The_Gza

From the Auto Express website:

Xmas Gift For Impreza Fans


Rally legend Subaru has thrilled fans of its new Impreza by confirming the high-performance STi will arrive in the UK in December, priced under £30,000.

The four-cylinder boxer unit will be detuned from 280bhp to 260bhp to pass emissions regulations. The manufacturer aims to make up for the power loss by adding a host of extras, including a rear wing and gold alloy wheels.

Meanwhile, tuning expert Prodrive is to work on the WRX edition to create a WR Sport-badged model due for a September debut. Prodrive will then turn its attention to the STi with a view to replacing the driver-oriented P1.

BT52

The Prodrive WR-sport will cost about £27k, will include the performance upgrade we are all waiting for, the bodykit that some dealer's cars are already wearing and alcantara trim.

In other words it's the RB5 mk2.

Bit expensive I think.

JoeyDeacon

£25,995 = Honda S2000

Know which one I would rather have!

[This message has been edited by JoeyDeacon (edited 13 March 2001).]

BT52

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:<HR>Originally posted by JoeyDeacon:
<B>£25,995 = Honda S2000

Know which one I would rather have!

[This message has been edited by JoeyDeacon (edited 13 March 2001).][/quote]

Me too, if I want a relaxed brilliant all-rounder it would be the Subaru, if I wanted a 2 seater it would be the Elise plus upgrades.
No way would the Honda get a look in with that steering and handling.

Orville

Why can't we just have a standard STI with the ECU remapped for UK fuel and suspension retuned for UK roads. I would rather have a choice over what options I buy than have Prodrive slap 18"wheels, revised front/rear spoilers, pluseher trim and a £5000 surcharge on top of Jap spec.

I read an article this week saying that the EVO VII GSR (full spec) costs less that £17k in Japan. If we assume STI's are roughly the same same then we will be charged £13k for import costs and a few extras. Looks like it may be be the P1 mk2.

Hollywood

Anyone know of any 5 door variants in the pipeline to keep us wagon types happy?

Nick

Bajie

An MGF is cheaper in Japan too as are a lot of UK cars for sale out there!
A "standard" Nissan Skyline GTR V-spec is 27k GBP New in Japan.
Obviously its considerably more expensive to send a car from Japan to England than it is to go the other way.
We are ripped off here whichever way you look.
It is our lot in life to suffer at the hands of those entrusted to make our miserable lives slightly happier.
What are you all going to do with these Evo VIIs, STi's and suchlike.
The time is fast approaching when we won't be able to drive them anywhere!
And you'll probably get bullwhipped for doing 31 in a 30 zone as a matter of course.
Not that I'm complaining or anything ...

BT52

I don't think we get ripped off at all compared to the rest of Europe, in fact I reckon we have it pretty good.

Think about it, one of the reasons Euro prices are so much less than here is because they have to pay much more tax on their cars.

Whereas we can get the benefit of THEIR low prices if we feel like it and pay OUR small tax. Sounds like a good deal. Worse for them, they have to pay their high tax and importing from the UK would make it more even more expensive.

I think we should keep quiet about it otherwise Europe might lower the taxes and the manufacturers will raise their prices and then we won't be able to benefit at all!
The only people complaining about UK prices are those who can't be bothered to look further than their own highstreet which is somewhat shortsighted, no-one is forcing them to buy from the UK.

Agreed, the Jap prices seem very cheap though

mprocureur

Hi there,

Just FYI, the S2000 is at £17200 VAT excluded in belgium, RHD, full UK spec, 3 year warranty.

See ya,
Mike.
MY01 S2000, delivery April 01.

BT52

So that's still over 20,000 after VAT then.
Still wouldn't buy it, sorry.

JoeyDeacon

Maybe because I have done the whole Impreza thing now I really feel the urge to own a two seater convertible for a while. The usual MX5, MR2, MGF and Fiat Barchetta are far two girly and underpowered for my taste.

I have to agree that the Elise is a brilliant car and looks absolutely gorgeous but I am not sure if I could put up with it as my everyday car. Elise also starts to look pretty expensive when you add an alarm, driving lamps, radio and a few other things you take for granted in most other cars.

That leaves the Porsche Boxster, Honda S2000 and Audi TT. Once you add a few options to the Boxster it starts to get very expensive and there is always the "can't afford a proper porsche" image. Audi TT is just a golf 4-motion in drag which only really leaves the S2000

Either way the New age Impreza STi and WR Sport-badged models are still way too overpriced.

Tiggs

Will a pro drive wrx be good value at £27,000?? My wrx with ppp (when its ready, hopefully soon after i get the car delivered in 3 weeks and run it in) will cost £21+2. What else can they offer for the extra 4 grand?? If i want to personalise the car i can spend out on a body kit, better stereo, etc, etc and even a headlight conversion when theyre ready and still have plenty change from 4k. and i could paint the wheels gold if i wanted the full effect.

tiggs

and mines a wagon so i doubt they'll do a special of that anyway?

Steve001

iTrader: (7)

Reading a mag last nite Top Marques i think its called looking at current prices of secondhand scoobs etc. anyway i saw an Ad for the new 2001 Wrx a company named taillights i think offering a Uk spec car imported from Europe for 17K or a left hooker for 16.5K OTR. is this a good price? made me think a little as i'm considering an sti at this sort of price! can there be any comparison (s/hand quicker car vs. new car with loads of warranty?) the new cars looks ok'ish just have to get rid of those horrible Bug headlights.

Hunk

Strange bizz these imports... In Holland we have to pay 22.700 gbp for a standard car. (including airco/radio/spoiler/micapaint)

Des

Could someone tell me why you can have an
EVO 7 with 276bhp but Subaru has to reduce
the STI to 260bhp to meet emissions? If
Mitsubishi can pass the test (I assume thay
do) then why cant the STI?

Anyone, anyone???? :-)

[This message has been edited by Des (edited 14 March 2001).]

polarbearit

Ok as to the STi with only 260 hp compared to the Evo 7 with 276, well the Evo 7 is currently only available in the as an import not a type approved vehicle. This is a MUCH less strict test than UK type approval. If subaru intend to type approve the STi it will have to conform to new emissions test only introduced in Jan 2001, ie after the P1 was type approved (to pre-empt the next Q).

You can of course unofficially import an STi with the full Jap spec, but be warned in June it is proposed that the SVA test is to become stricter and may require significant modifcation to Evo 7 and STi 7 to comply! (just to complecate matters further)

However if you look in the back of Autocar (not an intentional plug) you will find STi 7 and Evo 7 for less than £25k, which given that the jap price is £17k, then VAT, Import Duty, De-registration cost, SVA costs, Shipping costs ... is not too bad really (dealers prolly only make £500 to £1000 per unit, which is much less than a UK dealer makes on a 01MY WRX at list!).

As to the limited editions, they seem too dear for a car which has not achieved the rock solid residuals of the previous model in its prime (ie circa '98).

As to UK cars, official dealers are doing metallic cars at just over £19k (again back of autocar), and importers have them instock at £18k with good warranty or for £16k - £17k(dependant on exchange rate and commission quoted) to order for 5 months delivery times.

Sorry to go on, but I hope this is of use to someone!

Jon