Subaru Drive Performance Magazine

DP WRX Journal -- Sixteenth Drive (Fifteenth Round Trip)

Purpose: To join the 48HRS of Tristate multiday cruise in support of The American Cancer Society January 13-15, 2012 (starting in Vineland, New Jersey)

Start/Finish: Drive Performance headquarters in Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Distance: 2,960 miles round trip

Major routes to and from New Jersey:

• Wisconsin, Illinois: Interstates 94, 294, 80
• Indiana: Interstate 80
• Ohio: Interstate 80, 76
• Pennsylvania: Interstate 76 (to New Jersey), 80 (return)
• New Jersey: Interstate 80, Route 55 Freeway

Fuel consumption: 117.6 gallons

Mileage: 25.2 mpg

I haven't taken a long-distance drive in the DP WRX for a long time -- since August! Although I've taken it on short trips and it has been transported to Michigan for the Iceman Cometh Challenge 27-mile mountain bike race in Michigan in November, I haven't been very far with the car. I missed it.

Service at Sommers Subaru in Mequon, Wisconsin, included its 30,000-maintenance and the replacement of the summer performance tires with the Blizzak winter tires that we bought for the car last winter. So all I needed for this trip in January was to check air pressure, load up, and go. I had been anticipating ice and snow all winter, but we still didn't have anything major. Going to other states held greater promise for bad weather.

I left the Milwaukee area early the morning of January 12 with the goal of reaching Vineland, New Jersey by 11:00 p.m. eastern time that night. The Interstates and toll roads were clear, and I was at the registration table for the drive by 8:15.

Where routes and resting places are delineated on the 48HRS of Tristate website, there are five parts of the trip that I'd like to highlight.

Breakfast at New Jersey Motorsports Park

We met at the Officer's Club at New Jersey Motorsports Park in Millville (NJMP), with most of the group driving the few miles between Vineland and there in a convoy.

 

 

At breakfast, Subaru of America, Inc. Chief Marketing Officer Dean Evans presented the group a donation of $7,500.00 to The American Cancer Society -- the drive's charity. Subaru also arranged a special display of Subaru vehicles in one of the track garages.

These included:

 

 

• Subaru Road Racing Team #35 WRX STI – Andrew Aquilante was there to talk about the car
• Subaru Performance Tuning WRX STI Sedan that had been displayed at last November’s SEMA Show
• New Jersey Motorsports Park Subaru WRX pace car
• The 1986 Subaru XT Coupe featured in Summer 2011 Drive and follow-up postings on www.drive.subaru.com – its restorer Hank Reynolds was on hand to talk about the car (The XT Coupe and SVX owners in the group were especially interested.)

The drive then began. Before leaving NJMP, we all took to the Thunderbolt Course for three laps, led by the WRX pace cars. All we needed was a green flag!

 

Escorts into the Chesapeake Bay

Our route took us to the Richmond, Virginia, area via the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel and Norfolk. The bridge and tunnel were the second high point of the day. Gathering at a rest area immediately north of the bridge, our 44 vehicles were met by state police officers who escorted us as a group to one of the islands before the tunnel. There we stopped, parked along the sea wall facing the bay, and took photos.

Mountain Roads and Snow (Finally!)

On the second day, we traveled into the mountains of Virginia and West Virginia, leaving behind four-lane highways for two-lane roads through the forests. We finally encountered snow, which was gorgeous on the trees and in the valleys. Finally, the snow tires paid off!

Celebration Dinner

We ended the winter's drive with the group dinner in Winchester, Virginia, where we celebrated the donations that we were able to accumulate. Sponsor donations were raffled -- everything from bushings to calendars. For every $10 that we donated, we had a raffle ticket. The bottom line for the group -- the donations were heartfelt and important to all, because we've all been touched by cancer in some way.

Tuner Visit

We headed for Metuchen, New Jersey, for our final dinner. While the route from Winchester to Metuchen was fairly direct, we had one stop along the way -- Mach V Motorsports in Sterling, Virginia. Mach V owner Dan Hurwitz gave us tours of his shop and garage area.

 

Find out more about 48HRS of Tristate and its 11 annual treks on its website.

 

Notes from the Trip

I've missed this car!

Its appearance, the rumble of its exhaust, the feel of its acceleration, and the vibration of the subwoofer are a few of the parts that I've missed.

We only have three more journeys scheduled for the DP WRX, so I spent most of the travel time to and from New Jersey just enjoying how good it feels to drive. The trip had dry roads at first, but then ample amounts of heavy rain and snow. The car never winced; we kept on going and were never delayed.

Besides being fun to drive, it's trustworthy and competent. It's an all-weather vehicle with a high degree of accessible performance.

Come back for the last three trips with the car!

-- Ric Hawthorne

 

 

U.S.-Spec BRZ at the NAIAS

The most exciting display for a Subaru fan at the 2012 North American International Auto Show in Detroit was the debut of the U.S.-spec version of the BRZ . It was highlighted on a rotating stage in the Subaru display. (The Japanese version along with a Super BRZ race car was unveiled at the Tokyo Motor Show in early December. This fun-to-drive sports car boasts a boxer engine, low center of gravity and a chassis designed for smooth handling.

This debut comes on the heels of Subaru of America, Inc. having its fourth year of record sales, despite the challenges from the tsunami and earthquake in Japan.

Observations From the Floor

• The industry seems to be taking a turn for the better as witnessed by the return of stunning automotive displays
• Alternative power as well as performance were emphasized around the show
• Our choice for most unique display of the show: lawn mowers with car-like features, including traction control and cupholders -- the first time lawn mowers have been displayed at the show

For more on the 2013 BRZ, go to the Subaru home page.

-- Ric Hawthorne

 

Kicking Off the New Year With Subaru

The world of Subaru ranges widely, as do the venues in which you find its vehicles. For instance, through January 14, a rally-prepared Forester like none you've likely seen before is plying its way along South America's west coast in the company of dozens of other cars as well as motorcycles and trucks. It's competing in the Dakar Rally -- one of the most difficult two weeks of racing possible. This rally gets its name from the African city in Senegal, which used to be the destination for the racers from Paris and other locations in Europe. The rally was moved to South America for safety reasons.

Learn more about the rough-and-tumble Dakar Rally on its website, and find photos of the competitors under the "Galleries" tab. One image of the #369 Subaru Forester is photo 9 of 37 in Stage 4. It's beautiful!

In addition, you can track the progress of the #369 Forester (driver Francisco Jose Garcia) from here.

On the other side of performance spectrum is the Subaru BRZ, which was designed to be a light, fun-to-drive sports car with an extremely low center of gravity. Already introduced at the Tokyo Motor Show in early December, it's going to be shown at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, which begins for the automotive press on Monday, January 9. See the news release here. (The Japanese version of the BRZ is shown.)

Check out the show itself here, and watch this Editor's Track Journal for more about the BRZ at the show.

-- Ric Hawthorne

Subaru Vehicles Named IIHS Top Safety Picks

All 2012 model-year Subaru vehicles received the 2012 Top Safety Pick award from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). Subaru is the only manufacturer with the distinction of earning awards for every model it builds.

Find more about the awards on the IIHS website.

See Drive magazine's article about the IIHS here.

-- Ric Hawthorne

End-of-Year Subaru Motorsports

Subaru Rally Team USA (SRT USA) has been busy on TV with its participation in the SPEED TV show Battle Cross. In it, drivers David Higgins and Dave Mirra drove against each other for speed and for style. Here's what the team's press release said about the event:

"The concept for the high-energy, action-packed Battle Cross series revolves around pitting two professional drivers on a unique and challenging course where they battle each other for both fastest time and most stylish run. The pilot episode pits 2011 Rally America Champion David Higgins against his Subaru Rally Team USA teammate, X Games star Dave Mirra, in spectacular contests of speed and style. Higgins and Mirra each pilot their Vermont SportsCar-prepared 2011 Subaru WRX STI competition rally cars in the episode, the same cars they pilot in the Rally America National Championship.

"The pilot episode features a challenging gravel and tarmac course that runs literally through a working steel mill facility. The contest features two rounds of competition between the two rally stars. Round One is a lap of the Battle Cross course scored by time, with each driver given two attempts to clock their fastest time around the difficult course. Round Two is a two-minute freestyle session scored for difficulty, creativity, precision and style by two expert judges: drifting champion Samuel Hubinette, and rally driver Stephan Verdier.

"Fellow rally driver Andrew Comrie-Picard ('ACP') hosts the show along with celebrity co-host Stacy Keibler of WWE and Dancing with the Stars fame.  The show is produced by Hollywood director Rob Cohen, the creator of The Fast and the Furious franchise.

"Check out the teaser clip on YouTube here: http://youtu.be/SUXez3B4anI"

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In addition, David Higgins/Craig Drew and SRT USA finished 2nd overall in the 2011 Rally of the Tall Pines in Bancroft, Ontario. Read about it here.

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Subaru Global has announced that Subaru Tecnica International (STi) will be fielding a racing version of the BRZ in the GT300 class of Japan's 2012 Super GT.

The racing version of the BRZ is on display this week at the Tokyo Motor Show.

Also, the car is featured in a YouTube video.

-- Ric Hawthorne

Subaru SEMA Show Vehicles at Subie Jam 2011

This year, Subaru of Las Vegas held its annual post-SEMA Show event at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Surrounded by numerous vendors and Subaru- and performance-related companies and organizations, owners who drove to the speedway from the Las Vegas area and surrounding states gathered for a meet. The Subaru fans received a number of handouts and participated in a raffle at the end of the day.

The Zenkai Motorsports WRX STI was there, a little worse for wear from a collision with a guard rail during the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb in July. We'll keep an eye on this car, because Zenkai has plans for it. Click here for more about Zenkai Motorsports and a video about the Pikes Peak event.

Subaru of America brought many of its SEMA Show concept cars to Subie Jam. Among them were the SPT 2011 WRX STI Sedan, 2012 Impreza 5-Door with accessories, and 2011 Kicker(R) WRX STI 5-Door. (See the Editor's Track Journal entries from the week of November 1-4 for more about these Subaru vehicles.)

A 2012 Impreza Sedan accessorized by Bushwacker was also on display.

 

 

The vendors on site included:

• AVO Turboworld
• Bacana Innovative
• Carbonetic
• Dyno-Comp
• ESX Motorsports
• IAG Performance
• Motul
• Subaru of Las Vegas
• Synergy Turbo
• Tomioka Racing
• Whiteline
• Zenkai Motorsports

-- Ric Hawthorne

Showing Parts and Systems

On this last day of the 2011 SEMA Show, we present two Subaru vehicles in the Subaru of America, Inc. display that feature accessories parts and systems: the 2011 WRX 5-Door by Kicker^® and the 2011 WRX STI Sedan by Subaru Performance Tuning.

The Kicker WRX is very much like the one at the 2010 SEMA Show. Interior modifications include Sparco race seats and harnesses. Mechanical mods include Eibach lowering springs and Konig 18 x 8 Black Lightning wheels with General Exclaim UHP 225/40 18 tires. The blue, black, and white custom graphics are fresh and draw attention.

The audio system includes:

• Two KICKER 6.5-inch 4-Ohm Shallow Mount Composite VT Subwoofers
• Eight KICKER Solo-Baric L7 12-inch Subwoofers
• Six KICKER QS60.2 Component Speaker Systems  
• Eight KICKER IX1000.1 Class D Subwoofer Amplifiers
• Two KICKER IX500.4 4-Channel Amplifiers
• Clarion CX400 Double-DIN Receiver with a High Visibility Digital LCD Display and Clarion Anti-Theft System
• iPod^® Connect with USB
• Bluetooth^® Ready
• SIRIUS^® and XM^® Tuner Ready
• Rear USB
• Front Aux Input

Each year, Subaru Performance Tuning creates a project car using the latest parts from the Genuine Subaru Parts Catalog. These parts are all custom engineered to enhance the performance, endurance, and appearance of Subaru vehicles. The WRX STI Sedan was intended to bring the SPT catalog to life with numerous components installed on the vehicle and a motorized display case built into the cargo area.

The modifications made on this WRX STI could be reproduced by an owner.

Electronics

• SPT Boost Gauge
• Media Hub digital music integration system
• Auto-dimming Mirror with transflective display and HomeLink^®
• Kicker 10-Inch Power Subwoofer
• Footwell Illumination Kit

Driveline

• STI Short Throw Shifter
• SPT Performance Exhaust System
• SPT Turbo Heat Shield

Suspension

• SPT Strut Tower Brace
• SPT Lower Chassis Brace
• CUSCO Zero-2E Coilover Suspension Kit

Brakes

• Brembo^® "Gran Turismo" 4-Wheel Brake Kit

Tires/Wheels

• Yokohama ADVAN Sport 245/35 ZR19
• 19 x 8.5 VOLKRACING G12

Style

• STI Front Lip Spoiler
• STI Shift Knob
• Exhaust Finishers
• SPT Billet Oil Cap v2.0
• SPT Billet Battery Hold Down v2.0
• SPT Carbon Fiber B-Pillar Trim
• SPT Carbon Fiber Trunk Trim
• SPT Carbon Fiber Side Sill Plates
• Moon Roof Air Deflector
• All-weather Floor Mats

The SPT and STI parts used to modify the car are available from the accessories and SPT parts catalogs.

For more on Genuine Subaru Performance Parts, click here.

-- Ric Hawthorne

Isle of Man TT Record Setter at SEMA Show

At one corner of the Subaru display at this year's SEMA Show is the car driven by Mark Higgins to set a speed record on the Isle of Man. Here's what the display sign had to say:

 

"Subaru driver Mark Higgins set an all-time fastest lap averaging 115.356 MPH on the iconic Isle of Man TT Snaefell Mountain Course driving a U.S.-specification 2011 Subaru WRX STI. The previous record of 100 MPH stood for 21 years. The single lap of 37.7 miles took 19 minutes 37 seconds with the WRX STI hitting speeds in excess of 162 MPH.

"The WRX STI was a production U.S.-spec car running a standard 305 HP turbocharged boxer engine. Some safety modifications were made. The Subaru was equipped with a Lifeline fire suppression system, Hockley Motorsports roll cage, Motordrive competition seats, Mintex brake pads (but stock calipers and rotors), and an open exhaust to warn spectators of the oncoming car. The speed limiter was turned off to allow a higher maximum speed; springs and dampers were changed to accommodate the numerous high-speed jumps on the circuit, sending the WRX STI almost four feet off the ground. The car ran on street-legal Pirelli P Zero Trofeo tires."

Next to the WRX STI is a flat-screen monitor showing a video of Mark Higgins' drive. Mark is the brother of Subaru Rally Team USA David Higgins.

See our Journal entry about the record here.

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SUBARU NEWS

Subiefest was held on October 22nd, 2011, at Los Angeles' Pomona Fairplex. For more about Subiefest, visit the event's website www.subiefest.com.

Subie Jam -- hosted by Subaru of Las Vegas -- will take place at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway on November 5, 2011. Read more about it here.

-- Ric Hawthorne

Metal Winners and Winning Metal -- Dave Mirra, David Higgins, and Accessories Vehicles

For the second day of the 2011 SEMA Show, X Games medalist and Subaru Rally Team USA (SRT USA) driver Dave Mirra signed autographs for fans. Mirra finished 4th in the Rally America National Championship for 2011, but placed in the top five in four of the five stage rallies in which he competed. Mirra also entered two rounds of the Global RallyCross series and X Games Rally and RallyCross.

Later in the afternoon, Dave Mirra and SRT USA teammate David Higgins were interviewed by Barry Meguiar on an outdoor stage for Car Crazy Central (www.carcrazycentral.com).

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Two Subaru vehicles that have attracted attendees at the show are the 2012 Impreza 5-Door and Sedan loaded with Genuine Subaru Accessories^®.

In addition to the accessories, the Impreza Sedan's wheels were chromed for the show. They enhance the appearance of the car along with the installed accessories to give it a sporty flair. The accessories listed for the car include:

• Body Side Moldings
• Side Sill Plates
• Painted Splash Guards
• Painted Trunk Spoiler
• Moon Roof Air Deflector
• Rear Bumper Paint Protection Film
• Auto Dimming Mirror with Compass and HomeLink^®
• Trunk Cargo Tray
• Carpeted Floor Mat
• Upgraded Speakers, by Kicker^®
• Upgraded Tweeters, by Kicker

The 5-Door has been wrapped to give the exterior the appearance of brushed aluminum. The Genuine Subaru Accessories listed for the 5-Door include:

• Aero Splash Guards
• Sport Crossbars
• Front Underspoiler
• Mesh Grille
• Side Window Air Deflectors
• Side Sill Plates
• Side Strakes
• Sport Spoiler
• Subaru by Yakima^® Fork Mount Bike Carrier
• Subaru by Yakima Bike Wheel Holder
• Auto Dimming Mirror with Compass and HomeLink
• Cargo Tray
• Seat Back Protectors
• Center Console Sliding Armrest
• 110-volt Power Outlet
• Remote Engine Starter
• Upgraded Speakers, by Kicker
• 10-Inch Powered Subwoofer, by Kicker
• Upgraded Tweeters, by Kicker
• SPT Oil Filter Cap
• SPT Battery Tie Down

In mid-December, Subaru Drive magazine and companion website www.drive.subaru.com will have more information about Genuine Subaru Accessories that have been developed specifically for the 2012 Impreza.

-- Ric Hawthorne

 

 

Crowd Pleasers -- David Higgins and a 25-Year-Old Subaru

Day One: Confirming the list of vehicles to be on display from yesterday -- all seven are here. Each of them drew attention from the SEMA Show attendees. The 1986 XT Coupe in the back of the display area was as popular as the rest.

We've covered the XT Coupe in some detail in our sister publication Drive and the Drive website (www.drive.subaru.com). Read its background and the initial plans for the car here.

Then we followed the progress of the car's restoration online via image galleries. Click for Part One, Part Two, and Part Three.

We found out about the Coupe making its appearance at the SEMA Show only a few days prior to receiving the press release about it.

 

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Rally champion and record-holder David Higgins visited the Subaru display for a couple hours. He signed autographs and handed out posters. One female fan asked him to sign her boot!

Higgins had quite a year in American rallying in 2011. We've documented his performance in the Rally America National Championship in Journal entries and Drive Performance articles throughout the year. After six tightly contested stage rallies driving for Subaru Rally Team USA, Higgins and co-driver Craig Drew placed 1st in the championship. You also can find information about the season at www.rally-america.com and www.subaru.com/rally.

In addition, David Higgins competed in a round of Global RallyCross, X Games Rally, and the Mt. Washington Climb to the Clouds Hillclimb. There's a wrap-up of the season in the next issue of Drive Performance, scheduled to mail and go live on this website November 15. Drive Performance also spent several days on Mount Washington, where Higgins not only bested the other hillclimbers, but shattered the official record for climbing the mountain by almost 30 seconds.

The #75 Subaru WRX STI driven by Higgins on his quest for the National Championship is on display. Featured in images from throughout the season in Drive Performance and this website, #75 was built and fielded by Vermont SportsCar in partnership with Subaru of America.

Come back tomorrow for more!

-- Ric Hawthorne