In Europe, the World Rally Championship is almost as popular as soccer. Throngs of spectators line rutted dirt roads or icy lakes as rally competitors blast by at 110 mph, just a few feet away. Subaru's 555 Impreza rally cars are widely recognized. For three consecutive years they've driven home with the World Rally Championship title. That's an impressive feat as the competition from Toyota and other manufacturers is fierce.The Impreza RS is no 400-horsepower rally machine, but it comes as close as anything Subaru sells in North America. Its thick, foot-tall Subaru Technica rear-spoiler looks just like the rally car's. The Impreza RS has a big--albeit nonfunctional--scoop and two little grilles on its hood; deeply flared rocker skirts visually connect its wheel wells. With the exception of the multi-refractor fog lights and 16-inch spoked alloy wheels, most of the Impreza RS appearance tweaks are cosmetic. Yet on the road or in a parking lot, this little coupe draws as much attention as any subcompact we've tested in years. On the functional side, the Impreza gets the 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine from the Legacy (as opposed to the standard Impreza's 2.2). Like all Subaru engines, the 2.5 has horizontally opposed cylinders -- a V configuration that is essentially pressed flat. This "boxer" design is also used in Porsches. From an engineering perspective it boasts even power delivery and a lower center of gravity. Most important to the driver, the 2.5's 165 horsepower exceeds the standard Impreza engine by 23 horsepower. This level of power ranks the Impreza near the top of the subcompact class. Subaru's full-time all-wheel-drive system differs slightly in Impreza models with automatic or manual transmissions. Automatics use a multi-plate clutch inside the transmission case to spread power to the front and rear axles; cars with manual transmissions like our Impreza RS test car have a viscous-fluid center differential. In either case, the system is compact, sturdy, simple and reliable, and the effect is the same: power is distributed automatically to front or rear wheels, depending on which tires have the best traction. For 2000, a viscous limited-slip rear differential comes standard that further improves traction in slippery conditions. With air conditioning, cruise control, power windows, a power sunroof and an 80-watt stereo, the Impreza RS's standard-equipment list doesn't read like one in the window of an economy car. Safety enhancements include dual front airbags, side-impact protection beams and anti-lock brakes.
|