Regular TS visitor and commenter, David W, recently attended a promotional event for the new Audi A4. The event gave attendees the chance to drive not only the new A4 Quattro, but three comparative cars in the Mercedes Benz C300 4matic, the BMW 328 ix, and the Lexus IS250 AWD.

Naturally, David took the event as an opportunity to evaluate his own Saab 9-3 2.0T against the competition.

These are his thoughts but the images are just generic web images of the cars, except for the last image, which is David’s actual car.

My thanks go to David for taking the time to put these thoughts down on ‘paper’ and sending them in to share here at TS.

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I recently had the pleasure of attending the Audi A4 Experience. It was an event that showcased the new A4 against it’s “competition” consisting of the M-B C300 4matic, BMW 328 ix, and the Lexus IS250 AWD. They were all comparably equipped, none had a sport package, all had factory wheels and tires inflated to factory recommended pressure, all were fully loaded and ran side by side through an autocross track.

I will start this off with my frame of reference, my 2007 SAAB 60th Anniversary Convertible. While I could not take it on the track, after 24,000 miles in it and another 45,000 in my old 2003 9-3 SS, I have a pretty good idea of how they would have reacted.

First off, the Mercedes-Benz C300 4matic.

When they first came out, I was not a fan of the exterior. After some time and seeing many on the road, I have grown to respect it’s aggressive front and sweeping side lines. It looks better each time I see it. The interior however, was another matter.

The car was silver with a black interior. The seats were very hard and somewhat flat. The dashboard was atrocious. It looked like a big, black blob of rubber with very little style. It really made me appreciate the SAAB. While maybe not as sturdy as the Benz, it is far more aesthetically pleasing and easy to use.

On the track, the power was good, but the handling was not up to par. The steering was not communicative, and the car leaned a lot in the sharp corners. I have experienced quick lane changes and sharp corners in my SAAB, but never felt either of them lean that much. I came away less impressed with the C300 than when I started, as did another participant who referred to it as an expensive Buick.

Second came the BMW 328 ix.

I have not been a BMW fan since their disastrous ownership of MG-Rover, as my heart also belongs to my 1972 MGB. But this had nothing to do with how much fun it would be to test one on the track. After all, it is supposed to be the Ultimate Driving Machine, right?

The BMW’s were silver with black interior as well. The exteriors are very BMW, I think the 3 Series are their best designs. The interior was much better than the Benz, with more comfortable seats and a nicer looking dash. However, it still did not look as good as my SAAB’s. I am really spoiled with the 2 tone anniversary sport seats and door trims. The SAAB’s climate controls are far and away much easier to use. It took me way too long to turn off the BMW’s climate control as there was no off button to be found. I ended up turning the fan all the way down before it went off.

On the track, the BMW handled better than the Benz, but still was not as entertaining as I expected. The steering was my biggest disappointment. It felt thick and numb. There was no feel, no feedback, no anything that I was expecting. After this, I wondered what makes automotive journalist wet themselves every time they drive one? Must be the M’s???

Next came the Lexus IS250 AWD.

I really like the way this car looks inside and out. Ours were dark gray with light gray and black interior. The seats were very comfy (and air conditioned a-la the old Saab 9-5) and the dash looked great with a mix of black and gray plastics with silver and wood trim. Good so far.

On the track, it’s 204 hp 2.5 lt. 6 cylinder was no match for the AWD hardware. It felt hopelessly underpowered. The steering had more feel to me than the BMW’s, but was not quick enough. It took the most turns of the wheel to get around the track than the others, and when it did, it leaned the most and the seats had no grip. Again, I came away less impressed than when I started.

Last, was the Audi A4 Quattro.

Out of all the cars there, the Audi really shined (it should since this was an Audi event, right?) These were red with a tan interior. While the exterior is more evolution than revolution, it looked good (I love the LED light pipes on the headlights, like the 9-3… )

The interior would have benefited from a different color as the light tan mixed with the light wood on the dash was not to my liking. Darker wood or more brushed aluminum would have been better. They do have great fit and finish.

On the track, Audi’s new drive select system was pretty sweet. It gave the sharpest handling, the quickest, most precise steering and impressive power and acceleration. Of the 4 cars there, it would be the most able to tempt me out of a SAAB.

But there is a catch, a really BIG catch…the price.

$48,000 USD for this A4. Not an S4. Not an A4 S-line. Not an A4 Cabriolet. But a fully loaded A4 sedan. It did have the sweet 3.2 lt. 6 cylinder with 268 hp (the most there.) But I could not get past $48,000 for this A4.

Audi was very wise not to have a Turbo X or even the 2009 9-3 Aero there, as it would not have worked out in Audi’s favor. They made a point about how the others there did not utilize AWD for their more powerful models. They neglected to mention that SAAB (and Subaru) did. While 265 hp and 243 lbs. ft. of torque sound nice, 280 hp and 295 lbs. ft. of torque for the SAAB sound better while costing less!

Getting back into my SAAB, I realized again what a great car these are.

It never feels underpowered, even after this experience. It handled and steered just as sweetly as before and has the BEST SEATS IN THE BUSINESS! Bottom line, I was never happier to be back in my 2.0T with the top down and a smile on my face! Thank you Audi for a great experience, but I will be sticking with SAAB.

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Oy, and does my back hurt. Gents, I’ve had a great week for a lot of other things, but the horrible people at Avis stuck me with one of the worst vehicles I’ve rented in some time — a 2007 Hyundai Tucson SUV. This does relate to Saab, and I can explain.

As with Swade, this week I had the chance to drive a car that I really didn’t think that I ever would actually drive. A Hyundai Tucson that surprised me, and not in a good way.

To make matters worse, the car rental experience started well. You see, I’m required through contracts with our corporation to rent either from Avis or from National. I always choose National. They’ve got things really figured out. I reserve a car, then when I get to the lot I choose any car in my category, drive to the exit booth, present driver’s license and, voila, you’re out and driving in the most suitable car on the lot.

I got off the plane in Columbus, Ohio and walked to the National car area, spotted a brand-new (4 miles on the odometer!!!) Chevy Malibu LTZ with the two-toned tan/grey leather and satellite radio. It’s got the V-6 and a five-speed auto tranny, so it’s the choice, natch. I drove to the booth, only to discover that I’ve got no reservation. Odd, I check the e-mail confirmation and there it is: I booked this trip over the phone with a live agent rather than online and she’s reserved a car with Avis. Ugh. Well, I reluctantly parked the Malibu and went to the lower level to the Avis lot.

Upon arrival, I see the sign with my name assigned to space A26. Scanning down the row, I thought that I’d gotten the dreaded minivan “upgrade” (the rental places persist in calling it that!). Walking closer, I see it’s the Tucson. Black with gray trim and grey interior. A little beaten, as most rentals are, but also a little better than a minivan, so I take it and go, but with a grumble.

It's even more ungainly in person.

As all of you now know, I really don’t like SUVs. They are a pickup truck that seats five as far as I’m concerned. However, only two weeks ago, I drove a 2008 Dodge Journey for three days, and I didn’t completely hate it. The Hyundai, I now loathe.

Why? you may ask. I’ll tell you why. The Tucson is darned ugly for one thing. The proportions are simply awkward; the huge front overhang alone is amusing. The competing lines are like something out of a sketch by either Picasso or Dr. Seuss. Top that off with a wheel track that’s slightly too narrow for the body work, and you’ve got a crappy-looking vehicle for sure.

Solid construction? Nope. Plasticy interior with cheesy-looking cloth prints? Yep. The Hyundai Tucson keeps up the tradition of flimsy Korean-made cars. Enough said.

Handling is an absolute joke. The Tucson is wallowy in the turns, skittish in any hard braking scenario, and quite literally jerks over any obstacle. Enough to give a driver a headache in city driving. There was also a bit of noticeable wind buffeting on the interstate highway at speed.

But, I’ve saved the best for last: the seats and seating position were horrible to the point of torture. I’ve rented a lot of cars in the past ten years or so, and I don’t think that any of them match the discomfort inflicted by the seats and seating position of the Tucson. Clearly made for Koreans and women, the seat was a full two, maybe three clicks of the typical seat adjustment too close to the sterring wheel. The seat was somewhat adjustable, but the hard, flat seat bottom lacked much rake adjustment, and the seat back had one of those “bar-in-your-back” lumbar supports moved by a lever on the side if the seat. Finally, the polyester velour is like wearing a plastic bag — it makes you sweat all the time everytime.

How does this relate to Saab? I’ll explain.

The Hyundai Tucson is obviously an entry-level car; one that chased cost rather than excellence. It also shares a platform with two cars in the Hyundai line-up. It’s nothing special. On second thought, I think it’s special, but in the short bus way.

The thing that strikes me here is that thousands of people have snapped up Hyundai Tuscons over the last three or four years. Make that tens of thousands of people. Hyundai has been successful with a substandard product. The reason? they knew something about what people want, and they knew how to communicate those things to customers through marketing communications and product management. You can say, “Well, lots of people people buy cheap cars just because they are cheap.” Yes, but Hyundai knows that the buyers still have to want the car even when it’s cheap, and they communicate those benefits in Hyundai ads and in Hyundai showrooms.

As I’ve said in the past: I’m unsure that Saab really understands this portion of the equation when it comes to Saabs: people must want the cars. No matter the warts (there will always be flaws), people have to like Saabs to drive them off the lot.

So, how does Hyundai do it? They create a sense of fun, and they do some comparison advertising (Sonata v. Corolla and Sentra). However, Hyundai’s biggest push? “We’re good enough, we’re less expensive, and we know that you’re smart enough to see that, aren’t you?” They made even the homely Tucson sell by simply sugesting that it was sufficiently counterculture to own a Hyundai.

That’s not what I suggest for Saab.

For Saab, they have to tap into the “different” and “great design” potential in the car. I’m no expert at putting that in place, but it seems that Saabs must be seen as the automotive equivalent of Bang & Olufsen gear or Lego toys. Nobody asks the specifications of a B&O audio system before they “want” it; they may ask later to justify their decision, but they want it at first look. Ditto Legos. My son doesn’t really care how many Lego pieces are in the package; he simply wants to have the set because of the possibility of building what’s pictured on the box.

When you see a stereo like this, do you have to ask about the specs to want it?

Communicating that is difficult with automobiles, I know. However, it’s the task before Saab around the world. Make people want Saabs. It can be done. Ideas?

If you’ve been hanging around this website for any continuous period of time (it doesn’t have to have been a long time), then you’ll most likely know that I’m not a fan of Cadillac.

My main beef is with GM dumping heaps of money into Cadillac in Europe, where they’ve already got a potential market player in the premium market called Saab. Saab could run with the big boys if they get the investment they need. Of that much I’m sure. But the people who matter in Detroit only have room for one premium brand in their hearts, and that brand is Cadillac.

Tonight we visited one of my wife’s childhood friends for a BBQ dinner on a beautiful Thursday evening in Vancouver. Imagine my surprise when we arrived and I saw a 2009 Cadillac CTS in the driveway. Imagine my further surprise when I hear that our host’s partner, Laurent, purchased the CTS only a few hours earlier. Then, imagine my surprise when he took me for a run in the car, pulled up and offered me a drive!

Click on pictures to enlarge

I didn’t need a second offer.

What transpired was just a short suburban drive. This ain’t no long term road test, it’s just a few impressions from the evening.

1) Questions and Answers

There’s little doubt that is a car that’s been made with the best standards of fit and finish. This car will definitely hold its place in a crowd of Euro competitors on presentation alone. The paint finish, panel gaps and interior materials are going to satisfy just about anyone looking for a superior product that’s well and truly a step above your garden variety automobile.

That particular fact answers the question about whether or not GM are capable of making a good quality vehicle. The question remains, however, about whether they’ve got the resources to replicate the design and manufacture of vehicles of this quality across eight different brands in North America and even more outside.

2) The look

It’s certainly striking and it’s certainly got presence.

I’ve been seeing Cadillacs all over the place since I’ve been here in Canada. I’ve seen quite a few of the bigger sedans, which look absolutely hideous. As does the Escalade, which is a blight upon the motoring world only surpassed by the Hummer family.

This CTS, however, has a sharper look to it. Like an revision should, it turns up in a finer cut suit with a better pair of shoes and like a Cadillac should, it announces its presence with confidence.

3) Inside

There’s a few dot points I want to mention about the interior of the CTS from my short time in it tonight.

- Climate controls just don’t look right at the side of your knee. I didn’t operate the system at all so I don’t know about the ergonomics and usability, but something just doesn’t seem right.

- Ditto for the window controls on such a sharp angle on the doors. Ergonomics and the placement of switchgear will be a litmus test for the new Saab 9-5. Make no mistake about it.

- The instrument surrounds are very tight against the outer edge of the gauges you’re trying to read. There’s very little space between the edge of the gauge and the binnacle that surrounds it. I found that the information I wanted during my short drive was sometimes hard to focus on due to the angle of my eye not being exactly right and the information on the gauge being obscured by the surround.

- The seats were a little harder than I expected, which is a good thing. That’s not to say they were hard, but I expected soft cushion seats suited to larger American derrieres. These were quite firm and supportive, which was a pleasant surprise. Not a Saab seat, which are still the best in the standard automotive world, but pretty good.

- The leather trim on the dash looked great, as did the almost-carbon-fiber trim that started thin on the dash and expands as it moves around on to the doors.

- The car was well equipped, with Bluetooth, XM Radio, electric everything including sunroof, plush carpeting and a good looking black leather trim on the seats.

- The biggest note about the interior was the almost silent nature of it all. Close the windows and the roof and you’d barely know the engine was running.

4) The drive

Laurent got the base model AWD variant of the CTS. This car comes equipped with the VVT 3.6 litre engine (rather then the direct injection engine) and puts out just over 260hp. It’s mated to a very smooth 6-speed auto transmission with manual mode.

My drive was a short stint through some streets in North Vancouver in medium duty traffic so there was no opportunity to throw it into some corners, nor to see what happens when you open up the taps. Also, I had a very generous and gracious new owner in the passenger seat of a car that wasn’t yet 30 kilometers old, so needless to say I was very careful….

What I can say, though, is that the CTS is a smooth operator. Engine noise is minimal, as is disturbance from any inconsistencies in the road. Despite the isolation you get from the bad stuff, there’s still plenty of feel and feedback from the car, so the engineers have managed to emulate the Europeans quite well in that respect.

As mentioned, I didn’t get the chance to take it through the twisties, but a few late calls from Laurent as he guided me through the streets back to our destination meant that I had a couple of last-minute swerves that showed just a little of the car’s poise during a quick direction change. It’s got the balance of a gymnast, though a proper test would be needed to tell if that gymnast is capable of a medal.

The steering is light and precise, though not as minutely precise as some of it’s intended competition that I’ve driven. That’s not a knock, though, as I wasn’t desperately keen on the minute precision offered by the 3-series I drove earlier this year. For the record, the steering on the Saab 9-3 I drove all last weekend was just as good.

5) The conclusion

My feelings about Cadillac as a whole might render my conclusions about this car irrelevant. Be that as it may, it’s a car that’s shows a lot of thinking on the part of its designers and a lot of precision in execution on the part of its manufacturers. It’s not a car I connected with, but it’s a car that I can definitely respect (and Laurent, if you’re reading this, that’s high praise from me when it comes to Cadillac).

The conclusion that matters most belongs to Laurent, who handed over around CAD$41,000 of his own hard-earned for the car only hours before I drove it.

He was smiling all night.

Laurent drives around 40,000km per year and primarily wanted something comfortable, well equipped, safe and sporting when it needed to be. He also wanted it to be low-maintenance and GM’s 80,000km bumper-to-bumper warranty took care of that.

Laurent shopped the Caddy against a few SUVs in the Lexus RX400h and the BMW X3 (his trade-in was a RX350) but according to him, the Cadillac CTS won hands down for superior finish, comfort, service backup and of course, driveability.

If someone gets what they want in those respects and a good deal on the new car as well, then you can’t do much better than that.

Even if it’s a Cadillac

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My thanks to Laurent for letting a rev-head he’s only met on one previous occasion behind the wheel of his new baby. I’m not sure I’d have the same courage in the same circumstances.

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I bet you didn’t think a quick review of the Hummer H3 would be the first full-on story from my weekend’s driving at GM’s proving grounds at Lang Lang, here in Australia.

But it is, primarily because I’ve come back with the flu and this one will be a quick one to write.

Let’s start with 1,000 words, shall we?

We started the day with this, which I actually resisted photographing for five full minutes before finally giving in. This is Saab Australia’s grand poobah, Parveen Batish arriving at this Saab test drive in a Hummer H3. OK, the official name of the department he presides over is actually GM Premium Brands and it includes Saab, Hummer and Cadillac, by why let a few facts get in the way of a good story? It should also be mentioned that his private vehicle is a 9-5 Aero and was being used during the day for one of the tests at the event.

Not only did he arrive in a Hummer (amusing enough, some might say), he was also detained in the Hummer at the front gate. The facility is so secure that a brand director can’t get through if the number plate of the car he’s in isn’t on the permit list with the security guy.

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So, to my (brief) time in (passenger seat of) the Hummer H3…..

[Read the rest of this entry →]

OK, so here’s a comparison that not many people are likely to make, but it’s a story that deserves to be told, nonetheless, because it encapsulates the feelings of many people when it comes to old-vs-new cars.

So, without further delay……

In the red corner, we have an old and rather funny looking Saab 95 wagon:

And in the blue corner we have a modern and technologically-superior-in-every-way Honda Fit.

The story comes from Jim W. It was told via a VSaab circular email and Jim’s kindly given me permission to reproduce it here.

This is why it’s good to have a classic in your perfect garage plans…..

Obviously for daily transportation needs a modern car, such as a Honda Fit S (’m leasing one) is much, much more practical than a vintage SAAB.

But not everyone wants or needs to be practical all the time, and if such a person wants a Saab 95 (I had to sell mine because it looked like I was about to lose my job) then why not? Let the story end there…..

Or not, because my ownership of the 95 and my tenure with the Fit overlapped a bit, so I had an interesting opportunity to make a head-to-head “lifestyle” comparison: not about the cars themselves (as noted, the Fit obviously is a superior built car in every way) but in terms of what they did for my life.

The Fit is wonderfully reliable and holds a lot of stuff (although its load bay isn’t as long as a 95’s.) The bottom seat cushion is too short and the steering wheel is too far away, and it isn’t as easy to get in and out of as a 95, but no biggie.

The Fit feels agile and fun to drive, and in terms of quantitative performance it would smoke any but the most extreme streetable vintage SAAB.

But driving mine doesn’t put a smile on my face the way driving my 95 always did.

The 95 was commodious and welcoming in a way that a Fit just isn’t. Sliding easily onto that slippery vinyl seat, relaxing into that comfortably upright driving position, and grabbing that big, conveniently spaced steering wheel made me feel ready for fun, even if I was only going to the office or the grocery store. The bright, airy interior, with its warm colors and big windows, put me in a good mood. And while I never let people ride in the third seat because of its lack of crash protection, it was a great spot for sitting, conveniently canopied by the raised tailgate, to watch a sandlot baseball game or a sunset.

And it was a completely usable everyday car: carrying people, carrying stuff, starting dependably, keeping up easily with around-town traffic, and getting reasonably good gas mileage.

Working in Corporate America as I do, a lot of my time is spent doing mindless crap; often, driving my 95 was the one bright spot in my day.

Meanwhile, owning the 95 was probably as close as I’ll ever come to being a celebrity. I loved the way people I passed would point, smile, nudge their friends; it was pleasant to think that my car was a small bright spot in their day, too. Some people think my Sonett is pretty cool, but it just doesn’t inspire affection the way a 95 does.

True story: The 95 was still my daily driver when I was in the process of ordering my Fit (at that time there was a three-month waiting list for them.) One day I needed to go over some details with my salesperson, so I drove the 95 out to the dealership and parked it in the customer parking area at the edge of the new-car lot. My salesperson was away from her desk, so I had about 20 minutes to sit and people-watch.

My attention was caught by a young guy who was there to meet his salesman and, together, try to get his wife’s blessing on his plan to buy a Pilot SUV. Of course the salesman wanted to help with this process, so they met the wife together at the door.

“See anything you like?” said the salesman jovially, gesturing across the new Hondas on the lot.

“The one I really like is THAT one!” said the wife enthusiastically, smiling brightly and pointing… to my 95.

“Well, I’m afraid we can’t sell you that one,” the salesman said, “but I suppose there’s no harm in going over and having a look.”

I watched the three of them making their way around my 95, smiling and gesturing at its various quirky details until my salesperson got back to her desk. I have no idea if the young guy ever got his Pilot or not.

– jw, 95-less in ne

A great story. Saabs have always been like that for me, too. Maybe that’s because until relatively recently, all I had were older ones

Whatever.

I’d like to thank Jim W for putting his thoughts into words, and allowing me to share them all here.

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Nothing special here. Just a bunch of driving sequences and yes, one was sped up (just for something different)

Some nice shot setups by Stu the Lens Genius and our young bloke, Geoff. Driving by yours truly and Matt the Fudgepacker. Music by Eddie, Alex, Michael and Sammy, chosen specifically for the start.

Cheers.

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I’ve been driving a Subaru WRX for the last two months and it’s time to write about it.

Here’s Part 1 – the introduction. Now, it’s time move on to the nitty gritties…..

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The 2008 Subaru WRX is basically a brand new, box fresh package. It’s been changed inside and out to the extent that if you came across a white one (instead of WRC Blue) and they told you it was something other than an Impreza you’d have no reason to disbelieve at all.

For all of its life leading up to 2008, the WRX was available in either sedan or wagon forms. It’s been through six iterations so far, but kept those two body variants through all of them. Personally, I’m a big fan of the wagon.

Here’s the wagon, circa 1998:

And the sedan, circa 2001:

The WRX was always designed and kitted out in a manner that suited its purpose. They weren’t for elegant dinners or nights at the opera. They were purpose built, four-banger buttkicking machines from a company that wasn’t going to have sand kicked in its face anymore. Both the wagon and sedan managed a deliberate, aggressive poise – an automotive equivalent to short man’s syndrome, if you will.

Fast forward to 2008 and that’s changed somewhat.

Who’d have thought you’d ever be taking pretty pictures of a WRX? If the car knew what I’d done it’d probably ju-jitsu me into next week.

Here in Australia, we can currently only buy the 5-door hatchback version of the car. There will be a sedan in due course, but I believe the sedan demand in other markets is being satisfied first.

Have a look at that picture taken under the tree. What is it that identifies this car as a Subaru to you? Car companies love these trains of thought as it really helps to sort out what the design pillars of a particular vehicle are. For the classic Saab 900 it’s obviously the profile. You couldn’t mistake that profile for anything else and you’d know – without doubt – that it’s a 900 from almost any angle. So what’s the Subaru identifier in this image?

I’ll give you two things – the bulge and the color.

Take away that big bonnet scoop and the blue paint job and you could be looking at just about any Asian company’s five door hatchback. It’s not offensive at all, but that’s part of the problem. Look at it as a profile on its own and it just. doesn’t. move. you.

It doesn’t seem to have that same sense of purpose that the previous wagon had. That intimidating “don’t call me a wagon” glint in its eye. Where the previous WRX was purposeful and the STi was flat out loony, it’s almost as if they’ve set the ceiling for 2008 somewhere well below loony and so in a less-than-flattering compromise, the WRX looks like the 35 year old guy who used to go to the gym in his youth.

It doesn’t look like it’d have the load capacity of the wagon, either. I haven’t compared the figures, but it’s mighty small in the back. I don’t know why, either. There’s only a space saver spare under the floor but that floor seems to be very high. Maybe it’s the AWD system, but whatever it is, this isn’t going to be carrying around any sofas.

I don’t want it to sound like I’m completely down on the styling, though. Whilst the Rex’s body may have sagged a little, it’s still got a glint in it’s eye and a cheeky grin to match. The boy has grown up and shed some of his agro, but he’s still got all of his spark.

The rear of the car has some nice angles to it. The LED tail lights run the gauntlet of boy-racerdom with taste and they’re darn effective, too. Lighting is going to be the new frontier of automotive design and the Suuby’s LEDs create a nice bracket effect when lit.

In compliance with Australian law, the rear windows only have been factory tinted whilst the fronts remain quite clear. Yes, there’s a lot of illegal tint jobs in Australia.

One sad piece of news for all you sun-worshippers: due to safety concerns with the passenger cell and Subaru’s insistence that this be a 5-star vehicle, there’s no sunroof option on the hatchback whatsoever. I’m unsure as to whether there will be on the sedan when it comes.

The bottom line:

The styling is probably the first glimpse you get into this car and it’s a definite reflection of its personally. It’s softer than its predecessors. It doesn’t have all those hard edges, that recognisable muscularity. It’s tight and tucked in the face and derriere so that it can represent when required. But there’s no doubt it’s an older Suuby now.

When we get to the drive you’ll see that it’s not just skin deep, either. And that that’s not a bad thing.

——

10 points to the person who can name the song and artist in the title to this post. 10 bonus points if you know the next line!

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Intro

My time with the Subaru Impreza WRX is almost up. On Wednesday I plan to take the car back to our local Subaru dealer and bid it a less-than-fond farewell, but a farewell nonetheless. I figure that’s a lot more respectful than just dumping it at their front door.

If it sounds like I don’t like the car, don’t be fooled. It’s just that the inevitability of me having to return it some time has got me feeling flighty. Better get it over with now, eh?

Subaru first offered me a week in one of their cars after I argued with them about one of their advertisements here in Australia (with a big hat tip to Turbin). That was around five months ago now. It took around three months to get the car here, by which time they suggested I keep the car for a month instead of a week. That was around seven weeks ago.

What I received was a 2008 Subaru Impreza WRX 5-door hatch and over the next few days I’ll be posting several articles on the car. It’s definitely been an interesting time and an experience I’d like to re-create with a few other vehicles in the near future, if possible.

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The Car

Let’s get acquainted, shall we?

When the Subaru Impreza WRX burst on to the Autralian motoring scene in the early 1990s – yes, it really was that long ago – it turned an entire sector of the industry on its ear. Until the WRX arrived, ball-tearing performance was the preserve of the wealthy, their very close friends and a quick-learning ever expanding band of car thieves.

The WRX consistently won ‘best performance car under $XX,000′ all around the world. It’s the first car that I can recall being used by the Victoria Police that wasn’t a Holden Commodore or Ford Falcon. They had to use the WRX as it was the only hope they had for catching all the stolen WRX’s being used in various crimes.

Whilst the earlier WRXs were a thrill ride, they certainly weren’t too comfortable. All that go-kart handling came in a car that was go-kart sized and had the ride characteristics of – you guessed it – a go kart. It didn’t stop the WRX from becoming a cult hero, however. In fact, it may have even helped. There was something of an underdog factor in the WRX story: the nerdy Japanese company that did these offbeat AWD wagons that sound like lawn mowers. Who’d have thought they could possibly build a powerhouse that would turn their ho-hum curiosity of a brand into a desireable niche player and world rally champion?

Fast forward a bunch and for 2008 there’s an all-new WRX. Time has passed, the WRX’s clientele has matured and so has the car. Here in Australia, the WRX is currently only available in a five door hatchback, which is somewhere in between the sedan and wagon variants we all got used to. It’s a little bigger outside, inside and under the hood, but in an impressive exercise in self-restraint, it’s actually smaller where it matter most (to many) – the price.

Value

The 2008 Subaru Impreza WRX costs A$39,990 and that’s $450 less than the outgoing model. The options list is exceptionally small, consisting only of a navigation system at $2,990. That’s it – just one option. That’s because the list of standard features is exceptionally large, especially for a $40K car.

For your $40K, you get self-levelling Xenons, Limited Slip Diff, 17-inch alloys, a double-locking system that I don’t understand, sports body kit, sports seats, a rear diffuser, and a big audio system with more speakers than you’ll ever have ears in the car. You get ‘leather’ on the steering wheel and gearknob and some weaved stuff on the seats. And as Subaru go to great lengths to point out, you also get 5-star safety for you and your passengers and 4-star safety for the pedestrians you’re at risk of running into.

That’s not where the money is, though.

What you really pay for when you hand over your 40-large is a stonkingly quick 2.5 litre turbocharged boxer engine. It ain’t pretty but it’s quick. It’s mated to a notchy 5-speed gearbox and finds it’s way to the road via Subaru’s oft-advertised symmetrical AWD system.

From a Saab-nut’s point of view let me point out the obvious similarity – This WRC blue (close to Lightning Blue) WRX has a turbo charged four that puts out 169kW and 320Nm, which is quite similar to the Viggen’s 162kW and 342 Nm.

I’ll get to the driving in a future instalment, but there’s a lot to like about the engine, and the car in general. There’s a few things on the other side of the ledger as well, but we’ll get to that later.

For now, let me just say I have very few doubts that the Subaru Impreza WRX represents quite possibly the best bang for the buck that you can get in a motor car, and that there’s no way on Thor’s earth that I’d ever own one.

Seeya soon for instalment 2.