Subaru WRX: Two decades of all-paw action

In the early 1990s, the World Rally Championship was flourishing under Group A regulations. Several top-line manufacturers entered factory-backed teams to showcase their latest technology on mixed surfaces across the world.

The beauty of Group A – from both a manufacturer’s and potential purchaser’s viewpoint – was that there was a truly tangible link between stage and showroom floor. The Group A regulations had been in force since 1987 and required a commitment to build 5000 road versions of a car before it was eligible to enter the championship. Sure, the difference between road and rally car remained vast, but it didn’t matter; anyone with the requisite funds could get behind the wheel of a car that had direct lineage to the rally monster they could see being flung sideways by the best drivers in the world.

By 1992, the Japanese manufacturers had really got a handle on the regulations. Both Subaru and Mitsubishi had decided their first-generation Group A cars – the Legacy (Liberty in Australia) RS and Galant VR-4, respectively – were too large to be truly competitive on the stages against the Lancia Delta Integrale and Toyota Celica. Thus the genesis of the Subaru Impreza and Mitsubishi Lancer Evo...

But while Subaru was keen to bring their new Impreza to the rally stages, it did not want the public to perceive the Liberty as an inferior car. UK-based operation Prodrive (which ran the Subaru WRC team) was told to persist with the Legacy until it won at the top level, and this was duly achieved at Rally New Zealand in 1993, with the legendary Colin McRae behind the wheel.  

The stage was set for Impreza to shine....

WRX took the key components from the Legacy RS and further honed them into a smaller, more agile package. This included the now-legendary ‘EJ20T’ turbocharged flat-four, five-speed manual gearbox and permanent all-wheel drive system with viscous coupling centre and limited-slip rear-differentials. With the intercooler located above the engine and breathing through a bonnet scoop, the initial WRX produced 176.5kW/270Nm.

Australia received its first taste of the Impreza WRX in the 1994 model year, the sedan priced at $41,990. Deliveries to our shores coincided with the release of the hatchback version, which shared the same underpinnings but offered added practicality.

As was the norm at the time, the Australian-delivered WRX had less power than its JDM cousin- 155kW/270Nm- thanks largely to our lower octane fuel. Up to 100 RON unleaded was available in Japan at the time, compared to 91 RON in most of Australia.

Despite the lower outputs, pundits raised on local V8 product raved about the limpet-like grip the WRX provided. At 1245kg, the WRX's power to weight ratio was superior to Holden’s VR Commodore SS.

With drive split 50/50 between front and rear, traction was its strong suit, with a safe, understeer-first balance. Once turned-in to a corner, the chassis’ agility allowed an early application of throttle that maximised its traction advantage, particularly in wet conditions.

While the chassis/driveline combination sparkled, the early WRX’s basic interior copped its share of criticism. A Momo leather wheel and gear knob were the only trinkets in what was otherwise a plain cabin.

It didn’t seem to matter too much, for the GC8 WRX series was a resounding success. Meantime, McRae’s immortal, 1995 WRC driver’s championship-winning version cemented its place in rallying folklore. And the fact you could buy a roadcar in the same WRC Blue with gold wheels made it all the more aspirational…

WRX GROWS UP

Its replacement had grown up; 40mm wider in the body than the GC8 series, the latest Impreza was also 40mm taller and 65mm longer. While this improved interior space (enabling better packaging and higher quality) weight ballooned to 1390kg, and the now-160kW engine’s power delivery was compromised as a result.

The styling of the second-generation car also came under fire and was quickly tagged with the undesirable title of ‘Bugeye’.

Subaru worked hard to allay fears that the Rex had gone soft, the 2002 model year received shorter gear ratios much better suited to our driving conditions and a $1000 price cut, but in the eyes of WRX enthusiasts, the spirit of the original was lost.

2003’s WRX benefitted from the styling upgrades rolled out across the Impreza range, with the EJ20T receiving much-needed updates that restored performance.

With 168kW/300Nm the MY2003 WRX returned the 0-100km/h time to the five-second bracket and was more responsive at low revs thanks to an increase in compression from 8.0:1 to 9.0:1. It was this basic styling that survived through to 2005 and was used on a limited edition known as the WRP10.

Locally designed, it housed the most powerful non-STi version of the legendary EJ20T before its replacement in 2006.

WRP10 was announced in late 2004.

“The ‘WR’ represents Impreza WRX’s success in world rally competition, ‘P’ the enormous rallying contribution from Pirelli tyres and ‘10’ the years since launch of the original Impreza WRX,” explained Subaru Australia MD Nick Senior at its release.

Only 200 were built, with upgrades carried out at Subaru Australia's dedicated STi facilities at Docklands (Vic. Priced at $48,490, at a time when the manual WRX was selling for $39,990, WRP10 generated 175kW at the same 6000rpm peak as the 168kW WRX, courtesy of an STi performance kit- essentially a re-programmed ECU and tuned exhaust.

Stiffer springs, a carbon strut brace and a 15mm lowered ride height aided handling, 17-inch Rays forged alloys and Pirelli P Zero Nero tyres finished the job.

In practice, contemporary reports suggested that WRP10 was perhaps not worth the premium over the standard car, the power gains not directly translating to everyday driving, the ride firmer but the handling not obviously superior

2005 Subaru Impreza WRX WRP10 Sedan
Price: $48,490 (new)
Engine: DOHC, flat-four turbocharged petrol, 2.0-litre
Output: 175kW/302Nm
Weight: 1395kg
Transmission/Final drive: Five-speed manual, all-wheel drive
Wheels/Tyres: Alloy 17 x 7.0-inch, 215/45/17
Claimed fuel economy: 10.9L/100km
CO2 emissions: 261g/km

BIGger, but better?

WRX received newly designed 17-inch wheels to complete the new look, and made another step forward in cabin ergonomics. Overall length increased another 50mm though wheelbase and track widths remained as per the previous car. Weight was up to 1415kg.

The mechanical package was vastly improved across all facets. Aluminium lower front suspension arms were adopted for the sedan and a Suretrac rear limited-slip differential was fitted.

Though a five-speed manual gearbox was retained, it gained double synchros on first and third gears. This, along with a 10mm-shorter lever throw and ‘push’ rather than ‘pull’ clutch actuation made for a shift action that was both stronger and more positive.

The new engine was controlled by an electronic throttle, though it still fed through a bonnet scoop into a top-mounted intercooler.

It produced 169kW – one more kilowatt than its 2.0-litre predecessor. But its key difference was torque: 320Nm played 300Nm, peaking at the same 3600rpm.

The new powerplant was designated EJ25DET and was considered good enough to win the International engine of the year award in the 2.0 to 2.5-litre category in 2006. It was the first horizontally-opposed engine to ever win the award.

Another limited edition, called CS9, came along for 2006. CS stood for ‘Club Spec’ and continued a WRX tradition that dated back to the GC8s. With only 300 built and priced at $44,490 (the standard car was $40,990) the CS9 had specific badging and was only available in WR Blue or Obsidian Black.

Though the name sounded as though it should grace a stripped-out special, the truth was the Club Spec evolutions were more about added accessories than increased performance.

For CS9, outputs remained as per standard, however, it did ride on unique 18-inch alloys and sat 15mm lower on firmer springs thanks to STi suspension upgrade. A short-shift kit with STi aluminium gear knob improved shift quality further, and a matt black front lip spoiler added visual clout as well as contributing to cornering stability.

Occupants were hugged by leather-trimmed seats and an electric sunroof was standard fitment, making CS9 appear good value over the entry-spec car.

2006 Subaru Impreza WRX CS9 Sedan
Price: $44,490 (new)
Engine: DOHC, flat-four turbocharged petrol, 2.5-litre
Output: 169kW/320Nm
Weight: 1415kg
Transmission/Final drive: Five-speed manual, all-wheel drive
Wheels/Tyres: Alloy 18 x 7.0-inch, 215/45/18
Claimed fuel economy: 10.9L/100km
CO2 emissions: 261g/km

RALLYING CRY

The current wide-body specification was welcomed by enthusiasts when introduced in 2010 (for the 2011 model year), for its blistered arches restored some aggression to what had become a quite meekly-styled sedan (or hatchback). It also differentiates the WRX and STi from the ‘cooking’ naturally-aspirated Impreza range, which retained the narrow body introduced in 2008.

The 2.5-litre engine in latest specification generates 195kW and 343Nm, offering 0-100km/h in 5.3 seconds while using 10.4L/100km – 0.5L less than the unit found in the CS9. Interestingly, it still retains a five-speed manual gearbox.

Although the WRX stays with 17-inch alloys, width has increased from 7.0 to 8.0-inches and wheels are fitted with 235/45 tyres, 10mm wider than its predecessor’s rubber. This contributes to an increase in both front and rear track widths, by 35mm and 40mm respectively.

Alterations to the rear suspension bushings help to negate the excessive understeer that could be generated by its predecessor. Cosmetically, quad exhausts and a rear diffuser further shine a light on the new Rex.

Inside the usual WRX touches continue; leather steering wheel and shifter, alloy pedals, reasonably comfortable seats and the practicality of the 60/40 split-fold rear seats. The car has advanced in safety terms with dual front and side airbags, but overall it still places function over form.

Dynamically, however, the new car has moved the game on. It makes far better use of the engine’s talents than the previous model, offering a far more planted feel but simultaneously being more adjustable to driver input.

This is particularly noticeable on track – in the 2008 car you would turn-in then manage understeer through small throttle and steering adjustments before it settled enough to exit. The new machine has a sharper turn in and has enough front-end grip to lean on, enabling an earlier, harder throttle application on exit to take most advantage of the abundant traction on offer.

Fast, assured, characterful; it’s WRX back to its best.

2012 Subaru Impreza WRX Sedan
Price: $39,990

In whatever guise, the replacement – due here in mid-2013 – will continue the famed WRX nameplate, albeit sans ‘Impreza’, just like all WRX models post 2010, and indeed the current Impreza-based XV crossover.

If the hybrid model is a smoke and mirrors exercise, and we believe it is, the new WRX is likely to be powered by a turbocharged version of the FB-series Boxer engine found under the bonnet of
Toyobaru BRZ/86. Whether the displacement is 2.0 or 2.5-litres is still unknown, though we could safely speculate that manual and Lineartronic CVT transmissions will be available.

Australia is the fourth largest market for Subaru behind the US, Japan and China and the biggest market per capita for WRX bar none. Since 1994 more than 25,000 WRXs have found homes in

Australian driveways – though the current model has not been so well received. Compared to its predecessor, sales of the new WRX has slumped some 40 per cent.

Just how well received the new model will be is anyone’s guess, but if it looks anything like the concept shown at the LA motor show in 2010, we reckon it’s in with half a chance.

Read the latest news and reviews on your mobile, iPhone or PDA at carsales' mobile site…