Firstly hi to everyone, I've been lurking here for a while but this is my first post. I thought some information I found out about today would be of interest to all of you. A collegue of mine is related to a senior manager of Subaru Australia (I live in Melbourne) who had the following to say on the new shape Impreza:
- same power
- 6 speed gearbox mostly for marketing reasons, not really needed
- multi-link rather than strut suspension more sophisticated.....should make handling even sharper
- same 4wd system
- similar weight and size, just slightly longer (both overall and wheelbase)
- better plastics in the interior and sound system
- 17" wheels (however ugly design apparently)
All in all the Subaru guy thinks that the car will not be any faster, and that the existing model in fact looks much more like a hard-core rally weapon, particularly the Sti version. As such, he thinks that as soon as the current shape ceases production it will become an instant classic and collector item, like the Lancia Integrale did. Great news for all of us, I certainly have no intention of replacing my MY99 Sti with the new shape.

Wall