Am I right in thinking that the grey import WRX's are limited to a top speed of 112mph by a low ratio gearbox?
If so how do owners get on with them for motorway use? Isn't gonna be nosiey and reving its nuts of even at 80-90? Do any of you owners do regular long distance motorway work?
I'm tempted to trade in my UK 98MY for one of those semi-official import evo6's (don't mob me please, I know its a sin!). Does anyone know if this will have the same sort of gearbox?

 

Na, they're limited to 180 kph by some electronic bollocks which can be easily disconnected and usually will be by the importer.

Correct me if i'm wrong but the WRX & WRX STi have similar gearing to the UK cars. The type R & type RA's are a lot shorter, circa 19mph @ 1000 rpm in top. So whereas 5000 rpm on the motorway = 120 in the others a type R or RA is only doing 95 mph.....

I would think twice about an R or RA if you do a lot of long distance stuff and like to cruise at 100 +. Saying that, although the above are revving hard at those sort of speeds they don't feel in the slightest bit stressed, but they are quite noisy, albeit quite an awesome noise.

The red line is at 7,500 (or maybe 8,000 on the newer cars?) so theoretically they should still do circa. 140 - 150 flat out but i must be getting old because i've never tried it...

The EVOs come in two specs as well, the GSR which has longer gearing and all the electronic driver aids & comfy interior etc. and the RS which is more like a type RA, very stripped out and shorter gearing. I think the RS gearing may be a lot shorter than even the type R & RA's. The RS seems quite unusual in this country but is significantly cheaper than the GSR.
I'd really like to try an RS so if anyone's got one and wants a shot of an RA drop me an email.

Horses for courses then, try them before you buy them, i haven't tried an EVO but i think some folk in the SIDC have got both so they'd be the guys to talk to.

The R & RA also have fairly lurid handling compared with the "standard" STi due to the different 4wd set up but you get the adjustable centre diff to play with in an attempt to keep it on the road.

They're all absolutely superb cars (inc. the UK cars - sometimes overlooked), I don't think it's really a question of one being "better" than another, they've all just got a slightly different set of compromises and hence a different character.

For me i think it would be difficult to justify £30k for an EVO6 when you can get a pristine low miles STi for 5-10 grand less...

and you don't get mistaken for a drug dealer

 

My WRX does 21 mph @ 1000 rpm. So at 5000 rpm it is doing 105 mph. The rev limiter cuts in at 7500 rpm.

[This message has been edited by CharlesW (edited 01-03-99).]

 

If you are going to buy a Lancer RS, there is a choice of 2 final drive ratios, short and ultra-short. The ultra-short ones will probably only do 15-16mph/1krpm.
As for those buying imports, beware that the standard (non-STi) WRX also has a Type-RA version with short gearing and no rear wing.