By accessing this website, you acknowledge that Edmunds and its third party business partners may use cookies, pixels, and similar technologies to collect information about you and your interactions with the website as described in our
Privacy Statement, and you agree that your use of the website is subject to our
Visitor Agreement.
Comments
I put on this exhaust tip but had to remove it after the chassis could not handle the extra 675hp it provided:
I don't think they can price a Blitzen above $30k and expect it to sell well. There will be added pressure from the Altima, with 240hp at a mid $20s price, even though it is FWD.
So, give us a B4 to the tune of 240hp or so at a similar price. AWD will be the edge that makes the B4 sell, and a turbo can be tuned to make more power fairly easily.
-juice
Is that a Folgers Type R exhaust!? I heard French Roast is good for about 25 extra ponies.
You clown.
;-)
Ken
There were a few slammed cars there, mostly for show. Celicas seemed to be most common for some reason.
-juice
varmit "Honda CR-V" Aug 13, 2001 6:49pm
Bob
Note the roof copies the Forester in that the rails run the full length and act as rain gutters. Looks goofy without cross bars, though.
-juice
Last night, about a mile from my house, someone in a Trooper served to avoid a deer, and flipped the vehicle. It landed upright, and nobody was hurt.
Bob
-Frank P.
How did it roll?
Any other details?
-mike
Honestly, the guy should probably have just hit the deer!
-juice
-mike
After seeing your pix of those four wheel drifts, it seems like there is a big difference from the old models.
-juice
Deer are a real problem out my way. I've had several close calls. The daughter of one of our friends, has hit two just this past year! Everybody I know in our area has deer stories to tell.
Bob
-juice
Go hunting. Encourage all your friends to get their deer, that's the only way to reduce the number being hit by cars.
I agree with juice though, definitely hit them. Get on the brakes hard, no doubt, but don't swerve.
back to Subaru: uh, we have the LL Bean Outback and other brands have 'signature' trims too (Mitsu Lancer OZ Edition comes to mind). What would be a good signature trim for the WRX? Rally replica? Something else?
-Colin
The STi name doesn't add any value here (those that know it already bought a Subie), so they use SPT instead. But SPT isn't really a division, just a label for the few JDM parts they do sell here.
Subaru is probably too small to have their own M-style division, though.
-juice
Bob
Bob
bit - 2001 GT Wagon
I've noticed that some of our county police cars now have those deer whistles on their front bumpers.
Bob
But Subaru Technica international? It's not even spelled right. A little "i" used to mean fuel injected, remember?
Among we enthusiasts, OK, but try selling that to mainstream US buyers.
-juice (playing a little Devil's Advocate)
Bob
Then 9 out of 10 will buy a plain WRX, or even an Outback Sport.
The STi name won't bring in those other 9, well, maybe 2 or 3 of them.
-juice
Bob
My point is, the label STi does not add that much in terms of marketing power. No more than any other acronym.
-juice
Ross
Think of it this way, could you sell an STi T-shirt to a person that did not own a Subaru? I doubt it.
Would a AMG T-shirt be easier to sell? Definitely. I'm sure someone does.
Even a (non-Subaru owner) rally fan would prefer Prodrive over STi. Help Prodrive go international and use that name instead.
-juice
STi parts are already available to the rest of the world; lots of people buy and install them on Subarus that aren't "STi" models to begin with. Using an STi part on a non-STi car (e.g. a short shift kit or foglight cover) doesn't imply pimpage per se. Foglight covers do serve a functional purpose. I know where the argument goes with the badging, but if you've got performance modifications to back it up maybe tasteful badging can be justified.
Anyway, I find it amusing that pink is the color Subaru chose to designate its high-performance models and parts, given some of the associations people make with that color. It tells me that Subaru has a sense of humor about itself. The pink oval six-star badge adorning the front of the cars reminds me of the nose of some small animal - maybe a rabbit (another animal associated with FHI iconography). And I have to admit that it looks nice on a black car - sort of that 1950's bowling shirt combo.
Prodrive doesn't deal exclusively with Subaru but their mutual reputations have been enhanced through the WRC program. Prodrive has developed performance and appearance packages for the Impreza and Forester (the latter of which I crave) which would no doubt sell if offered through Subaru dealers here in North America.
As far as choosing which to promote here? Well, Subaru already promotes SPT which is an (extremely) abbreviated version of STi; that promotion includes merchandise available through L.L. Bean. Subaru could choose to promote Prodrive, but STi is already a wholly owned subsidiary of FHI whereas Prodrive is not. In addition, the Subaru/Prodrive relationship could always dissolve if, for example, the current Impreza doesn't start winning on the WRC circuit.
In short: I like the idea of both but promoting STi probably makes more sense fo FHI.
Sorry again for the ramble - coherent thought is not my strong suit today.
Ed
You want to pimp your Forester.
..Mike
..Mike
As for a tuner... My personal favorite is Rallispec, right in Cherry Hill, NJ home of SOA.
-mike
drew_ "How to keep from hitting deer?" May 7, 2001 1:28am
Drew
Host
Vans, SUVs, and Aftermarket and Accessories message boards
I have to admit that I get on these wheel and tire upgrade kicks. I keep thinking that I want to get 17" wheels with summer rubber and put snow tires (Michelin Arctic Alpins) on the stock 16" wheels, or go the cheaper route and get good summer rubber for the 16"s (tough in the 215/60R16 size) then buy a set of 15" Forester L steelies and put snow tires on them. In the alternative I think about getting a better all-season tire for the 16"s (Dunlop SP Sport 5000 and Yokohama AVS db are the leading candidates in my mind) and take my chances that we won't get more than a foot of snow at any given time. Lastly I figure just stick with the Geolandars when the time comes. When I figure these options come in at $800-1700 I quickly come up with many better things to do with my money.
Ed
Note that I deliberately quoted you out of context.
Seriously, that Prodrive WR Sport Forester sounds nice. quickly come up with many better things to do with my money.
Hehe, I hear you.
Drew, thanks for the link, I'll check it out.
..Mike
..Mike
I'd accet a pimped out Forester if the engine was worked over, too. But I'd still prefer a subtle appearance package. Imagine a Forester Reconassaince model, 2.5l light pressure turbo, low range, skid plates, showroom ready for SCCA RallyCross.
And it's not a poseur, because the WRC team uses Foresters to pre-run the toughest rallies.
paisan: 7"? But you know how guys exagerate, it was probably 3". ;-)
I also like Rallispec, but two guys working out of a garage?
Ed: actually, tires are probably the single most important upgrade you could do. Honesty, it's the best way the spend money, at least for your vehicle.
-juice
Rallispec isn't just 2 guys working out of a garage. They are actually Engineers...
-mike
-juice
Frank
Bob
The Prodrive Forester is pretty subtle. I haven't seen any pix of it on the web so I may have to scan one in from a brochure.
Rallispec is three guys (at least 2 of whom are engineers) working from a garage with an attached office in Cherry Hill. I visited them in the spring to get an idea of feasibility and cost of fabricating a stainless catback exhaust for the Forester. They have since done one for an '01 S+ for a guy out in California. He posts on the i-club frquently and has posted pix of the setup. Very high quality job and another tempting mod if it weren't (wasn't?) so loud. One of the engineers fired up his RS to give me a live sound clip and the burble and backfire was a bit much for me - I don't think it'd sit well with the constabulary in my conservative bedroom community. I'd definitely have to get it with a resonator.
Ed
PS: Just a reminder - I go to Jeep 101 tomorrow and will report here first.
-juice
Bob
-mike
If you notice in the Dundee ads, Hogan drives the Outbacks, his "nephew" drives the Outback Sport, and a female friend drives the Forester. Also, in the car wash ad, a female loathes over what seems to be a hot guy, but it turns out she's looking at the Forester, not the stud.
-juice
Now, I'm not saying that this is intentional on the part of Subaru, and, frankly, I don't care, I'll buy the cars regardless. But, it does explain a few things.
Oh, and what about that BMW commercial where Anna Korna whatever her name is delivered a roadster to these 2 guys? (that was a BMW commercial, wasn't it? my mind ain't what it used to be) I find her kind of "butchy" (although attractive).
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
Stephen
I'm sure any affiliation to a gay rights group is unofficial.
Anna Kournikova? Are you kidding? She's gorgeous!
-juice
But I wouldn't call her "feminine", that's all I'm saying.
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S