[JohnG]

There's valuable information in the most recent (March 2003) Car and Driver, which arrived in my mailbox last night. In two separate articles (highlights of NAIAS and review of JDM MY03 STi RA Spec C), they state that the price of the US STi will be $32,000, with arrivals beginning in June. In their review of the Spec C, Car and Driver achieved a 0-60 time of 5.1 seconds, and the Spec C weighed just under 3,000 lbs. (the ride and noise on the Spec C sound rough per the review, so I'm hoping that our STi will be more civilized). I would guess that our STi will have similar performance; too bad the 0-60 time wasn't under 5 seconds (in the same article, Car and Driver reports on their long-term experience with a BMW M3, which clocked a 0-60 in 4.5 seconds when new; our STi will have a similar power/weight ratio, so let's hope our 0-60 is closer to this than to the Spec C time of 5.1).

Car and Driver had a short review of the Lancer Evolution; their driving was limited to a track in Thailand and some limited street driving there. They reported that the Lancer has lots of structural reinforcements tacked on (e.g., brace in trunk behind rear seat), which accounts for its porkiness (3,250 lbs.). Car and Driver reports that Mitsubishi claims a 0-60 time for the Evolution of 5.1 seconds; Car and Driver itself expects a slower time of 5.4 seconds, based on their experience with the WRX and an '00 Evolution.

I would expect a review of the U.S. STi in the April '03 Car and Driver, and can't wait to see some of the STi's secrets (expected weight, 0-60 time, and price, and Car and Driver's comments on the STi's understeer/oversteer characteristics and ride quality/compliance) revealed.

Car and Driver also reported that the VW R32 Golf (AWD, 237 HP, very nice interior, etc.) will be priced at $30,000, which puts further pressure on Subaru to price the STi lower, rather than higher. I think the STi will come in around $32,000, a fair price, just as Car and Driver reports.

 

[jbhebert]

SOA better jump into our pockets!

I was just about to post the same stuff.

A few more things to note:

Evo:

C&D states that the spoiler will be an option on the Evo, and it won't be the carbon fiber unit.

M3:

This was a long term test of the M3, and a few things stood out for me.

1 - Over the period of 40,000 miles, the car burned 14 quarts of oil. This is bad enough in it's own right, but couple that with the fact that you can ONLY use a specific type of synthetic that runs $9 a quart or the engine fails, and that's just pooring salt in the wound. To me, the indicates an engine that is being pushed beyond its limitations. Bad BMW! No donut!

2 - The car C&D had had trouble staying running when cold. With the amount of money and design time that BMW has in the engine management system, this is unacceptable.

Audi S4:

Looks like Audi missed something with the new S4. A nice V-8 making 90 more HP, and the car is a tenth of a second *slower* that the twin turbo V-6. Most odd. Audi is claiming 0-60 of 5.6 for the S4. Not very impressive.

Looks like used '03 or earlier S4s are going to be going up in value.

So, it looks like there are still no real competitors for the STi yet.

 

[Agent Chobos]

In their review of the Spec C, Car and Driver achieved a 0-60 time of 5.1 seconds, and the Spec C weighed just under 3,000 lbs. (the ride and noise on the Spec C sound rough per the review, so I'm hoping that our STi will be more civilized).

I believe that time was achieved with drivers trying to get used to shifting with the left hand, too. They got 5.4 out of a bone-stock USDM WRX, so something doesn't jive there for a car with that much more power and that much less weight. Then again the extra shift is in there from the 6-speed vs. the 5-speed. Who knows.

Our STi will be more civilized than the Spec C, but it will also be heavier. The Spec C is a competition model with no sound insulation, no carpet in the trunk, thinner glass, thinner body panels (?), no radio, no AC etc. and yes, a stiffer suspension.

 

[ScottYu]

Easy ECU Upgrades

If you do a search for "E46 M3" and "spun rod failure," the results are quite interesting. People have stated that the previous E36 euro Evo motor (321 hp, juuust shy of the E46 S54 engine) was tuned just about perfectly from the factory. Guess they tuned the S54 just a bit too much? I dunno.

scott

btw - not a BMW hater, got an E36 m3 m'self. However, don't ask me whether or not I would rather have an STi

I was just about to post the same stuff.
M3:

This was a long term test of the M3, and a few things stood out for me.

1 - Over the period of 40,000 miles, the car burned 14 quarts of oil. This is bad enough in it's own right, but couple that with the fact that you can ONLY use a specific type of synthetic that runs $9 a quart or the engine fails, and that's just pooring salt in the wound. To me, the indicates an engine that is being pushed beyond its limitations. Bad BMW! No donut!

2 - The car C&D had had trouble staying running when cold. With the amount of money and design time that BMW has in the engine management system, this is unacceptable.

 

[MKIVSupra]

Yeah that's quality for ya. :roll:


:wink:

 

[yxan2]

the R32 golf will be based on the old body style that will be obsolete after this year or will it be dressed in the new Generation golf?

 

[miked801]

yeah it's a good thing the new STi has a solid history of reliability alre- oh wait, it doesn't. guess we'll hafta see.

 

[JohnG]

no front strut bar

yxan2 asked:

the R32 golf will be based on the old body style that will be obsolete after this year or will it be dressed in the new Generation golf?


The R32 body appears to be that of the current car:
http://www.motortrend.com/autoshows/coverage/112_det03/index3.html#4

It looks like a sweet car, but it will be heavy (3350 lbs., per November 2002 Car and Driver) and not too quick (0-60 in 6.6 seconds).

If Subaru tries hard, they can get the STi in under 3,000 lbs.; though it is a different car, my '92 BMW 318is lists at just under 2,900 lbs. Granted, it is RWD, naturally aspirated, etc., but it doesn't have any weight-saving tricks (thinner glass, no radio) and has a sunroof. Let's hope that Subaru is successful in its weight-paring efforts.

Lastly, I'm soured on BMWs. I can afford the E46 M3, but it's too heavy and soft (thick seats and wider and longer than the E36 M3). Also, the reliability on my E36 318is was spotty, early: my differential failed twice within the first few years. That, coupled with the E46 M3 engine problems, keeps me from taking a serious look at the E46 M3. So, I look forward to taking a good hard look at the STi, and really like what I've seen so far.

 

[CoOlSlY]

Road and track have manage the 0-60mph by:

DUMPING THE CLUTCH AT 6500RPM ...

Something we won't do and I suspect it will be the same with the STi... To manage the best 0-60 or 0-100 they will dump the clutch at 6000-6500RPM...

Sylvain

 

[yxan2]

yxan2 asked:

the R32 golf will be based on the old body style that will be obsolete after this year or will it be dressed in the new Generation golf?


The R32 body appears to be that of the current car:
http://www.motortrend.com/autoshows/coverage/112_det03/index3.html#4

It looks like a sweet car, but it will be heavy (3350 lbs., per November 2002 Car and Driver) and not too quick (0-60 in 6.6 seconds).

well thats the one i consider old now, since the new golf is to arrive very soon

 

[alfredob1]

WET

Here's an excerpt from an Evo review in Automobile magazine.

By comparison, the more powerful, better-braked, and racier STi will cost about 25 percent more than the regular WRX.