Original Post Here: http://forums.evolutionm.net/showthread.php?t=324757




I read this on another website, I think it's pretty cool news concerning the WRX. I copy and pasted the highlights of the interview below.


Car Crazy.com assistant editor Gary Nolan was able to catch up with Subaru of America President Timothy J. Mahoney this week at the Savannah Rally here in Savannah Georgia. Mr. Mahoney is Senior VP and CMO of Subaru and he has a lot of interesting things to tell Car Crazy here today at the race event.

http://www.revmods.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/04/2008-subaru-impreza03.jpg




Car Crazy: A lot of people aren't exactly flipping out over your new 2008 WRX design. Are you guys planning on freshening up the design in the next few years?

Mahoney: I shouldn't be giving this info away until we have our next meeting (Mahoney laughs), but what the hell (Mahoney laughs). The answer is yes, we are actually, sales have been down considerably since the release of the new car, so we've decided to give the car a very early facelift for the 2010 model year.

Car Crazy: Wow...2010 would be an early facelift, when would the car officially hit showrooms?

Mahoney: Probably sometime in late 09, I'd guess August or Septemberish.

Car Crazy: The new Mitsubishi Lancer Ralliart is getting a turbocharged 2.0 liter 235 horsepower I4 with 255 lb.- ft. of torque, these numbers are significantly better than your current non STI WRX model. Are you guys going to take that lying down?

Mahoney: Oh trust me, we know about the Ralliart (Mahoney laughs), that's a big part of why we're facelifting and updating the WRX, we are NOT going to take that lying down (Mahoney laughs).

Car Crazy: Is the 2010 (WRX) model going to get more power to combat the Lancer Ralliart?

Mahoney: Absolutely, its going to get a huge power boost in order to steal sales away from the stylish and agressive looking Ralliart.

Car Crazy: What are those numbers?

Mahoney: Nothing is set in stone right now, but if I was a gambling man I'd say it'll end up with 260 horsepower and around 265 lb. - ft. of torque. We're also going to increase the 2010 WRX STI by around five horsepower and torque as well (that's 310 horsepwer and 295 lb.- ft. of torque).

Car Crazy: What about the looks of the STI and WRX, what's going to change?

Mahoney: The STI's looks will stay pretty much the same, it's the regular WRX that's going to get much more agressive styling. You're going to notice a lot of STI stlying cues in it's new facelift.

Car Crazy: Is the price going to stay the same as the 2008 model?

Mahoney: The WRX will get a slight pricetage increase, I'd say around a $1000, nothing major. The car is going to get almost a 40 horsepower increase, so if you look at the price to performance ratio, it's a very good value. A car that costs around $26,500 isn't really all that much for an all wheel drive 260 horsepower turbocharged rocket.

Glad to see Subaru responding to all of the negative reviews (and slumping sales).

good, at least they are listening. Now if they would only listen about price...

Crazy 260hp/260tq WRX too bad these bad boys will be in the +25k range.

My car is out dated already =(

I like the new STi :(

I like the new STi :(

I share your pain man...

Crazy 260hp/260tq WRX too bad these bad boys will be in the +25k range.

My car is out dated already =(

Your car was already outdated - you can get a 265hp Accord for 22k right now, with a better transmission and warranty. Subaru is a laughing-stock in the horsepower department, this generation. A Volvo S80 has better WHP.

looks like a 08...

sucks for those who bought the 08-09 wrx. no offense guys :X

that is an 08


I also like the new STi.

03 > all others

so the wrx is getting the wide body again?

03 > all others

so the wrx is getting the wide body again?
I beg to differ sir...

05 > 03 > all others

um, 2010 is not an "early" face lift

02-03
04-05
06-07
08-09

It would then continue
10-12 (oh look at that, their pattern already calls for an update in 2010)
13-14
....and so on

so if what he's saying is true, that the STI will stay the same and the WRX will get some tweaks (hardly a facelift) then that will actually mean a real facelift will be later than usual

this is good news, soa don't f up twice.

this is good news, soa don't f up twice.

haha, thats like asking darkonion not to post up useless threads lol

Mahoney: The STI's looks will stay pretty much the same, it's the regular WRX that's going to get much more agressive styling. You're going to notice a lot of STI stlying cues in it's new facelift.


Looks like they already ****ed up.

I will take one engine please. You can leave the ugly body behind.

Looks like they already ****ed up.

Agreed. I think its the STI that I hate the most. I dont know. I dont like either.How does this sound for an idea, a 2.95L H6 Turbocharged engine with a combo of the 04-05 look and the 06-07 look, Available in Wagon or Sedan, Interior of the 2008 w/ nav screen, WRX hp range 285-300, STI hp range 360-375. Sounds good to me. I'd gladly pay $28k for that wrx. *Dreams*

It would be a helluva sales boost. They could make it happen somehow. Just for 2 years. I would trade my 06 wagon in and be a happy camper. And how bout for the WRB they use good paint not s**t paint that looks like starry night before you need your first oil change.

All in favor say, I.

Agreed. I think its the STI that I hate the most. I dont know. I dont like either.How does this sound for an idea, a 2.95L H6 Turbocharged engine with a combo of the 04-05 look and the 06-07 look, Available in Wagon or Sedan, Interior of the 2008 w/ nav screen, WRX hp range 285-300, STI hp range 360-375. Sounds good to me. I'd gladly pay $28k for that wrx. *Dreams*
It would be a helluva sales boost. They could make it happen somehow. Just for 2 years. I would trade my 06 wagon in and be a happy camper. And how bout for the WRB they use good paint not s**t paint that looks like starry night before you need your first oil change.

All in favor say, I.

New subarus are just to bland looking now for my taste.

I would buy one of those in a second. Turbo H-6 would be awesome.

If Subaru ever released an H6 turbo in a USDM model I'd get the motor and fit it in my STi somehow, but I wouldn't count on that. Subaru would be taking on a mountain of a challenge on par with what Toyota and Honda went through in the early-mid 90's creating a base of customers for their Lexus, Acura brands respectively. Subaru would need to draw on some serious financial support to attempt to put out higher end Legacy trims to compete with the $30-40k competition ie: BMW 1 and 3-series, Acura TSX and TL, Lexus IS250 and IS350, MB C350...etc. With the current craze for hybrids, and smaller displacement, I'd count on H4's powering most Subaru turbo applications for quite some time, before possibly H4 diesels or other hybrid setup in the next 5 or 6 years. I just don't see Subaru (SoA or SoJ) finding enough market share with people wanting to spend over $40-50k on a Subaru. If the performance was right (considering a LOT of us spend far more than 50k on car + upgrades), then of course I would spend the money, and I'm sure many of you would, but Subaru forum members aren't enough of a customer base to cause them to build such a car, imho.

Example given courtesy of flyinpig member of *cough* nasioc *cough*:

S402 - "The ultimate grand-touring car"


http://i30.tinypic.com/2w3terk.jpg

Special equipment:

Exclusive 2.5L DOHC
Exclusive twin-scroll turbo
STI air element
Exclusive engine cover (with S402 ornament)
Serial plate
Exclusive tuned ECU
Exclusive 6MT
281 hp / 289 lb-ft



STI tuned Bilstein dampers
STI springs
STI pillow ball bushings rear suspension links (F/R lateral link)
Exclusive 13:1 steering gearbox
STI flexible tower bar
STI flexible lower arm bar
STI flexible floor bar
Brembo monoblock 6-pot front (silver, STI logo)
Brembo 2-pot rear
STI brake hose
Brembo 18" 2-piece front rotors
Brembo 17" rear rotors
Exclusive BBS forged 18x8.0J aluminum
Exclusive 235/40-18 Potenza RE050
Exclusive sports muffler (65φ dual with S402 logo)



Exclusive front grille
Exclusive front fender
Exclusive side mirrors (metal style)
Bi-xenon headlamps with pop-up washer
STI carbon front underspoiler with rubber spoiler lip
STI trunk spoiler
STI/402 ornament
Exclusive electroluminescent gauges
STI push-start engine switch (STI logo)
STI steering wheel
Exclusive leather shift knob (S402 logo)
Exclusive leather seats (gray-black with gray stitching)
8-way power for driver & passenger seats
Serial number plate
Exclusive door trim
Exclusive interior panels (carbon center console cover)
Exclusive shift ring
Exclusive cup holder ring
Exclusive cup holder illumination
Exclusive side sill plates (aluminum with S402 logo)
STI carpet mat


5 colors available:
Diamond Gray Metallic
Midnight Blue Pearl
Obsidian Black Pearl
Satin White Pearl
WR Blue Mica

Awesome, yes, will it come to US? Don't count on it. Did Subaru of Japan even put an H6 setup in their S402 legacy? Nope. As much as I would love an H6 to be utilized in a Subaru model to give something "closer" to a Nissan Skyline GTR setup, it won't happen. They won't give us what we realllllllly want in the US.

I guess there are no pics yet of the 2010 wrx? I guess I'm one of the few that doesn't think the 2008 sedan looks that bad, especially with the sport grille and spoiler delete. What I don't like is "only 224" hp. Right now I'm planning on checking out the new ralliart, genesis coupe, and possibly the camaro (if it comes in at a reasonable price) when they come out. But if the new wrx is going to come with around 260 hp and look a little more sporty, I'll definitely try to hold off until they come out. Heck my current loan will be up in 2010 and the smart thing to do would be to wait, but I'm sick of the annoying problems with my spec-v...

Example given courtesy of flyinpig member of *cough* nasioc *cough*:



Awesome, yes, will it come to US? Don't count on it. Did Subaru of Japan even put an H6 setup in their S402 legacy? Nope. As much as I would love an H6 to be utilized in a Subaru model to give something "closer" to a Nissan Skyline GTR setup, it won't happen. They won't give us what we realllllllly want in the US.

they did give us what we wanted kind of.....there have always been saying "Subaru needs to bring an STi wagon over here!" And they did, but gave it the hip title of a "hatch."

I would so rock a S402 with an H6

Anybody hear anything new about the 2010 STi? Anybody in japan to check out the car mags? There has to be something! It's almost time for the 2010s to come out and I haven't heard anything concrete!

good question

i have a buddy down in Japan, he said he will try to get some info on it, but he did say he asked some dealers and they said that it is the most aggressive STi yet to come out of the Fuji Heavy Factories!!!

sweet!!

thanks for that

http://blogs.edmunds.com/straightline/2008/02/2010-subaru-wrx-interview-controversy.html


http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/GeneralFuture/articleId=130147

good reads but im pretty much certain that the Spec-C has nothing to do with the US market (unfortunately) and the top link just talks about the already updated 2009 WRX. The info im looking for is anything to do with the next STi. i havent even seen any funny Japanese guesstimates as to what the new facelift will look like, if there will even be one. Which is the only way i would even consider trading in my 05 STi.

japan gets sedan is what ive heard from rumors but im not sure.

rumors in clubwrx.net that the sedan is coming.

http://www.clubwrx.net/forums/new-cars-prototypes-forums/134309432-any-news-yet-2010-sti.html

i found a what looks like photoshopped picture.

http://img18.imageshack.us/img18/7185/stisedan.jpg

i think the picture was photoshopped and given an effect to look like a mag. :-)

no hard core info yet ??? :(

It's pretty much confirmed on Nasioc by SOA Blog, no changes to the 2010 sti or wrx

^ Forgot to mention, 0% financing on all 09 impreza models

That would be the most disappointing thing I've heard in a long time... Guess if thats true it will just give me another year or two to save money for a STi i cant live without. I'm not going to make such a large monitary commitment to something i know i'm going to regret buying when the newer model comes out. Unless Subaru makes it even uglier... which has been known to happen...