Subaru's new Impreza dressed in flares

By ALASTAIR SLOANE

Expect marginally more power and torque, bigger, stiffer bodies in the sedan and hatch, better handling, a wider wheelbase, 17-inch alloy wheels, CD player, cruise control and an overall heavier car when the new Subaru Impreza goes on sale in New Zealand at the end of October.

Oh yes, and a price rise of about 3 per cent as New Zealand tries to come to grips with a worsening Japanese exchange rate.

That's about it for now. Subaru New Zealand isn't saying how much the new model will cost, how it will be specified for New Zealand or what we can expect performance-wise from its tweaked 16-valve 2.0-litre engines.

Just that these are the official pictures of the WRX sedan and standard Impreza sports wagon and that more details will follow.

It even added the condition: please note that this information relates to the Japanese domestic specification model ... New Zealand specification will be confirmed at a later date.

The company's general manager Wally Dumper has driven the car and says the experience is a step above the current model.

But that's about all he will say, other than an evasive: "The spy pictures that have been published around the world don't do justice to the car."

So what else do we know? Well, both the naturally aspirated and turbocharged boxer engines have been reworked to breathe more efficiently, marginally boosting power and improving mid-range torque to a point where 80 per cent of oomph is available at 2200 rpm.

The changes have also improved fuel consumption - especially welcome with the rampant price of petrol - and lowered exhaust emissions. But the characteristic growl of the WRX exhaust remains.

Suspension geometry has been reworked to aid handling and stability and Subaru says the components it has used in the front and rear MacPherson struts have helped to reduce road noise.

Rear visibility in the slightly wider and longer sedan has been improved, says the carmaker, by pulling down the centre of the boot lid and better integrating the rear spoiler.

The trademark WRX foglights are a fraction smaller but the grille and the bonnet scoop, which channels air to the engine's intercooler, are similar to the current car.

The obvious change to the WRX sedan are the flared mudguards, aimed at appealing to a wider audience and giving the car an even more aggressive look.

All round visibility in the hatchback sports wagon is better, too, thanks partly to an increase in the roof height.

The sedan and hatchback bodies are stronger, with more rigidity for safety. Thus, cabin deformations are reduced and impact absorbtion performance is substantially improved, says Subaru.

Standard safety features will include dual airbags and anti-lock ABS brakes. Subaru is understood to have improved the car's interior, using materials which give the Impreza a feeling of quality and prestige. This is one area in which the current car suffers, especially around the dash.

So what's the new WRX like to drive? Only a handful of motoring writers have driven it and they were sworn to secrecy until this week. Japan-based freelancer Peter Lyons was one of them. He told the Sydney Morning Herald: "Happily, years of refinement have not erased the trademark snarl that emerges from the boxer engine via the unchanged dual exhaust tips.

"Improvements in cabin quietness mean you may need to wind down the window to hear the exhaust properly, but I suspect most buyers won't complain about that."

Subaru New Zealand is keeping the best for last. The high-performance STi won't make it to New Zealand until next March. Power output is said to be up from 205kW to 221kW.

The STi is expected to get a six-speed manual transmission and further improved handling. Like the WRX, it will be available in sedan and hatchback. There is no coupe in the new Impreza lineup.

The improved rigidity in the sedan platform means the four-door takes over as the showpiece rally car. The WRX was the performance car of the 1990s, and demand and interest in the new model shows that its cult appeal continues.

The WRX arrived in New Zealand in 1993 as a turbocharged four-wheel-drive version of the Impreza.

The 2-litre powerplant produced 155kW and 270Nm of torque. Reaction to it was frenzied and it became a giant-killer overnight, threatening the reign of the modified bigger-engined cars and the true high-performance models.

Back then the WRX was a pretty basic machine, with seats, brakes and an interior almost identical to the standard model.

Since then the WRX has become faster, more refined, better equipped and more aggressive to look at. In the mid-90s the WRX got another 20Nm of torque and a couple of years ago an automatic transmission was introduced, much to the surprise of manual purists.

Later, the engine gained another 5kW of power, the wheels went from 15in to 16in, the brakes and the rear spoiler got bigger and a new front bumper was fitted.

A feature of the new model is round headlights, a style that Subaru was expected to ditch in favour of an oval design.

But reports say Subaru decided to go with the round look. It researched the market in Europe and the United States and concluded that an oval headlight would quickly date the car.

The new car has been one of the most talked-about models of recent times, especially since Subaru has made such a good job of disguising it. It used the headlights of the old car, along with the floorpan and suspension of the new model, added flares and other plastic add-ons, and a black mat paint job to foil spy photographers. The result was a guessing game for the world's motoring press.