Road Test/Subaru Impreza WRX: "Long straight, followed by 3 left over crest . . . want to go to the Centra or the Spar? . . . through junction, 150 yards 2 right followed by 6 hairpin left, warning road narrows . . . mind that woman with the pram." Michael McAleer reports.
Walter Mitty fantasies of being a champion rally driver are fed by the Subaru Impreza and its boy racer image. From the large air scoop on the bonnet to the bucket seats, you can easily lose yourself in the world of WRC - World Rally Championship to the uninitiated - even on a quick run down to the shops for a pint of milk.
The bodykit screams boy racer and it's a look that's sparked some controversy, particularly in older versions. While the latest embodiment of this original value-for-money performance car has been tweaked in design terms - and slightly toned down - it doesn't take a second glance to see its racing pedigree. For some, this may be just too much to handle.
Yet they shouldn't be put off, for in many ways the Impreza offers several contradictions in terms of looks and personality.
Sure, it's a racing heritage and demands to be pushed. But it also offers a sensible and some would say restrained almost bland cabin, and a city drive that's more akin to the plethora of best-selling Japanese saloons.
This can have unfortunate consequences on the road, where your average salesman in his overloaded indifferent "sales-rep-mobile" will be loath to let you in and determined to cut you in traffic. Yet behind the wheel you can be the meekest of motorists.
Also, if you're unfortunate enough to be under 35, gardai are also going to take you for a car thief.
Yet, it's only to be expected when the press information for the car refers to its "menacing presence". The latest version is more facelift that overhaul and, while yet more horses have been stabled under the bonnet bringing it up to 222 bhp from 218 bhp, the overall differences are more aesthetic. By all accounts it copes with idling in traffic better than its predecessors; the power steering pump has been upgraded; the suspension settings and mountings have been changed; and the brakes now have electronic brakeforce distribution.
Subaru also claims an increase in fuel consumption by as much as 5.8 mpg. In combined cycle it claims a 3 mpg improvement to 30.7 mpg.
Yet the sum of the changes are more evolutionary than revolutionary. And with competition biting at its large rear spoiler from the likes of the Ford Focus RS - and the arrival next year of yet another version of that other Japanese racing brute, the Mitsubishi Evo - the changes are less than could be expected in term of outright performance.
In fact, with so many high performance cars in the €40,000 to €50,000 bracket, the Impreza's performance figures look positively restrained. Admittedly the WRX is not the pinnacle of the Impreza line-up. There is the sportier 265 bhp Sti to contend with. Yet, in terms of price, the WRX is closer to the competition.
Despite the performance onslaught from the hot-hatch brigade, what keeps the Impreza in the running is its road holding and handling. The 222 bhp performance from its four-cylinder turbo-charged engine is impressive but no longer top dog.
Yet, with its unbeatable road control and ability to devour our back roads without trouble, means that the Impreza may prove a better prospect than many of its competitors for Irish motor fans. It's a motorised pencil, going exactly where you point it.
Certainly, for our uneven and down right treacherous back roads, the Impreza offers arguably the best control on the market.
This is the home of all-wheel-drive and it shows. The stiffened body and suspension make for tighter handling and giving the car a more sophisticated feel.
Here's a car that just grips and turns in. That may sound a little run-of-the-mill than you want from a road-going rally car, but dull it isn't. The WRX is nothing but alive and responsive, and its ride quality is outstanding too.
The engine whirls into action and whistles its way to the red line in no time. The feeling through the Momo steering wheel offers a wealth of information on the road below, even if our one complaint about the steering is the turning circle, which is quite poor. This comes as a surprise, considering the tight and narrow roads that its racing sibling must navigate.
Internally, as we mentioned, the layout is rather conservative and more in keeping with the family saloon that some ageing boy racers may now desire. Even the sharp silver-coloured central console has been changed to a darker metallic tone.
The driving position is superb, the controls at hand and the back seats spacious. As for the boot, apart from the fact they didn't bother to line the boot lid, which is raw metal, for that true rally feel, it's more than capable of taking the family load.
As for those who cannot overcome the aesthetic issue, there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Subaru's stand at the Geneva Motor Show featured the B11S concept car, a far cleaner lined and impressive shape that may well reveal the next generation of Impreza.
With that, and the appointment of Andreas Zapatinas, formerly of Alfa Romeo, as head of advanced design, we can expect some changes to the styling of the Subaru range, making it a very tempting proposition, given its already proven track record for great mechanics.
The Impreza, along with the Legacy and Forester, has transformed Subaru's image and turned it into a marque that those of us who like driving throw into the pot when considering a new car - once, of course, we've secured the appropriate funding.
Overall, while it may now be merely a runner in the field of new rally derivatives racers, its ability to handle Irish conditions keeps it in the race against the current favourite, Ford's Focus RS.
FACTFILE:
ENGINE: 1,994 cc turbo charged four-cylinder offering 220 bhp at 6,000 rpm and 300 Newton Metres of torque or pulling power.
PERFORMANCE: A top speed of 144 mph and a 0-60 mph of 5.9 seconds.
SPECIFICATION: ABS, dual front airbags, radio/CD player, electric windows and optional tracking system and panic button.
FUEL: Urgan 19.9 mpg. Extra urban, 39.8 mgp. Combined 30.7 mpg.
PRICE: €42,995.
THE COMPETITION:
Subaru Impreza WRX 2.0. 1994 cc; 5.9 (0-60); 144 max speed; 222 bhp; 30.7 mpg combined; €42,995.
Ford Focus RS. 1998 cc; 6.4 (0-60); 144 max speed; 213 bhp; 28 mpg combined; €43,901.
Honda Civic Type R 2.0 16v. 1998 cc; 6.8 (0-60); 141 max speed; 197 bhp; 31.7 mpg combined; €34,105.
VW Golf Gti. 1984 cc; 8.5 (0-60); 134 max speed; 150 bhp; 35.3 mpg combined; €26,935.
Mitsubishi Galant 2500 V6. 1498 cc; 8.5 (0-60); 134 max speed; 161 bhp; 29.7 mpg combined; €37,995.