January 11, 2001

Detroit auto show:
Subaru unleashes high-powered Impreza WRX

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With styling cues borrowed from the Impreza World Rally Championship race car (which won the World Rally Championship three times), Subaru's all-wheel-drive 2002 Impreza WRX sedan and Sport Wagon are intended to challenge such upscale European cars as the BMW 325Xi and Audi A4 Quattro.

The WRX models, which should arrive here in the Spring of 2001, are powered by a turbocharged 227 horsepower 2.0 litre 'boxer' four cylinder powerplant with 217 ft-lb. of torque and a reported 0 to 60 mph time of 6.1 seconds with the standard five-speed manual transmission. The manual transmission is mated to a full-time viscous-coupling All-Wheel Drive system while the optional four-speed automatic transmission comes with Subaru's Variable Torque Distribution All-Wheel Drive (VTD) system, a more advanced system. A limited slip rear differential is also standard.

Impreza WRX models come with standard 205/55R-16 inch tires with alloy wheels, four wheel disc brakes and a fully independent suspension.

A racy interior includes sport seats, a Momo leather-wrapped steering wheel, aluminum alloy pedals, and luxury features such as a six-speaker stereo with six-disc in-dash CD changer, power windows and power door locks with remote, and air conditioning. Front and side airbags are also standard.

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