Days Gone By

I communicate pretty regularly with a number of veteran Subaru owners – guys who have been in the game for upwards of a decade. One thing we all seem to agree on is that the community is dead. It’s a harsh statement but one that’s undeniably true. I base my views primarily on the parts market or lack thereof. It’s become harder than ever to buy new parts for the various iterations of the Impreza, especially the GC and GD. If you’re trying to do the JDM thing, good luck.

As more Japanese companies pull out of the US, it’s a grim reminder that people have moved into other cars or out of the community entirely. The BRZ was a nice blip on the radar, especially for those seeking more aggressive wheel options for the unrelenting 5×100 bolt pattern. However the BRZ has in no way captured the market or the interests of Subaru aficionados, quite the same way the FR-S has.

The Impreza has become dated and with Subaru out of the WRC, it’s tuned variants are becoming increasingly irrelevant in this new era of paddle-shifters and energy recovery systems. Someday we can only hope that the Impreza will share a similar affinity to classics like the Hakosuka and S30 Z. In the meantime, I only see the car’s popularity dwindling.

It’s a grim outlook, but in many ways an optimistic one because I still love my WRX as much as I did the day I got it in 2005. It’s a car that’s gotten so far under my skin that I may never be able to part ways with it. In the meantime there are still exciting Imprezas out there – granted their harder to find, but they still exist. There’s also the exciting news of the WRX Concept and Subaru’s desire to continually produce AWD rally-inspired cars. Maybe someday we’ll see a return to the Impreza’s former glory in the WRC. For now we hold onto the memories.

Subaru’s WRX Concept Hints At Things To Come

The Subaru WRX Concept made its official debut at the New York International Auto Show yesterday and upon first impressions, the car looks fantastic.

Earlier this year, Subaru announced they would no longer be selling the Impreza to the UK market. The news raised a number of concerns over the future of the Impreza brand and whether or not it would suffer a similar fate to its Mitsubishi rival.

Subaru seems to have answered any concerns with the WRX Concept, ushering in a new direction for Imprezas to come.

The Japanese manufacturer has always been good at producing reliable cars that are excellent to drive, however they’ve never really succeeded in exterior styling. While certain iterations like the GC and GD have gotten better looking with age, more recent Imprezas have failed to capture the same appeal.

Subaru’s current GVB shares an unfortunate resemblance with Toyota’s flagship – with added exterior girth, in the form of widened wheel arches and a massive rear wing. The tuning industry has fixed the problem to a degree. However it would be nice to leave the dealership in an Impreza that already looks great, rather than one that has the potential to.

The WRX Concept has been designed to look aggressive from the start, with its styling features working together in harmony. Nothing looks to have been added as an afterthought.

The car’s front end looks particularly stunning with a larger, Legacy-inspired front grill and European style headlights. The brand’s signature hood scoop looks like it belongs on car, having been nicely integrated, without looking overly bulbous. The LED strips on the front bumper and splashes of neon yellow accents are also nice touches.

As if it didn’t seem possible, the WRX Concept has taken on an even wider stance.

Subaru have offered no performance figures on the car, however it’s likely it will come equiped with the same 2.5L turbocharged Boxer engine as the current model. What’s more intriguing is the car’s electronic brain. I’ve long been a proponent of making the Impreza “smarter”. A similar system to Mitsubishi’s AYC would be a welcome addition and help to combat the car’s notorious understeer. With improved handling and a bit more power, the WRX Concept could eventually be the final nail in its rival’s coffin.

The massive 6-pot front brakes and aggressive rear diffuser shows that Subaru understands potential customers. As both features have become popular aftermarket additions to the WRX, it would make sense for Subaru to offer them from the factory.

The WRX Concept does of course raise questions about a potential STi to follow. A beefed up version would normally make sense, but if the production model retains its current features and a similar level of performance, the STi could be out of a job.

It’s an exciting time for Subaru enthusiasts and a step in the right direction for the brand. The WRX Concept looks more at home in the company of Europe’s elite, than with its own Japanese counterparts. Hopefully they’ll make the smart decision and put it into production as soon as possible and by all means, offer an estate version as well!

Photos courtesy of Subaru.

Dear Santa…

I love estates. Why Americans haven’t embraced them with open arms remains one of life’s great mysteries. The idea of being able to haul 6 months worth of Costco goods, while hammering the pavement at Ferrari-like speeds is extremely appealing.

The Audi RS6 Avant is a thing of beauty. Where BMW continues down their road of love-hate styling (think new 3 Series grill), Audi’s been churning out attractive, contemporary designs that allude their the performance intentions.

The Avant’s 560 horsepower 4L V8 twin-turbo is enough to get even the most seasoned estate haters to take notice.

Despite the power, the Avant allegedly gets 25 mpg. Even if it doesn’t, do you really care?

Please Audi, give us a break. Send them over and I guarantee you people will buy them! Americans are more sophisticated than we used to be!

The Avant is set to debut next March at the Geneva Motor Show.

Photos courtesy of Audi.

The Foz

I love a good looking Subaru Forester, especially in STi trim.

How rad is this car? I don’t think it’s an actual Forester STi. But it may be the 2.5 XT Limited, which came with the same turbocharged 2.5L as the Impreza STi. Crossover parts, like the V-Limited front lip and Brembo 4-pots, suit the car perfectly. Well done sir!

Photo courtesy of Silver_04_WRX_SC.

One Final Challenger: The Tomei/Cusco Impreza

In the sport of Time Attack, only one car can claim the title of Undisputed King. The Cyber Evo dominated the sport in Japan, then headed to Australia, where it’s won the World Time Attack Challenge every year, since the event’s inception in 2010. Sierra Sierra and their Evo VIII have made numerous attempts to beat the Cyber Evo without success, placing second overall in 2010 and 2011. But what about the Evo’s main rival, the Impreza?

A few years ago Tomei Powered teamed up with Cusco and Tarzan Yamada, to begin a project that would become Subaru’s answer to the Cyber Evo. The project seemed very promising and where Zero/Sports were never able to match the Cyber Evo, it seemed very likely that this new car had a shot. The project enlisted a number of specialists in their given fields. Voltex joined the project to develop new aero for the car, while Cusco handled all of the suspension and Tomei, the power and tuning.

Ultimately the project never reached its end goal and once again a challenger was silenced by the Cyber Evo’s dominance. The Tomei/Cusco Impreza placed third overall in the 2010 WTAC, with a best time of 1:31.9010, a full second and a half behind the Cyber Evo. Where in some cases, it could be argued that the car’s driver was a factor, Tarzan Yamada piloted both rivals. It wouldn’t see any further competition beyond the event and declined to participate the following year.

Despite everything, we’re still left with one of the most exciting Time Attack Imprezas ever built. Similar to JUN and Zero/Sports, the Tomei/Cusco Impreza was built for Unlimited and Pro Class competition. One of the best aspects of Time Attack, is the sheer lunacy of the aero where no concept is left unexplored in the pursuit of valuable seconds.

The Tomei/Cusco Impreza features one-off aero from Voltex with a front splitter not unlike the one used on its rival Cyber Evo. The chassis features an under tray to produce as much downforce as possible. The car has also lost much of what made it a sedan in the first place, by removing the rear doors and positioning the driver’s seat in the middle of the interior, for better weight distribution.

The interior is all business with little left behind apart from some scaffolding and single Bride Gardis bucket.

People have failed to understand what the term “flush” actually refers to. This is flush; notice how the lips of the wheels and side walls of the tires are perfectly aligned with the car’s fenders? The car’s “stance” has everything to do with the suspension configuration. Notice the car’s ride height and and the negative camber of the wheels. This is no way refers to the fitment of the wheels and tires, in relation to the car’s fenders.

While we’re on the subject of wheels the tires; the Tomei/Cusco Impreza sports a set of 18×9.5 Volk TE37s, with Advan A050 tires.

A proper engine bay featuring all the latest and greatest from Tomei. The engine is a fully built EJ25G prototype. The reverse intake manifold allows for shorter intercooler piping, resulting in quicker spool. The turbocharger is a Garrett GT3076R, which helps the car to produce 444whp and 434lb-ft of torque. All of which is tuned on a Motec M600 ECU.

Most of the suspension components where custom built specifically for this car by Cusco. Included in the long list of suspension parts are their ZERO3X coilovers.

The rear corner could be the car’s best angle.

With the Impreza becoming heavier, softer and more luxurious with every new iteration, this could the be last of the fully stripped out Time Attack monsters. It’s the last Impreza to make one final attempt at sacking the Cyber Evo, which has officially been retired. A great time attack car and despite it’s relatively short career, it’ll most certainly be remembered in high regard.

Photos courtesy of Yokohama.

AWD Legends

Japan’s greatest hits, hanging around the paddocks of Fuji Speedway.

That is about as good as it gets.

Wait A Minute

What the hell is this?

As if the S206 announcement wasn’t enough, Subaru decided to drop another big one today.

Something about this car looks strikingly familiar. I can’t quite put my finger on it.

Lets have a look around back. Nope, still the same.

Apparently Subaru and Toyota have done little more than swap badges, for their respective versions of the Toybaru, or whatever the hell it’s called.

I guess the real question is; if this is the BRZ, then what’s sitting at the LA Auto Show right now? I sure hope it’s the STi version that Subaru “plans” to release. I discussed the BRZ weeks ago and I knew those looks and that wing, were too good to be true. This pedestrian-looking, production version is a bit of a departure from the rally inspired concept, we’ve all seen on the Internet. Lets hope the underpowered, ricer taillight equipped BRZ, gets the STi treatment it so deserves.

NISMO Omori Factory: The R-Tune

Sometimes you come across a car that you will remember for the rest of your life. It’s the kind of car that you’re  thankful for having been able to spend a few minutes with. It serves as an inspiration, a benchmark for everything that follows. For me it was a Skyline GT-R quietly sitting in an ally next to Omori Factory’s showroom in Tokyo.

When you visit Japan, there is no doubt you’ll come across some pretty special cars. But contrary to Tokyo Drift, the city is not where you go to find all the good ones. Tokyo is like any other big city. It’s not car friendly. Everyone walks and uses public transportation. Rightfully so, seeing as it has one of the best subway systems on the planet. I had spent most of my first couple days there chasing down pretty uninspiring, bone-stock Lancers, Silvias and the occasional Skyline. They were cool because it was Japan and that somehow made it more legit. But by my current standards, they were nothing to really write home about. Then there was something a little bit different. It was the last thing Mike and I saw coming out from our visit to Omori Factory. It was undoubtably fast and very beautiful, a real needle in the haystack of Tokyo.

I don’t want to turn this into another car feature. I have no knowledge about what’s been put into this Skyline GT-R. Everything I could say about this car would be assumption. The creations of Omori Factory seem to be quite the mystery and despite the countless hours I’ve spent trying to properly research everything I’ve posted in the last few weeks, I’ve come up with very little. There just isn’t a whole lot documented out there. Not about the engines, not about the cars. So going on assumption, what you’re looking at is the R-Tune. A very special version of the Skyline GT-R and sort of another stepping stone for what eventually became the Z-Tune. From everything I was able to find, the R-Tune is like the Porsche GT3 RS. It’s a street car that is most at home on the track. It’s equipped with Omori Factory’s RB26 R1. It’s sort of a step up from the S1 which was designed primarily for street driving. The R1 is essentially an RB28, using an N1 block. Everything about this engine has been improved to take as much abuse as the track can give it. Inspired from the same engines used in SuperGT, it’s really the ultimate RB26 produced for the consumer, by Omori Factory.

Everything was just right that morning, even the lighting. It was a very humid, overcast day, but the perfect coat of Bayside Blue reminded me so much of my own WRX back home. It reminded me of just how great a car looks in blue. On this morning it lit up the entire ally, impossible not to stop and have a look at.

You’ve found yourself doing it. Standing there, looking at a car, maybe yours, maybe someone else’s. You just look at all the details, inspecting it. It’s one of the best parts about being a car guy. Those moments when you appreciate a machine for what it is. I spent a long time doing the same thing in that ally. Just admiring the R-Tune that was parked in front of me. I probably took 30 pictures of that car. I made damn sure I had documentation of it, so I could look back as I am now and remember how it felt to see it.

I never saw the owner of the R-Tune. We just left it parked there. Who knows, maybe it’s still there, guarding the entrance. It was the first proper Skyline GT-R I’d ever seen in person and for that it remains one of my favorite cars ever. It’s pure, untouched by the hands of any tuning shop except from those of the factory from which it came. It’s a shining example of everything I love about cars. It represents a mentality that is slowly drifting away. People aren’t admiring these cars anymore. I guarantee you someone would comment on the fitment if I invited the discussion on a forum. But this R-Tune works as the whole package. Nothing about it needs to be changed. It’s prefect as it is and I wish it were mine. I would take an R34 over the current GT-R any day of the week. I don’t care how much better the new one is.

So that’s it, the grand finale. The proper finish to a truly inspiring visit to Omori Factory, a shop I had no idea I was visiting at the time. I wouldn’t have had it any other way. It was the introduction to my obsession. An obsession all of us have. One that is so strong it influences our decisions about everything. It’s good to be passionate. It gives you something to look forward to and makes life worth living. Like my visit to Top Secret the following year, that was a good day and I’ll never forget it.

NISMO Omori Factory: Part I

NISMO Omori Factory: Part II