Group Captain Smudger

"Subaru…is to invest up to £7m in a major promotional push next year to move the brand away from its boy-racer image." (that's nice to know).

"The activity…will use the strapline 'THE NEW IMPREZA. BRITAIN'S LATEST POWER STATION'." (and will feature a "normal" silver WRX).

"A press campaign…will run in the national press…potentially followed by TV ads.

[The] marketing director said we are a niche brand - that's why you would never see us in the middle break of Corry.

The marque is developing a more discreet version of its…Impreza."

pslewis

Burberry is struggling because the Chavs have got hold of their brand and thrown it into the craphouse ...............

Same is happening to the Impreza, just look at the English and Grammar on here from the 'Newbies' and you will see where it's going ........ Subaru is linked strongly to the Impreza Turbo and the Impreza Turbo is being destroyed by Chavs. fitting CockLinks and BIG Exhausts and Checked Seat Covers!!

Pete

Robocop

I would hardly class your statement above as grammatically correct.

RedScoob

Some people on here are totally obsessed with the image of the car they drive, and how other irresponsible "twenty-something’s" are ruining the experience for others. Personally I feel that criticizing grammar, punctuation, et al on an internet chat forum is a little ironic.
It’s interesting to read that Subaru are spending so much money on what they obviously perceive to be a problem. I wouldn’t say that the Impreza had the same image issues as, say, the Skoda Favorit…
Does this also mean that the development of the Subaru models will be steered away from driver-oriented cars to something with more comfort and status?

pslewis

You miss the point COMPLETELY .......

A Skoda Favorit has the image it has always had, its an image that its owners are happy with!

The Impreza Turbo had a fantastic image before the Chavs and twentysomethings got hold of them ................ and CHANGED their image!

Its the CHANGE that Subaru do not like - along with us purists, who appreciate the car for what it is ... NOT the fact that we can extract 500BHP out of it, fit CockLinks and Neons

Pete

dpb

I believe they are indeed bringing out a varient model for the the coffin dodgers (eg. pissy lewis)

pslewis

It's VARIANT not VARIENT

And in that we illustrate the standard of owner these days

By the way, the Coffin Dodger model is the Legacy Estate!

Pete

dpb

lol ...still a 1/20 balence in my favour.

..well my apologies if it was a lagacy...

see i sold up years ago..

ANC Steve

Been to see the new STi 2.5 - where's the burble? That fantastic noise that lets us know it's coming. Rep at CVC told me they were trying to widen the market by doing away with the rally image - CAN U BELIEVE IT??????? Beware the new generation of Subaru drivers, flat caps and pipes - ps Saab drivers. pps cars with attitude, drivers with none.

chris's scooby

The "Spec D" Impreza is due out next year. Mostly the same bits as the STi but in a more socially acceptable wrapper.

andyr

If Subaru attempt to 'widen' their appeal too much then they will end up competing directly with the big boys like Ford, Vauxhall etc whereas at the moment they are seen as being a bit different with their association with their rallying past/present. Ford for example are obviously currently involved in motorsport but personally I don't associate their WRC cars with their road-going Focus model as they do not seem keen to link the 2 (they don't have a 4wd turbo model for example) and to me anyway the Focus is just another hatchback with no driver appeal especially.
IMHO attempting to broaden their appeal will dilute what, to some anyway, makes them a little special and buyers who at the age of 21 want to 'chav-up', as some would call it, their £4000 Impreza will see little to attract them to a brand new Subaru when they can afford it a few years later.

DazW

iTrader: (1)

Eh? what, a farmers car???

pslewis

Not many farmers had a TURBO

Pete

capita

Why are some people on here pouring scorn on other scooby owners? Don't know what your problem is Pete, apart from being a snob that is.

I am 35 and have no issues with 20yr olds driving a Subaru, my good friend KROY has just bought his 20 something wife one, she is a housewife and mother and I find it offensive you think that makes her a "Chav".

You put forward an arguement that is transfered to other marques would mean people (possibly mothers?) shouldn't drive Corsa's because other "elements of society" have versions with body kits and tinted window... oooo NO!

Both my wife and I drive modified Impreza's making 300 and 400 BHP repectivaley, with are also both professional people. Subaru ownership should be encouraged not disuaded.

If you want to be an old fart with a more exclusive performance car go buy a GT3, assuming you can afford one! We could but by choice join what you so lovingly refer to as the "Chav Set"

Regards

Rob

ALi-B

iTrader: (1)

The American PR guys sorted Subaru USA's image in one swoop......

By aiming it at the Gay community



Would work for wonders over here in the UK. Chavs and boy racer tyes being of a more homophobe inclination would guarantee that the marque was out of bounds

pslewis

You were doing sooooooooo well with your post and then this comes out ..... 300BHP and 400BHP which, I'm sure you will agree, is Chav Talk!!

You are pro and your wife is a pro ....... ok, if you say so.

Regards

Pete

capita

Pete, I'm not sure what sort of ill informed person you are:-

To illustrate my background, I a Chartered Engineer (are you?) currently working as a Project Manager for Balfour Beatty, my car is modified, with a Sports Catalyst replacing the two standard units, it meets emmissions, is not noisey has only a 90mm tailpipe, panel filter not a noisey Cone. 400 sorry I'll tell the truth 378 BHP has been achieved by careful tuning, porting of JDM cylinder heads resulting in peak torque of 392 Lbs/ft at 3200 rpm.

I am a father of two children and consider myself a well balanced individual. If you are the "Engineer" you assert to be you would realise that by careful modifying it is possible to improve the efficiency of the vehicle. This being achieved by unrestricting the flow of gasses both in and out and by adjusting the fuel maps to suit a specific set up for Super unleaded rather than a safe setup to cope with any 95 octane (possibly low grade) fuel.

If you continue to drive as you currently do with a modified setup you may be able to achieve a 15% improvement in efficiency, which as I elude to, if you do not use for extra acceleration can be realised as improved fuel consumption.

I would request that you do not refer to my wife as a Pro, which is offensive to me, your inference is somewhat smutty, this being quite strange for someone concerned with others grammar.

I accept my grammer is not 100% perfect, but I write as an Engineer, not a lawyer (or Accountant as my wife is!(ACA))

You may win more allies on SN if you treat people with a little more respect.

Have a good evening

regards

Rob

Trout

iTrader: (1)

I used to have 550bhp in my Scoob and I had a Burberry mac when I worked in the city.

Does that make me Chav? I thought I was a bit old and have no familiarity with drug dealing or having drunken sex on the pavement. However I could be wrong and maybe I am a Chav!!

To top it all I have just bought a brand new Scoob. Oh dear! Mind you it does not have a Knocklink - I am not sure what a Cocklink is - I guess something that Pete uses to measure either the length or flaccidity of his ***** whilst he drives along.

Rannoch

LegacySTi

iTrader: (13)

PSLEWIS YOUR A ****IN MUPPET. BRING ON THAT HEART-ATTACK AND LET THAT BE THE END OF YOU!!

frayz

iTrader: (7)

Who really cares what image an impreza has?

I love my scoob in every way, that why i bought it with my own hard earned cash, i love the way it looks, the way it sounds, the way it goes.

Who really gives a toss what other people think?

If they dont like my car?..... dont look at it
Dont like my driving?.... stop watching me.

Simple

Welloilbeefhooked

iTrader: (3)

I like Pete!!

He creates the balance, just like Darth Vader!!

wide

Trouble is everything gets older and more accessible, as it gets cheaper and worth less. A bit like the majority of your comments
Had your shredded wheat and warm milk today

capita

Maybe so but to single certain individual groups out is at best being generalistic. I refer mainly to comments about 20 year olds, Some of the younger generation are mature and behave accordingly, some older people do not.

It is comments such as those made by Mr Lewis that help divide the younger generation and us older folks. There is enough crap in the world without us adding to it, BTW I am anti being P.C and hope that Mr Lweis is simply a wind up merchant.

Merry Christmas to All

Rob

sgcooby

Where the hell did this chav image come from anyway? Ive never seen a so called chav driving a sccob. If he was a chav, in the true sense of the word, he couldnt afford one. In hindsight he could have just knicked one. I personaly couldnt give a stuff what the image of my car is perceived to be. I bought it because i wanted one and i enjoy it. If you analyze it, every type of car has an image of some kind and i bet fans of most marques claim that every other make has a bad image in some shape or another. Look at BMW's image problems. Doesnt put people off buying them. Every car has a bad image if you ask certain people, who are generally the people who own other makes of car. So all in all in means **** all what people think. Buy the car you want for the reasons you choose and not because of someone elses misplaced beliefs.

kingofturds

iTrader: (1)

It is not the chavs i worry about bringing the Subaru image into the ****house, It is the doddery old farts who potter around at 20mph all day ,then park their scoobs next to their pink mx5's on their driveway

GrahamG

well said, made me smile!

mart360

Its all about brand perception..

10- 15 years ago only renault did a people carrier.. the espace.. vw did the camper, but again a niche market..

the oems who innovated and took the plunge.. came out on top, so the others desperate for sales jumped in... some won some lost..

winners.. vauxhall with the zafira, citron with the picasso.

loosers, ford cmax (launched too late, and with only 4/5 seats)
renault vel satis

at one time mercedes, had only 4 core models in its range, its brand perception and quality held it where it was.. now it has somthing like 15 models and is struggeling to maintain is market sector.

Subaru is going the same way, whilst it has happily survived on its agricultural background, and rally wins, the corporate bods have got brand perception into there heads, unfortunatly they think they can match the likes of bmw mercedes, etc.. and seem to think by diversifying and expanding the range they will become a broad spectrum mass market supplier.

They cant, what they should do is become a niche market suplier with fantastic sales/ service and support, aka when they won all the jd power surveys..

not try to be one of the big 3 all they have done is weaken the brand and lost the plot somewhat, look out for a merger or takeover sometime soon


Mart

Paul3446

I really don't see the too many Chav types in Imprezas, it seems to be poxy little hatchbacks like Saxo's which have been body kitted beyond recognition. I see the odd Impreza with sticker kits on, which I must admit isn't to my taste, but each to their own I say.
By the way, forgive my ignorance, but what's a ****-link?

GrahamG

They are Knocklinks. Have a search in the tech section. you will find lots of info.

G.

sgcooby

Something that directs you to pslewis.