us who don't all drive the "gold standard" of a used Talon that doesn't run, it sounds pretty darn good >>

DROVE, car has been sold. Sold it for 2500$ btw. Plus I sold the performance parts for well over what i payed.
Uhm, now I drive a 1992 SVX LS-L 50k miles on the clock... and you?

Anyway. As for import talons being detuned, I geuss I did not state my "fact" correctly. They weren't "import" talons. I was speaking mostly of the motor and ECU. Since the same units can be found in the Lancer EVO.

The 4G63 motor can be found in the same form, (cams are different for more torque) in all the other countries that get the 280HP lancer. The turbo is smaller in the US (146 instead of the 16g which i believe is also on the US WRX)

The ECU has been well noted as detuned for US use too. Take for example the ability to use 89 in the car. This just proves that the stock 9lbs of boost is silly (and controlled by the ECU might i add). The fuel curves and ignition maps are totally different.

While you might say they are different cars. Yes that is true. But under the Skin the motors are the same.. be as it may one is detuned.

I geuss im off on a tangent here now since the US-spec WRX is arguably detuned also.. I dunno, I give up on this..........

<<1G, 2G or _definitely_ a 3G talon>>

there is no 3g TALON... hell the DSM community doesn't even consider the eclipse 3g a DSM...

going back to your first post... <0 less hp >>
you are right and 4.5 lbs less boost.... (i can fix that for free... does that count as modified? it was free...) Anyway i will personally atribute the 30 less HP to this fact alone..

<<A stock WRX is a faster, arguably better handling, car than a 1G, 2G >>

1g yes... 2g uhm nah i doubt that... 2g's are excellent auto-x cars.. and faster well not on the freeway the WRX is a BRICK!

p.s. to all those reading this.... I would love to have a WRX. as for it being the be all end all to JDM import cars, that has yet to be seen. Im looking forward to the awareness the WRX will create in the aftermarket to Subaru. And will be happy they will get magazine coverage thus requiring me to read less Honda articles. (No i didnt say Honduh, WHY? because i own one of those its a CRX fyi) And i think that's a great thing. Will it be the next messiah of import drags? I doubt it because it does not hae the form for that.. does it have the potential to put out the power needed to drag . I dunno. But i would love to see someone do it. I like new things. I like the WRX. It is not a GOD



PAUL!

[Chris]

I am not going to be dragged into this without kicking and screaming. Lets just say this. If I was to buy a sports car to drive on a daily basis with little to no modifications in mind, I would go with the WRX. If I was buying something to race at the 1/4 mile track with nothing but modifications in mind, it would be a DSM. I coulnt compare these two cars. Also keep in mind, I have not drove a WRX and worse yet, the imported WRX into the states is NOT the same as the one sold overseas. I am quite familiar with what DSMs are capable of. One of the administrators here has a 13 second one, and our RAID administrator needs to take his to the track this spring. He is probably going to pull a 12. To top that off, the person who is going to do my twin turbo project (when I get a job and money) does nothing but build high speed DSMs. His personal one is a daily driver and still pulls low 11s at the track. I think I will reserve total judgement until I have driven a WRX. Probably the safest move for my opinion.

Chris

i wasnt dragging you into it.. just stating...

that being said .. i agree..

PAUL!

[Aredubjay]

Hey, ain't it great! You guys can go at it about Talons and WRX's without hearing somebody piss and moan and yelling "OFF TOPIC." I'm liking this place more and more. Continue guys -- just clean the blood off the floor when it's over. Gotta keep our new clubhouse nice and shiney.

you post too much randy...

PAUL!

Don't forget the Mitsubishi Galant VR4 guys. I'd say that is a better comparison to the WRX than the Talon. It still has pretty much the same engine and transmission as the Talon, but has a sedan wrapped around it. Also the Galant VR4 was an official World Rally Championship car before the Lancers (and Imprezas) came out.

So I guess you could say that the Galant VR4 was actually a competitor to the Subaru Legacy turbo, which was the predecessor for the Impreza WRX.

So how does the Talon/Eclipse fit into this? Well I guess Mitsubishi was smart, and realized that despite the Galant VR4's powerful setup, it's normal looks wouldn't be a big boost to sales. So they decided to wrap the rally car with a more sportier body, and the cash register rang up A LOT more often!

We can only hope that Subaru will also implement a similar business plan, by perhaps bringing back the SVX as a "super-styled" body with WRX mechanicals...

Only time will tell...

[Aredubjay]

Yes, Paul. And, your problem with that is . . .