What did you guys think of the new Subaru?

Better or more of the same?

---

Andrew M
Onterrible
30ish

---------Ducking, fearing various tools and bits JVL would throw my way-------------

I like the new one, from the in car videos of Solberg, it seems a bit cramped compared to the old sedans but looked relatively nimble and reliable on Acropolis stages. Although the roads they use in WRC Greece are not the same roads we rallied on before WRC came, the characteristics were not too far off. Any car that finishes second overall is a good car. Atkinson's starter problem seems to be a fluke of some sort, although on the WRC Radio coverage they were saying that he was banging on it with an adjustable wrench, when I watched the video it seemed to me like he was banging on the alternator. Who knows ? One major difference between the old and the new is the rear suspension geometry. Also for the new car Subaru went with a totally new damper manufacturer and so far it seems to be working. In a week and a half they will have an opportunity to test the cars on roads similar to but not as brutal as Acropolis.

Petter was thrilled to finish second a brutal rally with relatively no problems at the first outing of a brand new car.

---

Cheers
M.Samli
Phoenix AZ
Gaylant VR4
EVO III GSR (Stolen)


Rallies are no place for traitors

sagsert Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> ---------Ducking, fearing various tools and bits
> JVL would throw my way-------------

What, JVL has something against Subarus??

> I like the new one, from the in car videos of
> Solberg, it seems a bit cramped compared to the
> old sedans but looked relatively nimble and
> reliable on Acropolis stages. Although the roads
> they use in WRC Greece are not the same roads we
> rallied on before WRC came, the characteristics
> were not too far off. Any car that finishes second
> overall is a good car. Atkinson's starter problem
> seems to be a fluke of some sort, although on the
> WRC Radio coverage they were saying that he was
> banging on it with an adjustable wrench, when I
> watched the video it seemed to me like he was
> banging on the alternator. Who knows ? One major
> difference between the old and the new is the rear
> suspension geometry. Also for the new car Subaru
> went with a totally new damper manufacturer and so
> far it seems to be working. In a week and a half
> they will have an opportunity to test the cars on
> roads similar to but not as brutal as Acropolis.
>
> Petter was thrilled to finish second a brutal
> rally with relatively no problems at the first
> outing of a brand new car.

One could argue that Peter was gifted the Second place.. albeit the car staying together kept him there.

I've heard that they don't have to go as crazy hard to "keep up" now.

The hatch has to be marginally better aerodynamically.. do you think the WRC is so competitive now that it matters?

I didn't know that the rear suspension geometry was changed slightly. Are the teams stuck using the homologated geometry?

I to saw the banging on what must have been the alternator.. not sure what they were trying to accomplish there.

I'd like to see more competitive teams.. although it's sometimes hard to tell what to accredit the car and what to the driver.

I'd love to see Loeb and Latvala race in the old Subaru.

---

Andrew M
Onterrible
30ish

Hey, it got Petter on the podium, in Greece. I like the hatches.

JVL owns a SAAB 96, kettle and pot!

---

Ted Mendham
www.rensport.net

hudson Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> sagsert Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > ---------Ducking, fearing various tools and
> bits
> > JVL would throw my way-------------
>
> What, JVL has something against Subarus??

Come on boys, nothing against how the cars GO, but rather how Dave richards has singlemindedly pushed thru rules and regulations which has changed the sport to the nearly meaningless "spaceship" technology cars bearing only a silhouette resemblance to the base cars, and how Subaru's marketing goals have led them to POUR CUBIC DOLLARS into little series like our North American series and change them into a mere race to spend.

>
> I've heard that they don't have to go as crazy
> hard to "keep up" now.
>
> The hatch has to be marginally better
> aerodynamically.. do you think the WRC is so
> competitive now that it matters?
>
> I didn't know that the rear suspension geometry
> was changed slightly. Are the teams stuck using
> the homologated geometry?

No not in the World Rally Car subset of the GpA rules.
The new car apparently uses SHOCKS, the new one like all WRC cars uses strut based units housed in a tubbed and turreted "tower" (Same as for example as Focus where the original car has scant room for a 40mm diameter shock, but they have a big 50-55mm strut and BIG diameter spring)
There ARE limits to where the TOWER can be, and I believe the suspension pick ups must be in defined areas.
>
> I to saw the banging on what must have been the
> alternator.. not sure what they were trying to
> accomplish there.

Fix it.
>
> I'd like to see more competitive teams.. although
> it's sometimes hard to tell what to accredit the
> car and what to the driver.

World Rally Car rules were lobbied thru because EVERYBODY except Missubishi was complaining about the high cost of making 5000 units as the GroupA rules mandated.
The first step was lowering the numbers to 2500 for GpA--that was 1 Jan 1993, and the first car to appear under that was Ford Escort Cosworth at Monte Carlo. (I was there watching), then in '96 or so the rules were broadened to allow ANY car produced in a minimum of 25000 units to made into a turbo 4wd car, and the first was WRC Carolla, then the floodgates were opened. Ford supported the proposal when they got a trade off of running the Escort Cosworth with revised strut style suspension rather than the semi-trailing arms and shocks of the GpA version.
NOW sinc ethe rules allowed just 20 examples of whatever, the Pug or Citroen gearbox or diff or whatever, the cars are all fully divorced retaining only sections of the floor, the block casting and the head casting.

They work so well that people as diverse as Sainz, Makinen, McCrea, and others said things like "They just about drive themselves now".

And that's hard to jump in and be competitive.
>
> I'd love to see Loeb and Latvala race in the old
> Subaru.

I'd love to see them in Gp4 Ford Escort MkIIs.
>
>
>
> Andrew McNally
> Hamilton ON
> 28

---

John Vanlandingham
Sleezattle, WA, USA

Vive le Prole-le-ralliat

www.rallyrace.net/jvab
CALL +1 206 431-9696
Remember! Pacific Standard Time
is 3 hours behind Eastern Standard Time.

The looks of the new STi road cars suck. It looks like a pebroke welsh corgi dog.

---

Michael LeCompte

yeah, its so ugly I'd call it fugly, maybe even plugly...

But pugly is even worse.

---

Bruce Beauvais
Too many SAABs to count

I do not think Subaru has ever produced a good looking car.

They are all ugly even the one I own.

I think it must be a marketing stratagy.

---

In the long run reality always wins.

pikespeakgtx Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The looks of the new STi road cars suck. It looks
> like a pebroke welsh corgi dog.
>
> Michael LeCompte


i like corgis...

Me too but should a car look like one?

---

Michael LeCompte

derek Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I do not think Subaru has ever produced a good
> looking car.

Aww come on there twern't nothing wrong with the Le-gassy or even the first Impretzled, was there?
The second "Dodge Neon " clone was ugly, but relative to the frowny snout or big nose models even the "Neon STI" weren't too bad.

>
> They are all ugly even the one I own.
>
> I think it must be a marketing stratagy.
>
>
>
> See me go at:
> www.11tenths.com
> In the long run Reality always wins.

---

John Vanlandingham
Sleezattle, WA, USA

Vive le Prole-le-ralliat

www.rallyrace.net/jvab
CALL +1 206 431-9696
Remember! Pacific Standard Time
is 3 hours behind Eastern Standard Time.