The New 2008 Subaru WRX

From the moment it first touched down on American soil, the Subaru Impreza has been on a hot streak. When the 2.5RS debuted, the terms `affordable', `automobile' and `all-wheel-drive' finally meshed together in a perfect balance that just made sense. An entirely new legion of fanatics was christened; zealots who are now loath to accept any car that doesn't offer a turbocharged powerplant and some sort of complex, four-wheel power distribution system. And when the WRX STI was unleashed, it was all over. We were in love.

However, a car cannot exist on heritage alone and so, for the 2008 model year, Subaru decided to completely redesign the stalwart Impreza. The plan was to lower ownership costs, improve quality, increase interior space and pen a better-looking body. With a naturally-aspirated model, two turbocharged models and a WRC contender to worry about, Subaru's Impreza design team had a full plate.

Impreza and WRX project general manager Akihide Takeuchi and his team spent two years developing the all-new Impreza before unveiling it to us in a special sneak peek session a month before its debut at the 2007 New York International Auto Show. The new body is based on the present BL/BP Legacy platform, sharing its general design and 2.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder powertrain. A new cross member drops the engine by 10mm for a lower center of gravity, an amount limited only by the need to service the engine, according to Takeuchi. Anybody who has tried to change fuel injectors or spark plugs on a WRX engine knows exactly what he's talking about.Chosen for its combination of smoothness and power, the Legacy 2.5GT's engine has been transferred whole, right down to the plastic intake manifold and top-mount intercooler with plastic end tanks. The all-aluminum horizontally opposed engine makes use of a single turbocharger and Active Valve Control System (AVCS) variable cam phasing on both the intake and exhaust sides.

Feeding the top-mount intercooler is a new steel hood with an integrated scoop. The scoop is both shorter and wider than the previous design, and thanks to being incorporated into the hood, promises to prove more stable at high speeds than the old flapping WRX hood scoop. Although power numbers have not been confirmed as of our printing date, the Legacy 2.5 GT makes 243bhp at 13.5psi of boost. Subaru probably won't give any more than that to the new WRX, as it is already well above the outgoing model's 227 bhp. Whatever the final output, the primary gains will be in mid- and low-range torque, on account of the new engine's variable exhaust cam.

We do know that the new WRX will have the Legacy engine mated with either the WRX five-speed transmission or to a four-speed automatic. The Tiptronic-style Sportshift button controls of the Legacy 2.5GT automatic will not be featured. Electronic differentials, computer control systems and yaw control will not be added to the five-speed WRX, most likely leaving the tried and true viscous mechanical all-wheel-drive differentials in place.

Sharing many of its parts with the STI's 2.5-liter, this engine should be just a turbo-back exhaust, increase in boost, ECU tweak, bigger turbo and a more efficient intercooler away from some serious power. Tuners such as Cobb Tuning, Crawford Performance, Easy Street Motorsports and Perrin Performance already offer go-fast parts for the Legacy 2.5 GT and it's just a matter of time before those parts get strapped onto the new WRX (see sidebar).

Aside from the exterior and engine changes, the biggest difference lies in the suspension. For the first time ever in its illustrious history, the Impreza receives a double-wishbone rear suspension design. Gone are the struts and lateral links, and good riddance to that. Takeuchi-san tells us officially that the new rear suspension serves to increase cargo capacity by moving the shock towers out of the way, but from the way he hints at the upcoming STI and WRC cars, we can't help but wonder if that's the only reason.

Sadly, distinctly missing from the new WRX are the Subaru-emblazoned four-piston front and two-piston rear brakes from the current WRX. Sliding brake calipers appear to be back in fashion, leaving us wondering if they're the larger Legacy 2.5GT brakes, or the smaller 2002-2005 WRX brakes. Damn us for forgetting our tape measure.

Exterior-wise, the WRX's old muscular fender flares have been ironed out in favor of wider hips and smoother curves. 17-inch wheels and 205-width Bridgestone RE92 all-season tires are present, but there is plenty of clearance for wider tires. Our first experiment would be to see if a set of 245- or 255-wide meats can clear the fenders. There also appears to be no difference in fender clearance between body styles.