RE: Time For Tea? Imprezas on the attack

[GTiFrank]

supertouring said:

A video I took from one of my VHS recordings of Top Gear Motorsport

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ki8DxFz8ImI&fea...

Thanks for that. Great clip.

[tbtstt]

whatleytom said:

This is my favourite sounding subaru, anti-lag

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7zYZ_zItA1Y

I think this is one of the oldest Impreza videos on the web, but still one of the best! You just cannot beat the sound of a Group A Impreza: raw as fk!

RINGMEISTER said:

Wow the group A machine really does sound a lot more raw that the later WRC car, any ideas why? Maybe the complex anti-lag systems they were running by then?

I daresay the opposite is true. In terms of configuration the Group A was a lot closer to the production car (and far more simplistic) than the subsequent WRCars were.

I've always been curious to know who made the exhausts on the Group A Imprezas, as its the noise that made me fall in love with the Impreza as a teenager.

[Mastodon2]

tbtstt said:

I've always been curious to know who made the exhausts on the Group A Imprezas, as its the noise that made me fall in love with the Impreza as a teenager.

Tbh they were probably just 3" straight-through systems contracted out to a fabricator, though presumably some consideration would have to be given to design to make sure that it was rugged enough not to fall apart after 5 minutes of bumping lumpy gravel roads.

In effect, any custom exhaust place worth their salt could built you something aurally similar, I'd imagine the lack of cats in the rally cars, and differences in their manifolds probably set them apart from the road cars, as well as the state of tune in the engine.

[mat777]

Mastodon2 said:

tbtstt said:

I've always been curious to know who made the exhausts on the Group A Imprezas, as its the noise that made me fall in love with the Impreza as a teenager.

Tbh they were probably just 3" straight-through systems contracted out to a fabricator, though presumably some consideration would have to be given to design to make sure that it was rugged enough not to fall apart after 5 minutes of bumping lumpy gravel roads.

In effect, any custom exhaust place worth their salt could built you something aurally similar, I'd imagine the lack of cats in the rally cars, and differences in their manifolds probably set them apart from the road cars, as well as the state of tune in the engine.

The rumble came from having differing length headers for each cylinder bank. I dont know why they did that seeing as it actually reduces power output, but there are kits available for it on ebay by a company called Borla. See here:

http://pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&t...

[mikeg15]

Obviously for the organisers of those rallies, spectators are cheaper than barriers.

[Mastodon2]

mat777 said:

The rumble came from having differing length headers for each cylinder bank. I dont know why they did that seeing as it actually reduces power output, but there are kits available for it on ebay by a company called Borla. See here:

http://pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&t...

I am familiar with the uneven length manifold, though Borla's parts are truly drool worthy. I'd imagine that the later WRC cars probably had even length manifolds for more efficient gas flow, hence the more even sound, which is closer to an inline 4 than the lumpier group A cars.

[banny650]

Sti 5 type r's are awesome cars, then again I maybe a little biased

[vertastic]

suffolk009 said:

When the first child came along we had a Saab 900 Turbo 3-door. My wife said it had to go. She wanted an estate. She probably mean a passat diesel.

Obviously I went a got a WRX estate. Loved it. Just brilliant. Then a second one, and then two Legacys (three children by now). Now there's no Subaru in my life.

I miss that exhaust note daily.

I can sympathise.

Before I got married I had an Sti Hatch as my everyday car and also a totally mint P1 with less than 25,000 miles for use as a weekend toy. Roll on three years and we now have 2 kids, a dog oh and a pony..!

Gone are all my toy cars and I now run a Focus Diesel!! I did however buy my wife an 05 Subaru Forester XT as a baby wagon so I can at least get the 2.0l burble fix as and when required.

Ah - The good old days..!!

[Gary C]

Trouble with imprezas its the number running stupid chav exhausts.

[300bhp/ton]

rb5scooby said:

Curious but why an RB5, they are just a Turbo 2000 with some clever marketing aren't they.

Apart from the P1 the RB5 was the only UK car based on an STi shell and chassis, the RB used a Version 5 fixed shell with rear seats that wouldn't fold and therefore made the car more rigid. Also the RB5 came in steel blue which was an import only colour. It didn't have as much input from prodrive as the P1 with regards to suspension and ran a Turbo 2000 engine. The main reason the RB5 was so special was because it celebrated the late Richard Burns winning the WRC.

Interesting, although Wiki says the RB5 was based on a WRX which would make it a T2000 just in a different colour and with some additional detailing trim.

I'm not saying it isn't a nice car, but what does it actually do over a T2000 for the additional money?

[Rollcage]

I think it's a fine line between a decent exhaust note and them sounding completely OTT and barried.

Just bought a classic wagon, and exhaust mods are on the agenda, I just don't want it to sound like I live ona council estate!

I know the equal length manifolds stop the Subaru rumble, but they are much better for power and torque. It's a difficult decision! Some of the ebay systems are also not very much money either, and there is a lot of stuff around second hand as well, just to make things more difficult!

[banny650]

Rollcage said:

I think it's a fine line between a decent exhaust note and them sounding completely OTT and barried.

Just bought a classic wagon, and exhaust mods are on the agenda, I just don't want it to sound like I live ona council estate!

I know the equal length manifolds stop the Subaru rumble, but they are much better for power and torque. It's a difficult decision! Some of the ebay systems are also not very much money either, and there is a lot of stuff around second hand as well, just to make things more difficult!

you would be better off going for something like a revolution or miltek, as most ebay ones are quite loud

[GregMac]

Was lucky enough to drive P18WRC around the Oxfordshire backroads last year - yet to be topped

[SuperVM]

banny650 said:

Rollcage said:

I think it's a fine line between a decent exhaust note and them sounding completely OTT and barried.

Just bought a classic wagon, and exhaust mods are on the agenda, I just don't want it to sound like I live ona council estate!

I know the equal length manifolds stop the Subaru rumble, but they are much better for power and torque. It's a difficult decision! Some of the ebay systems are also not very much money either, and there is a lot of stuff around second hand as well, just to make things more difficult!

you would be better off going for something like a revolution or miltek, as most ebay ones are quite loud

I liked the sound of my WRX PPP wagon.

[banny650]

300bhp/ton said:

Interesting, although Wiki says the RB5 was based on a WRX which would make it a T2000 just in a different colour and with some additional detailing trim.

I'm not saying it isn't a nice car, but what does it actually do over a T2000 for the additional money?

wiki is incorrect, there was no GC8 UK wrx was defo based on the uk2000. With the WR pack you got 240bhp, larger rear wing, sti ecu and a prodrive exhasut

[GravelBen]

Part of me still regrets not buying the ver2 STi-RA Ltd I test drove when I was 18. I know the insurance and thirst would have financially crippled me, and in hindsight it was far too quick for my driving ability at the time, but I still wonder... it was #434/555 and looked like this:



DCCD really is great: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedd...

Edited by GravelBen on Thursday 15th November 11:24

[epom]

Nope still not enough to buy my 22B, someday !!

[tbtstt]

GregMac said:

Was lucky enough to drive P18WRC around the Oxfordshire backroads last year - yet to be topped

You sir, are officially a very lucky bd. Would give my left nut to drive an S4 or S5 Impreza WRCar!

[LotusOmega375D]

Tennyson was right: "Tis better to have loved and lost; than never to have loved at all"




Awesome point-to-point machine that I was lucky enough to have owned 2008 - 2010. For me the most desirable car ever to have come out of Japan. With all that performance, iconic looks and rarity (only 424 ever built I think), surely mint, unmodified ones must be the next big thing to shoot up in value?

[delays]

Watching those videos makes me realise just how far Subaru has fallen.

I remember in my youth when Burns and McRae were ragging the Imprezas around the WRC circuit - I had a Tamiya r/c version for some pavement hooning.

I remember seeing a farmer-spec Impreza in the Dales in the mid-90s and being shocked that Subaru weren't just a rally car company; now, it's the other way round!