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UK not getting anymore Impreza's/STI's/WRX's...


AMT

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When any self respecting hot hatch these days is well north of 200bhp, it is hard to see the case for an expensive to buy, ugly, expensive to run AWD car with a chavvy image and a pretty basic interior. Don't forget also that they used to sell a lot of these off the back of WRC success, which they no longer can.

 

I just don't think they're competitive enough on paper (I'm aware that on the road this may be different) to fight off the legions of 200+bhp VAG-mobiles and Renaults. Which is sad because they're probably better cars than most of them.

 

DB

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To be fair, image aside they are awesome cars for the British roads. So quick point to point and if I didn't care about the looks I'd definitely buy one of the later shape 330s model. You can pick them up for good money now and in reality will be about as fast as you need for any road.

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its a great shame, the impreza was an absolute icon of the late 90s, early 00s. Colin McRae and RIchard Burns did amazing things with them.

 

Admittedly the new versions are a bit porky and humdrum hatchbacks, and the brand has been tarnished by boy racers with loud exhausts, but the basic premise cannot be bettered - good powered turbo motor, reliable and predictable AWD drivetrain, and a lightweight body. Obviously being Japanese they werent exactly a looker and the interiors were pretty woeful, but for circa £22k when they came out, nothing could touch if for cross country pace.

 

It will be sadly missed, and good examples of the special editions will become icons in the future - was talking to bosses at Prodrive and certain special editions (like the RB320 and P1) were still changing hands for north of £15k, 10 years after they originally came out.

 

RIP :byebye:

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Is the BRZ not sold here? Just the GT86?.

 

its a great shame, the impreza was an absolute icon of the late 90s, early 00s. Colin McRae and RIchard Burns did amazing things with them

 

Yeah that was along my thinking, as I said not my cup of tea, but as a car fan you know an Impreza is a bit of 'icon' thing in motoring. Didn't realise the sales were that bad, prob people opt for 2nd hand buying now for older ones. New ones didn't seem to have an appeal, although I did come across one of those new Imprezas (unsure if one of the rare cossie powered ones) but it had 4 exhausts and over took quite a few cars on a 60road like it didn't care lol Fast buggers..

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it will be back the r bodys was supposedly finished for good they came back the nsx s2000 etc all where finished for good but there coming back (i know potential hybrid) the silvia name was finished but is rumored a return to go against brz etc im sure it will return or it will be a case of grey importing the JDM spec ones and as we all no japan Got the better top end versions of there cars

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They're not selling because no-one is buying. Even the £3K they knocked off in the summer did nothing for sales.

 

It's got nothing to do with the BRZ (even Subaru only expect to shift a few hundred a year atm), it's because no-one wants a £30K four seater with typical Jap interior that does such awful MPG and has a high CO2 output when you can get a BMW for the same price with the same performance.

 

 

Plus the hatch is ugly. Such a shame though, but I can understand the business reasons behind it.

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the hatch might not be great but the saloon is nice and the interior on the new 1s are 1000 times better than that in my ol' mans 55 plate wrx if i had the cash id sell my z and buys new scoob saloon sti in heartbeat

Edited by StevoD
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I went to see the new/current STI with a view of buying one about 18months ago but a rubbish quality interior, poor MPG, high insurance/road tax costs, and a high sticker price of £30K meant I didn't even bother taking one out for a test drive. Shame, always wanted to own a Impreza but looks like its not going to happen for a while now :(

 

I don't think the STI is a bad car, but compared to what BMW/Audi (335/S4) can offer interms of performance/economy/price for the fast saloon market I'm not surprised Subaru hasn't been able to shift many...and at £30K it's a lot more expensive than a fast Ford/Renault hot hatch.

Edited by gangzoom
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