Popped into my local dealer to have a nose around today. Still no MY08 STI ready to be taken for a test drive, but I'm first on the list

Anyway, I was a bit shocked at the door panels in the rear of the new car. ALL plastic, no material, padding, nothing.... and this was on a WRX. Will the STI door panels be the same..? If so, they're absolutely shocking.

Next, rumours. The dealer has heard whisperings of a 400bhp Prodrive Impreza , a 200bhp Impreza diesel and a 3.0 litre flat 6 Legacy diesel .
He's also driven the 2.0 litre Legacy diesel and says it's really quiet and a lovely, but the revs die back very quickly on it in a most un-diesel like fashion.

Interesting rumours. Anyone know any more..?

 

Yes, the STI will have the same door panels but with alcantara trim on the arm rest.

And yes,....its shocking when i fast saw it.

 

400BHP Prodrive PPP is not going to happen.

320 -340 is the expected max (warrantied)

 

Can't see that happening. The 2.5 would need a lot of modding to achieve a safe 400bhp, and I cannot see Prodrive or Subaru offering a warranty on such a package.

 

I also popped in to my local dealer on saturday to find out when they were getting their STi demonstrator, and they told me that there was a rumour that there won't be a PPP package at all for the STi and that instead there would be "a prodrive model", kind of in the vein of a P1 but without a limited production run.

 

Your probably closer to the truth due to different "Modding" car legislations

For example exhausts they could only compare a model WR1 or RB320 to any other WR1 or RB320 but compare a STi to STi with added PPP much different. IMHO

What i heard, don't you just love rumours

1) EU standard spec 08 STi iss simular to UK 08 STi
2) EU Top Spec/Sports Pack spec in the UK will 08 STi Prodrive Style
3) Prodrive Style with PPP will be a special edition "P2" or "P350"

Tony

 

who gives a hoot ... it can trade punches with a gallardo SL in standard form. **** what the rear door panels look like or whether or not prodrive will be making a performance package for it ...

 

gangsta is alive!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

referring to the article in EVO magazine? Thought STi got a good write up in that.

Agree with your comment about the rear door panels but knowing what upgrades and models are available / going to be available would affect my decision as to what model to get especially when taking depreciation into effect.

 

yeh it got a very good write up considering that EVO have been very harsh on imprezas in the past. the lambo is amazing in every way so it's nice that the scoob can be compared in some small way to such a feat of engineering as the SL.

To be honest when buyng a new scoob it's best not to think about depreciation because whatever model you buy it's going to be worth half in 3 years. I've had enough of them to know that much. You're buying the car for the drive and that's about it. The interiors are shockingly bland and some of the exterior bits and bobs are ghastly, but get it on a track or a nice twisty road and you really don't give a **** because you have a massive smile on your face.

New scoob is no different. looks a bit strange and the interior is still bland but with the line up of toys it's an awesome drive.

 

have tro say i got the same 400bhp ppp from sales manger at the dealer near me as well

 

Mike is usually very good at coming on here whenever a new impreza is launched and actually giving us the facts from prodrive themselves. So in time we'll learn the truth ... and i'll wait for his opinon I think about how 'tunable' the 2.5 in the 08 is.

 

i thought it was a different engine ???

 

I dropped into my local dealer at the weekend as well. Conversation went along the lines of...

Me - "Have you..."
Dealer (smiling) - "No. And we won't have for another 2 weeks."

"You were going to ask about a diesel Legacy demonstrator, weren't you?"

I agreed and he mentioned that 80% of people coming through the door are asking the same question.

From other things that he mentioned, I don't think there will be big discounts available on Legacy diesels. He told me how many they have been allocated for the rest of the year and how many diesel Outbacks and mentioned that a third of the Outbacks are already sold!

This guy also reckoned that the diesel is very quiet with the rattle only really being noticeable on starting up. He admitted that he doesn't have much experience with diesels other than those he takes as trade-ins, but he reckoned that it seemed a bit more "petrol like" than most diesels. He also mentioned that the average fuel consumption shown on the computer was 46mpg - which as the car was the dealer demonstrator and will therefore have been fairly thrashed seems very good.

 

it is quiet just come off the training course for it, between 60 mph and 110 mph it's quieter than the petrol versions!