Next Subaru WRX to get a Turbocharged Version of the BRZ's 2.0-Liter Engine with Around 270HP

The pundits over at Motor Trend magazine are reporting today that a spokesperson from Subaru of America has confirmed that the next iteration of the WRX will mark a return to a smaller displacement 2.0-liter flat four engine instead of the 2.5-liter motor used on the current model.

The Subaru rep said that new engine would be a turbocharged version of the firm's FA20 unit found under the hood of the newly revealed Subaru BRZ and its Scion FR-S and Toyota 86 siblings, with a targeted output of around 270-horsepower.

The FA20 engine, which in naturally aspirated form produces 200-horses and 205Nm (151 lb-ft) of peak torque, is more compact than the 2.0-liter boxer from the FB family of engines used on the latest Impreza and Forester, while it also benefits from Toyota’s “D-4S” direct injection and port injection technology.

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If Looks Could Kill: Meet the 1999 Subaru Impreza Casa Blanca Limited Edition

Subaru is one of those automakers that will either bore you to death or irk you with the styling of its products, but scarcely, if ever, cause any excitement with its designs.

The Impreza series is a characteristic example going from boredom to controversial and vice versa not only with each new restyling, but sometimes even within the same generation.

Time to meet the Impreza Casa Blanca - a special edition version of the first generation Sport Wagon with the 1.5-liter boxer engine that was introduced in Japan in 1999 to address the craze consumers had for retro styled cars at the time.

And yes, you read that correctly: the Casa Blanca isn't a abomination creation from some unknown coachbuilder but an official Subaru product and it was produced from 1999 to 2000 in a limited run of 5,000 units!

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Subaru's New JDM Impreza Sport Hatch and G4 Sedan Break Cover in Tokyo

While the new BRZ coupe and the Sports Advance Tourer concept are the ones to watch out for at Subaru's Tokyo Motor Show stand, the Japanese automaker also revealed the much more important from a sales perspective, domestic market versions of its new Impreza. Read more »

Fiat Abarth 500 Takes on Subaru Impreza WRX STI on Italian Track [Video]

The Abarth 500, especially when fitted with the 'essesse' performance package that lifts the 1.4-liter turbocharged engine's output to 160-horses, is a capable little beast for its size and price, but is that enough to challenge a previous generation Subaru Impreza WRX STI on the racetrack?

Well, as any driver with some experience on the circuit will tell you, it’s as much about the car as it is about the person sitting behind the wheel. That said, the Abarth 500 shouldn't come close to an STI in the right hands but it's plausible under certain circumstances.

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Subaru Unleashes Crown Jewel of JDM Impreza STi Series with New S206 [51 Photos]

The good news for those wanting to burn some cash on a hot set of wheels is that Subaru has unwrapped a new special edition version of its Impreza STI sports sedan called the S206. The bad news isn't that only 300 will be built, but that all cars will be only available in Japan.

Billed by Subaru as the "crown of STI tuned cars", the new Impreza WRX STI S206 follows on from previous “S” versions, such as the S203, S204 and S205.

So what's special about the new STI model? Well, for starters, the S206 employs exclusive Bilstein dampers, STi coil springs, a flexible front tower bar and draw stiffener, which promise to further improve the car’s precise and quick cornering response.

The S206 rides on a new set of 19-inch BBS aluminum wheels, which have been designed exclusively for this model, and are shod in Michelin Pilot Super Sport tires.

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From 0 to Crash in 18 Seconds: Subaru Impreza STI Track Racer Bummer

Imagine this: you're all suited up, complete with racing helmet, gloves and shoes, bolted in the racing bucket seat of a Subaru Impreza WRX STI with your buddy by your side to experience the thrill of a life time on the race track.

But alas; as soon as the flag goes down your STI stalls and the engine shuts off. Your friend chuckles but no worries, just turn the key and fire up the turbocharged flat four and let's take it from the start.

Okay, we're ready now and yes, 18 seconds later you've reached the final cone and you can unleash the awesome power of Subaru's boxer engine only to…crash into a wall! On the bright side, you may have just set a new track record for the fastest crash ever…

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Subaru Sets New Isle of Man Lap Record with Standard Impreza WRX STI

Subaru has managed to break the long-standing lap record for a production vehicle at the Isle of Man TT circuit set 21 years ago on June 6, 1990, by the late Tony Pond in a Rover 827 Vitesse, with a production-spec Subaru Impreza WRX STI saloon driven by former British Rally Champion Mark Higgins. Read more »

Too Close for Comfort: Subaru Impreza WRX Flips Over Right in Front of Spectators in Canada

A fun track day at the Toronto Motorsports Park near the town of Cayuga in Ontario, Canada, almost turned tragic for both the driver and many of the spectators gathered behind the safety wall when an older generation Subaru Impreza WRX flipped over after exiting a corner.

From the video, it looks like the driver of the Impreza took the corner wider and faster than he was ready for and as a result crashed into, or rather ran over, the safety haystack near the wall, which acted as a launching ramp lifting the car into the air only inches away from the spectators. The car then landed on its rooftop several feet away.

According to eyewitnesses, the driver of the Subaru, who was wearing a helmet, was shaken but...not stirred. But enough talking already. Follow the break to watch both the incident as it happened and the aftermath.

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Forza Motorsport 4: Here’s how they Record Car Engine Sounds

Long gone are the days when video game developers used simple electronic instruments to emulate car engine sounds for their racing games. Now, thanks to a dramatic increase in video games sales, which of course resulted in huge budgets, developers can justify the costs of recording the actual sounds of each car featured in their games.

For those of you wondering how it’s done, the tech-savvy crew over at Electricpig were invited to Redmond, Seattle by the creator of the Forza Motorsport gaming series, Turn 10 Studios, to witness the recording of a previous generation Subaru Impreza WRX STI.

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More Screaming Passengers from the 2011 Red Bull Car Drift Event in Lebanon

We don’t know about you, but we certainly enjoyed watching the video of a male passenger freaking out during a ride around a drift course, so we decided to do a little bit of online research to find out what it was all about. We discovered that the joy ride was part of the Red Bull Car Park Drift 2011 event and it took place in Lebanon.

The man behind the steering wheel of the Subaru Impreza WRX STI is 34-year-old Abdo Feghali from Lebanon. He is a professional rally driver who also participates in drift contests and events such as the one organized by Red Bull.

If you liked the first video we showed you, then follow the jump to watch the reactions of the same male passenger, this time sitting at the back between two women (oddly enough no one was wearing seat belts…), as well as some new footage of other people that took a ride including the beautiful lady you see pictured above.

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Subaru Maintains Pricing of 2011MY Impreza at 2010MY Levels

Subaru of America announced pricing for the non-turbo, 2011MY Impreza models. Apart from the addition of some new colors and equipment upgrades on certain versions, there are no other changes for the 2011 model year Impreza, which is scheduled to arrive at U.S. dealerships in July. Pricing for the 2.5i, 2.5i Premium and Impreza Outback Sport are held to 2010 model year levels.

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Subaru Impreza Berlinetta Rear-Engine Concept Study

For as long as we can remember, Subaru fans have been hoping and praying for a sports coupe from the Japanese maker. And from what we know up until now, they will get their wish when Subaru unveils its own version of the Toyota FT-86. But until then, here's a different conceptual study for a hardcore Subaru coupe from Italian design firm, Beestudio.

The idea behind the Subaru Impreza Berlinetta was to create a high-performance two-seater sports car using the Impreza STI as base, but with a twist; the sedan's platform would be turned around, meaning that the turbocharged boxer engine on the Berlinetta would reside at the rear-end of the car.

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VIDEO: 2011 Subaru Impreza WRX STI Test Car Laps the Nurburgring in 7:55.00, Faster than Panamera and CTS-V

Subaru has just released test footage of its soon-to-be-launched 2011 Impreza WRX STI sedan from the Nurburgring race track. Described by the Japanese automaker as the firm's "fastest WRX STI ever", the 2011MY turned the Nurburgring race track in an impressive 7 minutes and 55 seconds in the hands of four-time World Rally Champion, Tommi Mäkinen.

For those keeping track, rally legend and Porsche test driver, Walter Röhrl, lapped the 'Ring with the 500HP Panamera Turbo in an unofficial time of 7 minutes and 56 seconds, while Cadillac's 556HP CTS-V clocked a 7:59.32 lap in 2008.

But there's a catch; the 2011 STI that lapped the 'Ring was in Subaru's own words, a prototype model. According to the company, the test car combined a series of production performance upgrades from the JDM-only R205 and C-Spec STIs including a larger turbocharger with some additional mods such as under body aero parts and aluminum fenders.

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Subaru to Launch New Impreza WRX STI Sedan and Impreza XV in Japan

Following on from the world premiere of the four-door sedan version of the 2011 Impreza WRX STI at the New York Auto Show in April and the Impreza XV crossover at the Geneva Motor Show in March, Subaru has confirmed that both cars will be offered in Japan with sales set to begin this June.

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Subaru Cosworth Impreza STI CS400: Official Photos of 400HP-Strong Limited Edition

The first official photos [high-res] of the hotly anticipated Cosworth edition of the Subaru Impreza WRX STI hatchback are out in the open. Set to go on sale in this June in the UK only and in a limited-run of just 75 units, the Cosworth Impreza STI CS400 promises to bring supercar-like performance figures to the hot hatch segment.

Starting with the Impreza STI's 2.5-liter boxer unit, Cosworth's engineers installed new high-performance pistons, connecting rods, head gasket and bearings. The tune-up also includes a remapped ECU, modified turbocharger and wastegate, and a custom exhaust system.

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