Ike

The track stuff starts about 37 secs in.

http://www.subaru-msm.com/feature/issues/050701/msm.wmv

Ike

Another

http://www2.as-web.jp/movie/file/imp...23/impreza.wmv

RX8-TX

I am liking it! Was the white one a plain vanilla WRX? I know the track seemed wet, and the driver is probably...well a pro. But it didn't seem to have the least bit of understeer....

Gomez

Nothin' special on those vids Ike, I can drive like that.

Yeah.....right! I liked the way the guy in the white one Scandinavian Flicks his way around as he would on the dirt. Nice :D

Ike

It's an STi

Gomez

And that would be because of the afore-mentioned scandinavian flick into each big corner :D .

Ike

Also the understeer thing is rather overblown, it understeers a bit in some corners compared to the Evo but overall there isn't much understeer. The '05 is also better than the 04 since it has a few tweaks and I would image the 06 is even better due to some additional tweaks.

For kicks here's what a former MR2 driver had to say about his STi after his first autox

"I was amazed by how well my STi and other Suby's did. I've never really pushed an AWD car so I wasn't being agressive at all. I'm coming from a snap oversteer MR2 and a tail happy 300ZX ~ at the limit. So I was timid in exploring the envelope. Till my instructor showed me the proper way to drive, then I learned the true meaning of "Throw it in a corner and let the AWD pull you out." It was crazy fun . I highly recommend getting sideways with these cars. And what is this problem about understeer?? A little trail-braking and I had no problem on higher speed corners. It only posed a SLIGHT problem on lower speed corners where I couldn't trail-brake - but nothing to complain about.

Anyone else coming from RWD cars that love how you can thrash AWD???"

Steiner

To the naked eye it looks like that white '06 STi has even less body roll than the '04 STi Top Gear tested. Has Subaru released the specs for the USDM STi yet? I'd be surprised if the new STi doesn't have improved handling considering the praise the Evo's been getting.

Gomez

Never driven one, can't even recall riding in one. Am I missing something? Clutch problems were apparent with earlier WRX's, has this been sorted? Or was it just abuse?

Traction control and DSC have sorted out wet weather driving, so for what reason would you pay more for an AWD these days? Extra weight too. Do WRX's have TC/DSC?

Ike

If you haven't been in one it's tough to explain. AWD launches are a total blast, tosing them into corners is a blast, driving in snow and raind with AWD compared to DSC or TC isn't even comparable. When you launch with DSC or toss a car into a corner is just numbs the experience. AWD gives you confidence and the car is a blast in bad weather whereas TC and DSC just slow the car down in a "smart" manner so you don't do anything stupid. RWD certainly has its perks as well and both are fun in their own regard, but TC and DSC in no way takes the place of what AWD can do.

The WRX didn't have clutch problem but it did have tranny problems. Most were likely due to abuse and the people that have the most problems seem to be driving MY02s and many are pretty heavily modded. The extra weight is minimal at least when it comes to a WRX, they're pretty damn close in weight to an RX-8 but that's mainly because the WRX saves weight in other areas. Lastly, no there is no TC/DSC available, it would be pointless for the most part.

XDEEDUBBX

cool videos...but the 05 headlights or 06..whatever look like a pontiac..haha..but i wouldn't mind owning one

Gomez

Thanks mate. Subaru advertise big here on the back of their AWD being safe in the wet, and a lot of people buy them for that reason. Obviously AWD provides heaps more wet weather grip but it's interesting to find out Subaru do without TC/DSC.

I like getting a little squirrelly in the wet occasionally, and I was driving RWD cars when there was still a chance the Beatles could get back together :p , so I have never bothered seeing what all the AWD fuss was about. Maybe I'll try it one day....

Ike

Can still get "squirrelly" in the wet in an AWD car, I do it all the time, you just have to go faster than you would with RWD :D

Steiner

I just bought my first AWD car and I can tell you that unless something truly amazing in a RWD platform comes along, I'm gonna have a helluva time even considering a non-AWD the next time I go car shopping...and it doesn't even snow where I live!

I wouldn't be surprised to see that in 20-30 years from now, as technology improves and engineers discover more efficient means to reduce parasitic drivetrain loss at cruising speeds, that AWD will be the industry standard.

Gomez

That's what bothers me... :D . The cops are draconian around my neck of the woods.

Steiner, it don't snow much here either . I admit an AWD would be at the top of my purchase list if it did.

Cheers,
Gomez.

Gomez

You're right....and every wheel will be electrically driven. But that is for another thread.