KevMac

Just found this on the web.

Have Subaru finally capitualted and admitted that the WRX is 100% ugly?

Prodrive to Reskin Flagging Subaru Impreza
by Peter Robinson
WardsAuto.com, Dec 11 2001

WARWICK, U.K. – Prodrive, the British engineering company that also runs Subaru’s World Rally Championship team, has been given responsibility for a rushed major facelift of the current Impreza and WRX.


Print-friendly format
E-mail this information


WARWICK, U.K. – Prodrive, the British engineering company that also runs Subaru’s World Rally Championship team, has been given responsibility for a rushed major facelift of the current Impreza and WRX.

Stung by continual criticism of the new car’s styling and slowing sales in some markets, Tokyo sources claim Subaru-maker Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd. has ordered the reskin to involve every exterior panel except the doors, rear fenders and greenhouse. Marked for extinction are the car’s ugly, oversized headlights. In their place the revised model gets smaller lights that insiders claim are much better integrated into the overall design.

The new model, not expected to go on sale until early 2003, represents a major coup for Prodrive, which has worked hard to develop a close relationship with the Japanese manufacturer.

Prodrive styled the WRX STi Impreza, the minor facelift for the new 265-hp version, bringing to the car revised headlights and a bigger intake for the hood. Fuji’s confidence in Prodrive’s fast expanding design capability, based in the U.K., led to the decision to hand over responsibility for the revised car. However, it’s believed Fuji’s in-house design team still is in charge of styling the next all-new Impreza, not due until at least 2006 and expected to be built on a new platform.

Meanwhile, sources confirm that an all-new Subaru Forester will make its debut at the Geneva show in March.


© 2001, Primedia Business Magazines and Media, a PRIMEDIA company. All rights reserved. This article is protected by United States copyright and other intellectual property laws and may not be reproduced, rewritten, distributed, redisseminated, transmitted, displayed, published or broadcast, directly or indirectly, in any medium without the prior written permission of PRIMEDIA

Josh L

Thank God for that!

It will coincide nicely with P1 replacement time.

Josh

EvilBevel

This is a major breakthrough for Prodrive I'd say ... read the same a few days ago on Dutch BBS.

Imagine a Japanese company asking a non Japanese company to redesign (partially) a car ... amazing.

sKunk

I'm real glad they're dropping those lights. The rear end could use some attention as well imo.

RB5SCOTT

GREAT

Not only have i got a overpriced, under-equipped UK300 but now an old looking one aswell

At least with the new spoiler it will look like the WRC car for a year or so

Scott

Spudgun GTR

so would it be better to wait for sti8?
otherwise u may lose a fortune lumbered with an ugly bug eye that no one wants?

MichelleWRX1994

Finally

Spudgun GTR

just a thought.....

will the 2003 scooby look VERY different to the my01?
or will it be morrette thingys and a different spoiler?
will they change the hideous rear too?
please please please, let it be so good i want one again

Andy W

Pants, just as I had resigned myself that I was gonig to go for the type UK STI, will wait to 2003 now......

DrEvil

Bite me! its great with morettes!

JackClark

Don't get too excited. Prodrive have already redesigned the lights, perhaps they're just going to be standard.

Great news whatever, I'll be looking to replace mine around that time.