[MYSTi]

So what do you guys think of the current "Bugeye Sprite" WRX vs the "Ford Focus"esque new WRX and STi?

When I first saw the '02 WRX I thought "I need this car but... what is with the headlights?" I had just gotten into WRC and loved the old style rectangular headlights. But I bought the car anyway and grew to really appreciate the round headlights - it is all about character. This car looks like nothing else on the road today.

But I became obsessed about the possibility of the STi coming to N. America. And when I saw the first pics of the '04 STi, I was disappointed with the "Ford Focus"-like headlights. Will I get use to them too? They do give a more agressive glare to the car than the "certain-body-part-stuck-in-the-zipper" headlights of the current WRX.

And besides the headlights, does anyone else think that the front end of the car is a little understated (aside from the enlarged scoop and Prodrive wing)? This car is as close to an exotic as most of us are going to own. A little more "I am goddamn fast" styling would be nice. My WRX, in comparison, is much more "agressive-looking" with the installation of the full ground effects and sport grill/side panels from Subaru accessories. It would be nice to see some body add-ons to the STi that are neither garrish nor tacky, but do give a more mean look.

What do you guys think?

 

[chawklit]

Good STI long term test in AutoExpress

Visually I think the STi is a little overstated as a whole and would rather more a discrete yet still original and sporty look. There will definitely be bodykits and other tack-on's you can add to the STi and the whole newly designed Impreza line if you don't find it "aggresive" enough.

 

[JJ]

I think it is plenty aggressive myself as it is. I would actually think about toning the hoodsccop down just a bit though..

 

[91TB78]

Honestly, I like both the old and new styles. I still like the newer style over the bug-eyed..but they are both super cool. Like you said, "character."

I think the new hoodscoop is a little too much, but whatever works IMO. When I start modding mine I think I will probably go with a Aqua (or similar brand) reverse hood scoop and a front-mounted intercooler...but until then..the car is plenty fast for me!!

 

[CloNeGTS]

I'm with 91TB78....

I've come to love the bug eyes, but I certainly like the new look and of course all the technical changes being made. There are a few things I'd like to change, but that's what the aftermarket is for.

IMO, if you are 100% happy with the way a car looks when you buy it...you must not know what an aftermarket is! There is ALWAYS something better looking out there.

 

[yxan]

I love the new look, feels like a continuation of the old body impreza, really dislike the bug eyes, and that in all honesty kept me from trading in my old car

I saw pictures of a 2004 looking car, way back before the bug eye came out, which was the direction i thought subaru was going to take for the 2002 model, and then the bug eyes came out and I was shocked.

 

[EK+WRX+STI?]

Roof Rack

myself, I currently own a 02' wrx and loved the way it looked from the start. but the 04' I'd have to admit looks a lot better with the Sti being a little bit over the top :-?

I;m actually going to tone down my Sti to look like the 04' wrx with an NB-R/special edition spoiler, FMIC with a flush carbon fiber hood and fog lights.

and guys, the only thing that needs to look good are your tail lights anyways :wink:

 

[darwood]

Big Secret Engine

and guys, the only thing that needs to look good are your tail lights anyways :wink:

I like the new tail lights a lot better.

 

[STiWant1]

Call me fickle, but I like the new look as much as the old. And as far as the hood scoop, aerodynamically it seems to make more sense. It seems like you can force alot more air into the scoop with the overhang at the top. And considering they lowered the Cd at the same time, I'd say it's an improvement.

 

[jbhebert]

A lot of the stuff on the new STi may be just for show, but I'd like to think that the scoop was form following function. If you put most cars in a wind tunnel, you'll find that there is a layer of "dead air" an inch or two from the hood. In some cases, the air is actually in a vacuum in this area. This air is trapped by the air moving over the car, acting like a cushion but doing nothing for the ram air affect that most forward-facing hood scoops are after. In the case of a WRX, the air is only cooling the intercooler so the end result is just higher intake temperatures. However, in a car where the hood scoop feeds the intake directly, this dead air or vacuum can hurt performance. Dodge did some research in the early 70's on the Trans Am Cuda and actually lifted their intake scoop up 1.5" to remedy this problem. Unless the scoop is high enough to catch the rapidly moving air above this dead zone, it doesn't serve much function. I believe that the standard WRX scoop, at about 2" high, is only working at about 40% efficiency, hence the need for redirectors and larger scoops from the aftermarket. By making the scoop larger on the STi, it will catch more moving air and should cool the intercooler more efficiently.

Just my $0.02.

J.B.
WRXtra

 

[91TB78]

Also with the new hood scoop you will notice how it extends out like a knife-edge. This is actually increasing efficiency by trailing the air into the intake..meaning leading the air into the scoop by having a surface to follow..the knife-edge is the part where the wind "attaches" itself and flows towards the IC

 

[MYSTi]

OK guys, give the Fluid Dynamics a rest. The new hood scoop may or may not rise above the boundary layer flow across the hood. If it does then it would lead to an increase of flow into the intercooler. If it doesn't transcend the boundary layer, then the increase in size wouldn't really effect the flow into the intercooler - but just take into the consideration of the intimidation factor involved with the gaping scoop in regards to the person infront of you who thinks their car is faster but won't get the hell out of the way so you can show him he uis wrong. :lol:

 

[STiWant1]

A word from an engineer

"transcend the boundary layer"

-nice-

 

[alfredob1]

I don't think they would have changed it if it was working well before. My bets on functionality with a touch of ferociousness. :x

 

[MYSTi]

I agree with Rich the second. But you do know that Richard Burns no longer drives for Subaru right? A traitor in our midst? :lol:

 

[FasStAsS_sTi]

hey JB, to make life simpler they should of just did a nice FMIC, now that would of been bad ass!!!!....but at this rate, having it on top will have less of a perssure drop then the FMIC!!! and other etc problems such as cooler couplings blowing off!!!!

 

[JJ]

and various road objects hitting it...

 

[jbhebert]

I have to admit that for a daily driver, I'd rather have the IC mounted out of harm's way. I frequently go crashing through snow drifts and other things that could make a FMIC unhappy. For a track car, or a car that only sees dry, sunny pavement, an FMIC is nice. However, I'd have to see head to head comparos between to identical cars with identical size ICs, one mounted on the hood and one mounted in front, and see what kind of turbo lag issues the FMIC might introduce. Also, some thermal probes downstream of the IC to see what kind of a difference in air temp there was.

J.B.
WRXtra

 

[FasStAsS_sTi]

yea i can agree to that JJ!!!!! and JB that would be nice..im sure like sportcompact car magazine will eventually test that out. Since they do like the wrx and always have projiects goin on with the car...im sure eventually someone will do it...But i do have a question i thought the rally team has an FMIC on there carS???? And if they rally with an FMIC then im pretty sure there getting shit in the front of the car all the time...so i dont think it would be that bad on or as a daily driven car.....unless i guess it goes both ways too. but i i think it would look bad ass if it had one..and then just use the hood scoop as a prop for the air intake to the turbo hehehe as a TRUE RAM AIR... i bet that would give some outragious hp numbers!! well not really outragious, but good enough to notice a difference in driving quality

just my .02 :roll:

 

[kevin123]

STi Calipers

I really love the '04 STi. I think it is much more aggressive looking than the '02. I love the MY2000 as well. Very interesting to look at. Listen guys. Those of you who ordered STi's and never driven a 'fast' car, moreso, a AWD vehicle, please take time to learn and feel the vehicle. Especially before mods are done. It is the best handling car i've driven (I also own a 1997 Acura NSX Type R), but it's better to be safe than sorry. A couple of my friends thought that they bought a licence to defy the laws of physics when they purchased their STi's and ended up not having their cars for too long.

H A P P Y N E W Y E A R!!