Well Judge, your claim is still nothing but speculation with no evidence or data to support them.

Perhaps one reason why Impreza sales jumped so much is because Subaru actually started something approximating a real ad campaign for it. The ad campaign was mostly for the WRX, but still, can any of you recall the last time you saw an Impreza commercial before the WRX hit the streets?

 

Drover-Actully, I can the OBS commercial with Crocodile Dundee's son when it first came out, and there were more after, no plain Impreza ads, but even big car co. spend little on ad $ for their cheapest car. Plus I dont see the WRX ad campaign as anything that special, you yourself havent seen the wagon print ad, its not in Time or Rolling Stone its in Ski magazine, hell I can afford an ad in Ski, and the TV spot is only on speed channel or late at night on some locals this isnt exactlly Nike ad $ they're spending, hell this isn't even Hyundi ad money. They def. spent more and had more TV spots for the Legacy during the 90's.

John#555- well your one of a few, while the majority of WRX owners are probably in their late 20's through 30's and knew little of the WRX before it came out, the cultish following which is the focal point of this web site, and others revolves around teens and twentysomethings who fell in love with the WRX because they drove it on a video game (Gran Turismo), and then reserched about its amazing performance in Japan.

Josh-I hope your right about the brochure, but it seems to me that if they were making the WRX wagon they would have a picture even in an early brochure or at one of the car shows, they did when they first released the GDA/B WRX, I no they wouldnt discontinue the OBS, its just are they making a WRX wagon, they may not keeping it inline with the STi as a performance sedans. Oh, and yes I do make blanket statements from my opinions, its fun and causes thought provoking banter, right or wrong only time will tell, I'm just sharing my opinion.

Now you can all say what you want about the GDA/B front, I think it looks way nicer then previous Imprezas, which I know so many of you are in love with but still looked like a cheap japanese econo box like almost every corolla/civic/sentras throughout the 80's & 90's to me and so many others who did not associate it with a WRC car. Now the GDA/B may look a little like a neon, which it looks way better thatn IMHO,even so yes Dodges are most def. some of the most crappy cars on the road performance wise, but the sole reason they sell is looks this starting with the Neon and Intrepid designs in the 90's. While many of you begrudge this, I feel the GDA/B stands out a damn nice looking car, and have gotten that reaction from any one who see's it, something I never got from my 98 OBS. As for the New Impreza, while I dont actually think its ugly its gone back to looking like every other japanese econo box, mostly like the new sentra. Now honestly look at the 03 Mits. Mirage and compare it to an 03 Impreza RS, the mirage looks like it cost 15K, the RS looks like it should be @ 22K, the new Impreza, STi aside will not stand out like the GDA/B and to me this was a big mistake.

 

I don't know why there's all this speculation about whether or not there will be 2004 WRX wagons. The 2004 design is already being sold as 2003 models in other markets, and among them is the WRX wagon. For instance, http://subaru.com.au/explore/impreza...asp?item=11591

 

While this is def. a good sign, lets remember that this is the same co. that withheld the WRX, and STi from this market for years, the speculation is comming from the fact that it has not been mentioned in the NA brochure nor featured at any car show.

 

OK, whatever, they're not coming. The engine is already EPA certified, the chassis already DOT crash-tested, they've sold some 12,000 WRX wagons in the U.S., the plant is already tooled for the new ones, they've already rolled off the line, and people have already seen U.S. brochures featuring the new wagon, and we're the biggest market for them. But if you say so, they aren't coming.

 

Subaru Impreza WRX gets redesign for 2004

Tuesday January 7 9:19 AM EST


Detroit, Michigan - Subaru introduced the redesigned 2004 Impreza WRX sedan and Sport Wagon models. Available in late March, the new WRX models feature bolder, more aggressive styling with larger headlights, now combined in a 4-element arrangement. Subaru World Rally Team designers added sharp edge character lines beginning at the headlamps and grille area and extended them onto the redesigned hood. All 2004 Impreza models adopt revised air inlets on the front fascia, and WRX models add projector beam halogen fog lamps to the list of standard equipment. The taillights and rear bumper are also redesigned. As before, Impreza WRX is available as both a sedan and a Sport Wagon.


http://ca.autos.yahoo.com/030107/11/r7z0.html

 

I posted this earlier in the thread but it appears nobody paid it much mind at the time. It the press release straight from Subaru's website and here's what it says about the wagon:

http://impreza.subaru.com/microsites...sp?articleID=2

 

There WILL BE a wagon version for the US market.

And, general opinion and knowledge is that the wagon IS coming to the US.
NO plans for an STi wagon however.

That "brochure" is lame and is probably a quickly done marketing tool for the earlier auto shows.

 

The new STi looks cool. I didn't buy WRX only because of its ugly round head lights. I bought Pathfinder instead (Can you believe how much I didn't like WRX ). In my opinion STi is better off looking as Sentra then as '02 WRX. I was waiting for Lancer, but I guess I'll go with STi now.

 

Your friends get to see the _front_ of your WRX? Try shifting into 2nd. LOL!

Seriously, it's not that Neon-esque in the same way round headlamps on, say a Merc, are Neon-esque. And, you've got the scoop going for you.


Regards,

Sean