2012 Subaru Impreza to Debut at New York International Auto Show
Subaru has announced that the world debut of the all-new Impreza 4-door and 5-door models will take place at the 2011 New York International Auto Show. The show is open to the public April 22 through May 1.
Hallmarks of the new Impreza include factory-estimated 36 miles per gallon (the highest fuel economy of any all-wheel-drive car on sale in the United States), a roomier interior, and improved levels of comfort and refinement.
Watch this website and www.subaru.com for more information as it becomes available.
Subaru Tecnica International to Compete in the 24 Hours of Nürburgring with a WRX STI Sedan
June is a busy month for Subaru. During the weekend of June 23-26, the Subaru performance arm Subaru Tecnica International (STI) will race its WRX STI tS on the daunting Nürburgring.
Specifics about the event, the track, and STI's WRX STI tS can be found in the official press release. Don't overlook the link to the car's specifications and parts at the bottom of the release.
Subaru Road Racing Team -- This Week!
This week, I travel to Barber Motorsports Park (Leeds, Alabama) in the Drive Performance WRX STI to join Subaru Road Racing Team for the GRAND-AM Continental Sports Car Challenge Barber 200. The race takes place Saturday, April 9 at 12:30 p.m. Eastern.
You may recall that Barber is the track where Andrew Aquilante and #35 WRX STI experienced a trip through the grass in turns 8 and 9 during in last year's race.
Subaru Rally Team USA at Global RallyCross Championship Round 1
Last week's journal entry gave us John Rettie's report on Global RallyCross Championship Round 1. Following is part of a press release from Subaru Rally Team USA about Round 1, which includes a link to a video.
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NEW VIDEO: Raw sights and sounds with Subaru Rally Team USA and Dave Mirra at Round 1 of the 2011 Global RallyCross Championship @ Irwindale Speedway.
YouTube: http://goo.gl/69mE7
Photos: Lars Gange | subaru.com/rally
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Subaru Driver Dave Mirra Finishes 4th At Hard Fought Inaugural Global RallyCross Championship Event
(March 31, 2011) Debuting an all-new 2011 Subaru Impreza WRX STI, Subaru Rally Team USA driver Dave Mirra finished an impressive fourth overall in round one of the newly announced three-event Global RallyCross Championship in the debut event’s A-Main Final. The BMX icon and full time rally driver for Subaru enjoyed the first event of the new rallycross series which was held this weekend at California’s Irwindale Speedway and will be televised April 17th on ESPN2. The event featured a field of world class rally and rallycross drivers who raced wheel-to-wheel on a short action-packed course consisting of a mix of tarmac and dirt as well as a 70ft dirt gap jump. Mirra debuted a new 2011 Subaru Impreza WRX STI specially prepared for rallycross competition.
“This was awesome, the course was fun and challenging but it was the wheel-to-wheel racing with a field of great drivers and cars that made it special,” explained Mirra. “My team just built a new Subaru meant just for rallycross and it’s a beast, an amazing machine. This new car is a lot different from our stage rally STI with many new components, so we have a lot of work and testing still to do. I’m really looking forward to the next rallycross where I hope we can battle for a podium spot.”
Mirra was slowed in the preliminary heat races with a rear suspension problem but his results were still sufficient to place him in the B-Main race where he finished in a close 2nd place. Mirra would have needed to win the B-Main to have advanced to the final race, the A-Main, but was advanced on to the A-Main via the ‘promoter’s option’ rule which enables the event promoter to add a 6th car behind the five-car main event grid. With just five short laps in the A-Main Mirra went on maximum attack and fought his way up to fourth overall, just short of a podium position. As a stipulation of reaching the A-Main via the promoter’s option Mirra will receive 6th place points.
“Dave [Mirra] adjusted quickly to his new rallycross car and drove an exceptional event to give Subaru a solid result upon which we can build”, added James Han, motorsports marketing manager for Subaru of America, Inc. “As this is a debut event for our current competition car, I’m confident that our Subaru WRX STI will be a regular contender for podium finishes with some further development and testing.”
Full race coverage will air April 17th on ESPN2 (check local listings). The series has a multi-year programming relationship with ESPN, with Global RallyCross Championship broadcasts slated to follow NASCAR Nationwide and NHRA shows on ESPN and ESPN2. Round two of the Global RallyCross Championship will be in the Seattle area April 15-16 at the Old Mill Rally Park near Seattle, Washington.
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-- Ric Hawthorne
