2008 WRX In Sydney
July 24, 2007 by Alborz Fallah
Subaru has shown of the new 2008 Impreza WRX in Sydney. The event was held at Eastern Creek a few hours ago and initial reports from the scene indicate a positive overall response.
Would you buy this over the new Lancer GSR?
Low quality pictures from the event have emerged, expect more details in the next few days.
There is also a video of the 2008 WRX having some fun on the skidpan, just make sure you turn off your speakers otherwise the Subaru propaganda might get to you.
Print it: 
If I was blind…and stupid, I’d buy one!
UGGGGLLLYYY!
I’d buy one over a Mazda 3 MPS maybe, but it has well and truly left the league of the Evo.
“It takes a lot to get this car out of shape.”
*car going sideways*
this is the bug eye all over again
it will grow on you, sure, but with the GSR coming out and the Evo X set to dominate – I think its all down hill for Subaru from here
My 13 year old will be devastated .His first car is going to be a REX { little does he know it will be a 75 series diesel}. Seriously I would have a Rex if I didn’t own an M3 .I love how they sound,you can pick them out miles away! Disappointing but maybe they will grow on us?
Eldest son now 22 thought Toyotas were the go…….. MMMM also disappointing for his Dad BUT we do appreciate Ricers more from it! His is at least blown!!
well as a REX owner I have to agree that nothing sounds like the boxer rumble, but this car doesn’t deserve the rumble! It doesn’t have the same aggressive look and feel… hmm maybe i have to drive it before I make judgment…
hideous!
give me a Lancer evo X, or even the base new lancer looks good, over this new subaru
How ugly is the new WRX lucky The new GSR is coming out soon.
Subaru cant even get us the nicer looking sedan version I mean how many people want a hatch WRX the sedan look is kinda what makes it so popular.
OH well its less of my problem and more Subaru Australias problem.
I get the feeling its the end of an era though(((((
If it’s a unque sounding car that you like, nothing sounds quite like a rotary!!
FACT : Subaru have always built a less capable version of the MITSUBISHI LANCER EVO its called Impreza something or other.Subaru with their new design ethos is heading them down a road to destruction.LONG LIVE THE KING EVO!!
Pig Ugly… Have Subaru employed the idiots from Ford, chiefly the loser who designed that corpse of a car… THE AU
The outside of the new WRX is as ugly as the inside of an EVO and thats WAY UGLY!
Well.. Lets just think about this for a moment…
I’ve written to Subaru Australia, Wheels Magazine, Motor Magazine, seen a new Impreza in Adelaide, viewed articles in some magazines, and so far my opinion on the new WRX hasn’t changed one bit!
I am a traditional WRX fan, follow rallying, have been a car enthusist for all my 53 years, and I must say I have a sixth sence about this new heap of rubbish that Subaru have dumped on the enthusiast market that have been fans of the WRX for a very long time indeed.
THEY ARE WRONG IN THEIR BELIEF THAT THIS CAR WILL BE A NATURAL PROGRESSION in the ‘EVOLUTION’ OF THE WRX!
I further believe that buyers in this particular market segment will purchase a Mitsubishi (GSR or EVO X) and that Subaru will soon wake up to the fact that buyers want to own a car that LOOKS GOOD!
Why are they SO STUPID..!?
The shame of all this is that the designers and engineers at FUJI HEAVY INDUSTRIES had a clean sheet of paper to start with, and surely the decision to design a NEW model shoult be based around making a car LOOK the bart.
The market researchers who are also involved in this process are obviously NOT enthusiasts, no matter what the people at Subaru say, and it won’t take long at all for Subaru to realise that the WRX has had it’s day in the eyes of their (previously) loyal WRX buyers.
This WILL be an exercise in learning what went wrong when it becomes obvious how many former Subaru WRX buyers are visiting Mitsubishi Dealerships to place orders for a GSR or an EVO X.
AND, I don’t agree that the Sedan version of the WRX
(STi) looks any better either. Subaru have TOTALLY lost the plot in the enthusiast market, and buyers will vote with their cheque books!
Of course, Subaru will continue to falsely believe that this is the right car for their (new) expanding (?)target market, and I understand fully that they are chasing buyers from a broader market, but who in their right mind would buy the new Impreza over a Mazda 3..?
Not me… that’s for sure!!! And you can bet that a LOT of other new car buyers will make the same judgement.
It will be interesting to see what Subaru do to change this situation, but from my perspective, it is all too late, and Subaru are about to learn a BIG lesson that they can’t continue to design bad looking cars and hope to get away with it!!!
The buyers of the uture will decide Subaru’s fate with this new car, and it’s probably only a matter of time before they wake up and realise this!!!
Roger Burnett
LOL I just brought one yesterday…..
The thing is everyone is individual, Roger your passionate and know your stuff but people are going to buy this car 2 other friends of mone have already.
You are right they could have done better with the look back end but performance wise it flys.
This is what I received from Subaru (names removed to protect the innocent)when I questioned the look of the 08 hatch.
Dear Mr XXXXX,
Thankyou for your email to Feedback at Subaru.
We appreciate your comments in relation to our new vehicle, the new Impreza has been developed from our customer’s influence in assisting in the overall design characteristics of this all new model, our engineers have used this information to develop the all-new Impreza. The new Impreza is a markedly different vehicle to the current car. In line with consumer behaviour, it will broaden its appeal to a whole new set of customers looking for more style and sophistication.
New competition is constant and we’re confident of Impreza’s ability to stand out in the crowd.
WRX’s existing audience is important to us. Equally, we believe the new car will have broader appeal with its stylish sophisticated lines and value-added specification. It is moving more towards the Euro Definition Of a hot hatch, where there is the potential to grow WRX sales. There has been some criticism that the previous vehicle was too harsh for everyday use and its overt nature may have alienated some. The new car addresses some of those concerns.We appreciate your feedback and comments with relation to the MY08 Impreza range and assure you that they will be passed on to our Marketing Department for the information of our factory in Japan for future model design.
Kind regards,
XXXXXX Customer Relations Representative
Subaru (Aust) Pty Limited
At least they responded not sure if they will pass my feedback to Japan tho :P
just seen a new WRX STI crusing church street parramatta, looked good i must admit!