Subaru and the direction of the Impreza...

Nic'name

in 1993 the First generation Impreza was marketed....in 1999 it was perfected as one of the most original both mechanically and aesthetically affordable cars in the world. In 2001 Subaru destroyed the mould of perfection and came up with the second generation Impreza in an attempt to bring greater mainstream acceptance to the brand. Then unfortunately the third generation Saab...I mean Subaru Impreza was introduced. Below is a link to Subaru/Toyota's new concept car. So from cool to mainstream to dad's car to girls car the CEO of Subaru seems to have a multiple personality disorder. I pray they will ditch the girly front and failed attempts of entering the mainstream and revive the angry, terrifying, speedy Impreza. In the mean time I will drive my model of perfection ( 1999 1.6L boxer engine Impreza) and hope when I have a disposable income that Subaru will have something amazing for me to buy....if I wanted a Celica (which I NEVER will)...I'd buy a Celica.

http://themotorreport.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2008/06/subaru-toyota-fr-tmr.jpg

Typewriter

http://club4g.org/board/other-cars/10718-toyota-subaru-086a-2012-a.html

Biro

Many Celicas are a far better prospect than a 1.6 litre Impreza. That shape is far from the car of perfection that you seem to claim. It looks terribly dated and boring now. The bug-eye'd one that followed was terrible, but when they corrected the lights in 2003-ish they were nice, and the facelift in 05-ish was nice too. Unfortunately, saloons don't sell well in Europe, so a hatch was the only way to go. And if you look at the Impreza now against its competitors, it's not bad looking.
That new coupe in those above pics looks good, but it doesn't look like that anymore anyway. The latest pics look fab. The SVX was Subaru's most daring and inspired designs ever, not the Impreza!

Nic'name

No problem with Celicas (not my style) but they're already made. I find them uncomfortable and too low to the ground. Plus they're in a different category to the Impreza so why not leave it that way. My 1.6L Impreza though is totally misinterpreted. Just because my engine is quality enough to not require a turbo badge doesn't mean that it doesn't do its job. The first generation Impreza was one of the most unique affordable cars out there. It's like they have gone totally mad and are totally inconsistent. There aren't enough angry cars out there and the Impreza was a perfect model. There was a tiny enough variety of these angry rally cars... Read more as it is. It's seems like the sleek and seductive look has taken over every car. Next thing we'll be having an Evo that looks like a Lotus Elise. It makes me sad. Celica is a great car but it's a "sexy lothario" the Impreza was the "dirty muscley builder, that you just HAD to invite in for tea"

Typewriter

Biro wrote: »

Many Celicas are a far better prospect than a 1.6 litre Impreza. That shape is far from the car of perfection that you seem to claim. It looks terribly dated and boring now. The bug-eye'd one that followed was terrible, but when they corrected the lights in 2003-ish they were nice, and the facelift in 05-ish was nice too. Unfortunately, saloons don't sell well in Europe, so a hatch was the only way to go. And if you look at the Impreza now against its competitors, it's not bad looking.
That new coupe in those above pics looks good, but it doesn't look like that anymore anyway. The latest pics look fab. The SVX was Subaru's most daring and inspired designs ever, not the Impreza!

In the words of Jeramey Clarkson the new impreza hatchback looks like a 'smashed buttock'

With regards to styling the Impreza has been neutered.

Nic'name

green_jesus wrote: »

In the words of Jeremey Clarkson the new impreza hatchback looks like a 'smashed buttock'

With regards to styling the Impreza has been neutered.

Couldn't have said it better Green Jesus!! Thanks for the pics! It's so true it has been neutered when it should have been nurtured.

Big Nasty

I think the issue at hand here is that the market for Evo's / Impreza's has almost totally dried up the last two years so in order to sell cars Subaru are doing a Toyota on it: small, light, economical, reliable, affordable, boring and saleable to the masses.

Nic'name

Very true indeed. The should have kept the Impreza as a niché car and brought out something new....like the Subaru 4dmazzez

I just pray the Evo wont go the same way!

Muckie

Have an impreza estate myself, fine car, can carry
loads aswell as the family. Can't beat the "classic" look.
Pity they went call arse and gave us a weird mazda/focus yoke.
Even manky Tiida looking thing!

colm_mcm

From a styling point of view, the original Impreza isn't anything to get excited about. similar to the late 80's Corolla apart from details like the frameless windows.
without the Turbo engine, an Impreza is nothing (IMHO)

Nic'name

colm_mcm wrote: »

without the Turbo engine, an Impreza is nothing (IMHO)

Have you driven both? I have there's virtually no difference. In fact the first generation Subarus (one of which I own) are the fastest to accelerate. I don't think it looks anything like a Corolla.

colm_mcm

I suppose a 2.0 Sport is still nippy, but IMO the main appeal of an Impreza is the power. I think they look like a boring car with a bodykit and they need the performance to compensate.

In standard form an Impreza saloon and a Corolla are very similar.

Nic'name

I think they're far from boring, I remember seeing mine when I was 16. Gorgeous sky blue colour, perfect fog lights, looking all cool and angry. Luckily my dad was cool enough to buy it and sell it to me. I think the styling is gorgeous even down to the badge. I don't have a body kit on mine. I accidentally participated in the Canon Ball run this year as a result of the cars aesthetic appeal everyone thought I was in the competition and I was wondering why I was being waved at. As for performance, it's never let me down and I've never lost a race. *When I say race the majority of these races are when guys see the car at traffic lights then rev and give me the nod. I rev back then disappear into the distance. I annoyingly don't break the speed limit then they fly past around 30 seconds later and I give them the "Oh **** we were racing I wasn't even trying it just does this anyway" look*

colm_mcm

a 1.6 Impreza is seriously slow. I'd be hard pressed to think of cars it would beat in a race. No offence but you're talking 0-60 in 12 seconds, that's 1.6 Avensis territory.

As for the styling, that of course is subjective. but in my opinion there's nothing distinctive about it. apart from nice detailing with the frameless doors. It could be a Nissan, or a Toyota.
In my opinion anyone who says an Impreza is gorgeous has a different way of looking at cars than I do - and that's fair enough.

Nic'name

You obviously don't own one so if you think they're slow. It's a common misconception that the 1.6Ls are slow. Sick of all these turbo turbo turbo heads. This thread is about the evolution of the styling of the Impreza anyway and how it's gone from niche to mainstream.

Graham_B18C

I personally think the model that was out around '99 is a pretty ugly car, i'd only go for the STI and the only reason i'd get that is for the power.

IMO the only good looking Impreza, and a very very good looking one it is.

colm_mcm

I think the styling of the original Impreza was very mainstream. I think you'll find most people will agree with that.

the fact that you find the standard model exciting to behold would suggest that your opinion may be slightly skewed.


Without getting off topic too much, there's no argument for a 1.6 Impreza, the original one had 88bhp, the same as a 1.2 Punto. Couple an engine like that with 4WD and you get sportscar fuel consumption and wheelchair performance.

I've driven 1.6 Imprezas. and I know how slow they are.

.Longshanks.

^ I was in one of those last weekend and have to agree in person it has real proper presence. Was solid as a rock thou and shuck the life outa me

eurojedward

Dont worry he's just insecure 'cause he drive a girly farmers daughter celica. lol

Those things are tiny in the back not much room to bring your friends along for a spin.

FearDark

Nic'name wrote: »

You obviously don't own one so if you think they're slow. It's a common misconception that the 1.6Ls are slow. Sick of all these turbo turbo turbo heads. This thread is about the evolution of the styling of the Impreza anyway and how it's gone from niche to mainstream.

Ive owned quite a few Imprezas down through the years and I agree, the 1.6 Impreza isnt slow at all, when I used be a bit of a tool on the road it was good for 130+mph, the 2.0Awd was MARGINALLY faster than it. Ended up in an STI Type RA, 300Bhp one and it to mention the 1.6 and the 2.0 non turbo in it would be a disgrace, its an absolute animal.

I agree with colm_mcm's point about it looking like a corolla, they definately do, theres a blue corolla going around where I live and i keep giving it a second glance because my brain seems to recognise it as an impreza. The 93-01 impreza imo is still the best looker out of the lot though, but all this im saying is irrelivant because im a Subaru fanboy :P

Somebody said that the 1.6 impreza compares to a 1.2 Punto, eww, no - I really cant agree with that and I dont think you drove one.

EDIT: You said you drove one. Apologies, thats your opinoin, one things for sure, you go into a bend in a Punto the same way you go into a bend in an impreza and you'll be buried in the ditch.

colm_mcm

The Punto comparison was putting it into context. a 1.2 Punto Sporting was 85bhp, which makes getting 88bhp out of a 1.6 nothing to get excited about.

One of my friends had a 1.6 Impreza for years and I was both driver and passenger in it.

Nic'name

The body is Corolla(ish) but in fairness it's the angry Impreza face that's daycent.


Lol at the person who comapred it to a punto, sure god help ya.

Still don't reckon that guy has driven one though.

Feardark, what do you drive now?

Does anyone have any opinion on my original post? What direction do you think Subaru should be going in?

Graham_B18C

Nic'name wrote: »

Lol at the person who comapred it to a punto, sure god help ya.

Still don't reckon that guy has driven one though.

I see Colm post here all the time, very knowledgable and fair, so I do belive he's driven one. 88bhp in a 4 door saloon, I've never been in one but I don't know how that could ever be fast.

But as you said its O/T, I think they're trying to move with the times, the new model is still more agressive than something like a Focus!

Nic'name

He has slated my vehicle when the original post was to do with an opinion on a concept car....fair? Not so much.

Just came on for a simple discussion on a concept car. Not an argument because of what I drive.

Testament1

i think they should have stuck with the hawkeye impreza a bit longer. they could still have brought out the hatchback but should have kept the saloon option there since that 06 model was one of the best lookin performance cars around

colm_mcm

I think they're going in the right direction with the new one. Unlike the 90's when you had just the Impreza or the Lancer Evo, there now is a raft of competition from beefed up big bhp versions of the Astra, Corrado, Focus, even marques like MINI. I don't think small saloon cars have much of a future, and it's nice to see some nice coupes coming back in.



I quite like this. I hate the current hatchback though.

FearDark

Nic'name wrote: »

The body is Corolla(ish) but in fairness it's the angry Impreza face that's daycent.


Lol at the person who comapred it to a punto, sure god help ya.

Still don't reckon that guy has driven one though.

Feardark, what do you drive now?

Does anyone have any opinion on my original post? What direction do you think Subaru should be going in?

They'll be no Lolling at colm_mcm here, he knows his stuff to be fair.

Just put this together, and the impreza on its own without the turbo styling is as bland as you can get and very like a corolla, but when it has those big turbo bumpers, skirts, bonnet scoop, mean grille it has serious prescence on the road.

coolbeans

The original Impreza looks a hell of a lot like the Corolla Colm refers to. Remove the "angry look foglights" and even I, a guy with almost 4000 car mags in the attic will be hard pressed to tell the difference from the front. Thing is OP, the Impreza, and arguably Subarus in general are not created to be handsome vehicles. They're functional, extremely well built and therefore reliable and defined by their use of the all wheel drive system which is their trademark. The 1.6 as far as I remember doesn't even have AWD so it's not even a true Subaru in my opinion as it doesn't check all the boxes that define "Subarosity" . I also find it a little strange that you refer to styling evolution when they never really bothered styling the cars in the first place, at least until very recently. Your one was at best inoffensive looking albeit with the body kit and in the right colour it could be made to look pretty cool like most other Jap boxes of the era. Today they've attempted a whole new styling direction and while I consider it far from successful it is a step in the right direction.
By the way a 1.6 Civic like mine would outrun yours. I've just checked the technical data from my Jan 99 edition of Autocar. Mine is not a fast car by any stretch of the imagination. I do admire your passion though.

FearDark

Nic'name wrote: »

Feardark, what do you drive now?

Not the STI anymore, im trying to get 300bhp out of one of these yokes at the moment by slapping a turbo on the SR20DE engine, its a work in progress :rolleyes:

I think half of me is doing it for the rarity of it, imprezas are way too common now.

FearDark

coolbeans wrote: »

The 1.6 as far as I remember doesn't even have AWD so it's not even a true Subaru in my opinion as it doesn't check all the boxes that define "Subarosity"
By the way a 1.6 Civic like mine would outrun yours.

Pretty sure there was a 1.8 AWD non-turbo at some stage?

To call an impreza "not a true Subaru" is just mind boggling.

Unless the Civic is a 1.6 DOHC, Id say hardly, but this isnt the place to get into "my cars better than yours" debate, if you want that I suggest youtube comments page.

JHMEG

My old man owned several 1.6 Legacys (or should it be Legacies). They were slow as treacle on a cold day, and like most of the low end Imprezzas, were all FWD.