Subiesport Magazine - April/May 2008 - (Page 76)

DOUBLE TROUBLE CAR 2008 WRX PROJECT Story by Travis Geny Photos by Yujiro Otsuki I LOVE GETTING NEW TOYS. And usually, the best toys have four wheels Watchturbo, like my new 2008 and a exclusive video from WRX project car. I must admit, GST Impreza.those inside the I was one of skeptics when it camePoint your web browserdidn’t to the 2008 WRX. It just to: look right in any of the press photos. The nose was a www.drivingsports.com bit too long, the hatch a little too hunchbacked and Click INDEX SUBARU the wheels were a bit too small. After spending the last few days in the car, I am won-over, this car is much cooler in person. 76 MAY 2008 TUNING “NEMO” ince the release of the 2002 turbocharged Impreza WRX in 2001, it is easy to forget that Subaru produced cars for the U.S. market before that time. The WRX and STI have stolen so much of the spotlight that for many Subaru enthusiasts, the models built before Model Year 2002 are shrouded in a fog of antiquity and mystery. For those in the know, however, the new turbo Imprezas were just new Subarus, albeit with more power and technology than any previous Impreza models sold in the United States. So while a flood of new cars have dominated the tuning and racing scene; a few companies have decided to turn to the past in the pursuit of speed and ever-lower lap times. When GST motorsports showed up at Subiefest2 Granted, this is not a rough hot-hatch in the same with Civic Si is, or even the GD Impreza. No, this car way atheir wild Impreza, we were dumbfounded. It wasn’t just another STI or well-mannered than any is much more sedate andWRX; rather it was a plainJane Impreza that had before it. But to the operatImpreza that has comebeen strapped that is ok. Ening table don’t buy slow, the lightening storm. they thusiasts and hoisted intosedate boxes because With its hardware store front air Enthusiasts to cars that like to drive slow, drab cars. dam graftedbuythe stock L chin, mud-bog fender flares and do-it-yourself that are the automotive equivalent of a bare canvas so rear diffuser, make undoubtedly the coolest thing on they can it was something ho-hum, wild and fast. the track. While it screamedpoint of the tuner streaked , What would be the “garage build” it scene if S right to the top of the leader board in the Unlimited Class and threatened the newest and fastest competitors bearing STI badges. “The car was originally used by myself as a daily commuter car that I purchased while on a business trip in Seattle about four years ago,” said Mike Warfield, owner of GST. “I drove it back to the Bay Area sight unseen.” Apparently, this is just one of many oddball long distant excursions undertaken by Mike. From there the car lived out its new California lifestyle as a trusty commuter. But as any car geek knows, staying stock is never an option, and soon the mad-scientist surgery began. “We originally built the car as an endurance car for the 25 hours of Thunderhill in December of 2006,” said Mike. was already “tuned” from to factory? everything “Following that, we decided thesee if the car would be car isn’t a completely blank canvas, Granted, thiscompetitive in the unlimited AWD class time is some artwork already going on here, but that thereattack events, with its first event being the Subiefest event last April. With the car having a fuel delivis ok, now we just need some scoot to match our koi. ery issue limiting rpms to 5,500, of what the car was To start off, a baseline test we came in second. Realizing the power-wise was decided headed over putting downcar’s potential weneeded. Ito rework the car for the Redline Time Tacoma, Wash., car won its to Pacific Import Auto inAttack series. Theto see what fi bone-stock 2008 WRX puts to the ground. With a rst event at Buttonwillow in April, and at the same time set and 225lb/ft of torque a Subaru ever is not 200whp the fastest lap time for on tap, the carat that

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Subiesport Magazine - April/May 2008

Subiesport Magazine - April/May 2008 Contents Travis Geny Letters Readers' Rides Subaru News Wicked in White Pink Rules Harman Motive Nouveau Tuning the 2008 STI 2008 Rally Guide Alcan 5000 Rally Alcan Unleashed WRC Rally Monte Carlo WRC Rally Sweden WRC Rally Mexico 100 Acre Wood Kumakubo! D1 Drifting Where to Buy Subiesport 2008 Impreza WRX 2007 Legacy GT 1993 Impreza Wagon Fueled Up Ad Directory Spotted!

Subiesport Magazine - April/May 2008

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