what do ya think about the new hatch body style

thehookeup · Post by **thehookeup** » Wed Aug 22, 2007 4:15 am

jesus, should we sticky this?

greg donovan · Post by **greg donovan** » Wed Aug 22, 2007 2:39 pm

thehookeup wrote:jesus, should we sticky this?

why?

it is always on the top all by itself.

thehookeup · Post by **thehookeup** » Wed Aug 22, 2007 8:35 pm

it was a joke

entirelyturbo · Post by **entirelyturbo** » Wed Sep 05, 2007 2:03 am

Hmmm.

Just got the new Automobile mag in the mail. Design critique and first drive of new Impreza.

Seems I'm not alone.

evolutionmovement · Post by **evolutionmovement** » Wed Sep 05, 2007 3:04 am

You know what really got me - I just noticed that the Shelby Mustang GT only weighs 3300 lbs. and change. These 'small' hatchbacks are f'n HEAVY. I'll take that 2100 lbs Fiat 500 Abarth with ~170 HP if they ever sell that here.

entirelyturbo · Post by **entirelyturbo** » Wed Sep 05, 2007 11:58 pm

I hate to say it, but I'm really digging the Saturn Astra.

I know the last time an American company tried to bring a European car over, it turned out to be a total POS... ahem, Focus... but I think good things can come from the Astra.

evolutionmovement · Post by **evolutionmovement** » Thu Sep 06, 2007 1:54 am

Aura. Astra's the Opel version. Maybe the Vauxhall version also, but I'm not sure. Best looking car in its class, I think. I hear they're not moving though, but I'm not sure why. Yeah, it's more money than the old Saturn, but those cars were complete shit. I'd probably buy it over a Camry, Accord, or Altima. Brand perception is a hard thing to overcome.

The US Focus was a cheapened version because Ford didn't think people would pay enough for the higher quality. The interior and the Lotus engineered rear suspension were the things to suffer most. And they wonder why people think their cars are shit and no one wants to buy them.

The Mazda 3 is actually a cheaper version of the new generation Euro Focus.

The Opel GT was a decent Euro-domestic import.

entirelyturbo · Post by **entirelyturbo** » Thu Sep 06, 2007 3:27 am

No no no, they're actually bringing the Opel Astra to the US badged as a Saturn. It's replacing the *gag* Ion.

I like it.

evolutionmovement · Post by **evolutionmovement** » Thu Sep 06, 2007 3:41 am

Oh, sorry. I had a stupid moment. They've got the Vauxhall Vectra VXR (Opel Astra) in Britain which is turbocharged and looks pretty sweet. I might cross-shop when the Mazda's due for replacement depending on what they do to the next 3 and if the 500 or an affordable Alfa comes over. I know they're Eurotrash, but they're Eurotrash with personalities.

BXSS · Post by **BXSS** » Mon Sep 10, 2007 1:43 pm

One of my neighbors just got a charcoal gray '08 WRX, & while it looks like a Mazda 3, it does not look too bad in that color.

A friend on mine has a real Fiat 500 - it looks like a clown car.
I kind of like it but not enough to trade my AE86 for it.

entirelyturbo · Post by **entirelyturbo** » Sat Sep 22, 2007 2:00 pm

Just to keep this updated.

Apparently this is what the STi will look like:

I'm still not budging by the way. Faster or not, it's not going to feel like a Subaru.

AWD_addict · Post by **AWD_addict** » Sat Sep 22, 2007 7:40 pm

subyluvr2212 wrote:Just got the new Automobile mag in the mail. Design critique and first drive of new Impreza.

They tore that thing a new diffuser cutout in the design critique!
Sad to read that the drive is more boring, even if it may be easier to go fast. I wonder if the different handling with VDC will prevent some of the rich kids from wrecking the WRX daddy just bought them?

entirelyturbo · Post by **entirelyturbo** » Thu Oct 04, 2007 12:55 am

Just a little interesting tidbit and insider info...

Subaru has an 08 Impreza "Storm the South" tour going on, and have been showing the car at some local Subaru meets. There was one last week at our usual Sonic's meet.

Anyway, I yakked some with the rep and told him of my dislikes of the new car... and he honestly didn't care all that much. The most acknowledgment he gave was that he knew some of the Subaru purists would get upset over the framed windows and such, but he made it pretty clear that Subaru doesn't care about the purists anymore.

Which leads me to my next point... Another rep was there and he informed me that the next Legacy/Outback platform will also have framed windows.

So, take that for what it's worth.

Post by **DLC** » Thu Oct 04, 2007 12:59 am

I was driving behind an 08 WRX sedan and I really like it, then realized it was...an 08 WRX sedan. In black, it looked really, really good.

The WRX model is gone in Japan, and from what I've seen in Best Motoring's videos, the S-GT is kinda sloppy, especially compared to the Mazdaspeed 3 and 130 BMW. Dis a pointing.

evolutionmovement · Post by **evolutionmovement** » Thu Oct 04, 2007 1:17 am

Hey, they don't care so neither do I. That's why after extolling the Legacy in the first two books, the only new Subarus belong to douches, just as all the German cars are driven by the bad guys. Once again, another car company will get my money when I trade in the 3. Good luck to them selling boxer-engined Corolla All-Tracs.

entirelyturbo · Post by **entirelyturbo** » Wed Oct 10, 2007 6:14 pm

The STi has officially (and prematurely apparently) been debuted in Japan.

http://www.autoblog.com/photos/2008-sub ... dm/430799/

Seriously... a fucking push-start button???

I'm gonna hafta leave a RiceCop ticket on every GH STi I see.

evolutionmovement · Post by **evolutionmovement** » Wed Oct 10, 2007 10:26 pm

I don't hate it as much as the WRX, but I still don't really like it. It would be nice if this were the new Cobalt.

Start buttons are so lame and played out. What's the point when you have an ignition switch? The car I'm building will have one, but only because there won't be a key or like switch (security will be maintained by a kill switch activated and deactivated with a key fob remote). Of course the best security of all will be how damn noticeable it will be. "Yes, officer, it looks like a WWII fighter plane without the wings or tail."

Post by **DLC** » Thu Oct 11, 2007 12:06 am

Ford is the new Subaru.

Well, Ford of Europe, at least.

I'm really, really disappointed in the new stuff. The Bugeye was a shift, but it was still a fantastic car and was no-compromise. Hell, you couldn't even get a sunroof till 05 for structural rigidity!

The 06-07 was ugly, but it WAS STILL A SUBARU like we'd always loved, underneath the silly facade.

08 Impreza and Legacy are too 'yota for me.

I hope I look back at this in a few years and cringe, but I don't think I will.

tris91ricer · Post by **tris91ricer** » Thu Oct 11, 2007 12:13 am

Aw cmon, is it really that bad? I mean, yes, things are changing. . . But they can't be THAT bad. I kinda like the look of the new STi, the wagon end is quite a bold move. . . No more sedans, eh?

Look, in the end, it's sad that companies don't care about purists, but they're japanese; it's all about the yenjamins. . .

evolutionmovement · Post by **evolutionmovement** » Thu Oct 11, 2007 2:40 am

But trying to be mainstream and getting too big for itself is not sustainable. Only purists give a rat's about the boxer engine and Subaru's specific AWD system. Most cars have AWD and the Normals don't know the difference. The boxer engine is just a weird thing that in some parts of the country scares mechanics because it's different. This is America the Melting Pot and different is scary. So it doesn't look good for Subaru, but at least I won't care by then since their cars are barely Subarus anyway.

Everything dies and with the exception of my ex (thankfully fine), I accept that pretty easily. My biggest complaint is that there are no alternatives that are similar to traditional Subaru values. I don't care so much about speed - the bottom end was nearly always enough to get you out of trouble and there are a million fast cars - what I liked was the truck toughness and simplicity in a small, go-anywhere, efficient, cheap package that was fun to drive. I'd seriously take an '84 hardtop over any new 9,875 HP or however much they need to sell they're overrated junk Nazi war-wagon.

Though if I'm picking on company ancestery I really shouldn't let the Japs off as that whole Rape of Nanking thing was arguably as bad as what the Nazis did. I'd maybe even venture to say worse in some ways, but I feel uncomfortable with the idea of quantifying that kind of atrocity, so I'll go with 'just as bad'.

Watching TV right now got me thinking. I'd buy a new Mercury if that chick in the ads came with it. The Milan doesn't actually look all that bad even without her in the seat. Probably no fun to drive, though. Um, the car, that is.

AWD_addict · Post by **AWD_addict** » Thu Oct 11, 2007 5:22 am

It looks better than the WRX, less chromey. I want to see one without the clear tail lights. At least it's wider, I like the flared fenders.

The start button only makes sense if you can keep the key in your pocket.

One exhaust outlet per cylinder is a bit much, especially since they all go through the same turbo!

Post by **Legacy777** » Fri Oct 12, 2007 4:13 pm

I like the exhaust on the sti.

Overall look is ehhh....ok....but nothing to write home to grandma about. The point is subaru is in the business to sell cars....and if they can sell 20% more cars to joe public, and they only lose 5% of its existing customer base, that's a net 15% gain in sales.

My personal opinion is that ALL auto manufacturers are really just copying each other and the past. There hasn't been anything truly revolutionary in a long time.

Steve....yeah that mercury chick is HOT! The milan is essentually a fusion...and I was really quite impressed with it when I drove it.

tris91ricer · Post by **tris91ricer** » Fri Oct 12, 2007 5:23 pm

The Milan is just like the fusion? I drove an awd one and wasn't impressed. I also drove a SVT focus hatch that same day. 6speeds of funny -- that car sucks. And here I was under the impression that newer cars performed better than my 16year old turbo. . . SO not true.

evolutionmovement · Post by **evolutionmovement** » Fri Oct 12, 2007 7:51 pm

They're not as fun either. They just put more powerful engines in them to try to make up for it. We here seem to be among the few that see the emperor is naked and regardless of how big his wang is, we don't like what we see.

tris91ricer · Post by **tris91ricer** » Fri Oct 12, 2007 9:13 pm

The fusion was an understeer nightmare! I pushed it through some corners with the poor sales guy who was like, on his second day on the job. The AWD sucked, the transmission lacked any kind of intelligence; it was far from a sporting car.

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what do ya think about the new hatch body style