It's a sad time indeed. All forms of motorsport are going to be feel the the credit crunch next season.

If we were all honest you could see this coming. How long has it been since a WRC win for SWRT? I think it's a combination of many factors.

1) the brand is not as strong in the UK anymore (not just because of the hatch model).
2) Prodrive have been more focused on the Aston Martin ALMS,ELMS and DBR9s builts
3) Poor/shocking results from the WRC

As a fan of WRC and SUBARU as a brand I am gutted. Even more so gutted that we won't see Valention Rossi at the wheel for SWRT for 2009 (hence why he signed again for Yamaha) as there was a rumour he was going to sign for SWRT.
I think it's maybe opened the door for Prodrive to now focus on buying the defunked Honda F1 team? I could be wrong. If this doesn't happen I'd say they will return in 2011 with a new car and not the Impreza if the current S2000 spec is the limit on WRC cars as of next year.

It's a shame SWRT didn't replace Atkinson with someone like Mark Higgins.

Steve

R.I.P SUBARU UK

 

yep sad day, as a rally fan its the end of the dream sadly it the reason i had my scooby and i think it will be a massive loss to the brand.

found this great little vid

Subaru drop out of WRC

 

 

GREAT video that very sad to be leaving the WRC though as a lot have already said, just arent competitive any more and costs are so high. It seems everything is against Subaru and sales figures for all cars are low but it seems Subaru have shot themselves in the foot with the new model, like it or not its not sold as many as the previous models. I remember back in 98 there was about an 8 month waiting list for a uk turbo now you would have dealers paying you too take a car off thier hands.

 

How much blame should prodrive shoulder as lets face it the rally team hasn`t moved forward as much as it should have done over the years given the start they made in the sport along with the budget they will have had.

 

Nice article and a superb piece of footage
Wish I had an ounce of that mans talent behind the wheel..........

 

And now SEAT out of BTCC. Sorry if this has been posted elsewhere >>> Seat to pull out of BTCC - Latest Car News from 4Car

 

l

Let's not forget that Prodrive discovered the design flaw in the Newage cars handling. They can only develope to a budget and Citroen and Ford have mega bucks compared to Subaru.

 

Who honestly really cares?
If you're a fan of rallying (as I am) then you'll have been bored watching Subaru for a few years now anyway and you'll still be a fan of the sport.

If you're a fan of subaru then you still have scoobynet and your local forum to get your fix.

 

I agree, since 2005 subaru havent even been in the top 3 regularly let alone competing for wins. Watching local and historic rallies is much more fun i find than the WRC anyway, plus in 2010 the super2000 is going be anything but super!

 

What? So if you're a football fan and the team you support stops playing that's ok because you can just watch other teams play?

 

The classic days were the most competitive. It all started going pairshaped when the bugeye shape was released.

 

I'm not so sure about that.

Richard Burns won the drivers championship in the Bugeye and Solberg won the drivers championship in the Blobeye in 2003, that was down to the last race of the season between Solberg and Loeb. I found it pretty exciting.

 

Which flaw was this?

 

I agree

Tony

 

Yep,agree with this.

Always enjoyed watching rallying over the years but REALLY got into it more when i bought my STI.

Yes,i'll still watch and follow it but it won't be the same.

 

So when your team go down to the championship (whoever they may be), youc wont watch any premiership because its not got your team in?

crap analogy imo

 

Nope,you seem to missing my point.

I do actually support a championship team (not all glory hunters ) and i don't actually have a great deal of interest in the premier league.Yes i'll watch MOTD or a high profile match but i tend to watch the championship more.

I did actually say i WILL still watch the wrc but it won't be the same.

 

My team is already in the Championship

Williams is still my favourite team in F1 (although it was tough to keep up support when they were partnered by BMW

In the WRC, I'm now left with nobody to support!

I guess there is always the Adapta team

 

No, you don't understand my analogy. I didn't say get relegated, I said STOP PLAYING! Subaru World Rally Team haven't been relegated to a lesser division, they have stopped altogether!

I didn't say I wouldn't watch rallying anymore, I'm gutted because I can't watch the team I support.

 

FIA have been interfering to much with rules,and they destroyed the formula to a good championship.Need more group N and Group A type machinery.(Or some sort of heavy modified production cars??)Who remembers the "kit cars" of about 10 years ago?They sunk without trace.More FIA garbage.
FIA are mostly to blame in my opinion.

 

Totally agree the've completely ******* it up IMHO

well Subaru and Suzuki are now out, but I have also heard a rumour that a team was also to withdraw from WRC, might only be 2 manufactures in the WRC

Tony

 

y6ou can watch subarus hoon about on local and national level, just not in wrc (ie the premiership of rallying).
You didnt think this through did you.

 

Er,have you got a problem here?

 

not at all, I missed a winky smilie out. Why, do you?

 

Who me ? Never!

 

get a room lads

 

Well this car seems to have a bit of crackle and pop about it
Gilles Panizzi has been testing the Skoda Fabia S2000 on asphalt again, this time in the Alps Maritimes | RallyBuzz

and the 207 Super 2000 seems to go well

Why can't subaru convert to Super 2000?

WRc cackle and get revvyer cars like this YouTube - Rally Champion - Abarth Grande Punto Super 2000

make your own minds up, I'd prefer the current WRC spec popping and banging and cackling away. to get a glipmse of where the WRC is heading go to scotland next year and watch the IRC they run S2000


FIA release....
__________

WORLD RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP
As already announced, the 2010 World Rally Car will be S2000 based. However, the removable kit, already adopted by the WMSC, will be redefined with no electronic benefits, or similar upgrades, to ensure cost reductions. The new S2000-based World Rally Car will only be permitted for use on World Rally Championship events.
The FIA Production Car World Rally Championship will be retained for Group N cars, including the existing S2000 car.[/quote]

 

no they aint!!

 

Because they'd have to spin the engine 90 degrees