GC8 Subaru Impreza WRX & Early STI Models Defining Commitment to Motorsports Pedigree
While Subaru currently anchors North American sales recovering from past economic troubles peddling tall-riding SUVs with quirky marketing campaigns, the roots of enthusiast appeal began tracing back over 25 years ago towards raw Rally-developed sports sedans without distraction or tech reliance. Tuners and drivers seeking unfiltered mechanical sensations at real-world pricing found holy grail salvation via the GC8 generation Subaru Impreza WRX arriving stateside for 2002.
Let’s revisit the early origins of Subaru’s hopped-up turbocharged ImprezaWRX, and subsequent even more focused WRX STI halo performance models before increased sales ambitions diluted pure driving engagement priorities today.
Group A Rally Stage Development Mandates Lightweight Street Car Equivalents
Subaru made a domestic name for itself during the 1990s owing rally racing championship success to AWD sedans benefiting from turbocharged boxer engines packing considerable usable power. But to enter the FIA’s Group A Rally series, factory-backed competition vehicles required production street equivalents built and sold to the public.
Riding high off unprecedented motorsports pedigree during 1997, Subaru teamed with specialty tuner STI (Subaru Tecnica International) co-developing the very limited GC8 WRX – a rally stage bred sports sedan never intending entering lucrative foreign showrooms yet laying groundwork bringing overseas buyers into the fold eventually.
Minimal Sound GC8 Subaru Deadening With a Focus on Usability
Because rally competition vehicles emphasized minimizing weight and maximizing reliability enduring stages attacking suspension components, spartan road manners carried over even roadgoing WRXs. Subaru omitted superfluous luxury appointments in favor of delivering an intense mechanical experience channeling extreme power and grip accessible obediently on loose surfaces directly into a 4-door family car without electronic intervention blunting interaction.
A signature hood scoop funneled cool airflow incoming turbocharger while twin center exhaust tips rumbled harsh boxer flat-four decibels directly into the cabin absent attempts to isolate passengers. Larger WRX brakes and multi-point suspension upgrades connected drivers with tarmac textures through thinly bolstered cloth sport seats prioritizing comfort for long drives or inclement weather over cocooning cornering support found in dedicated sports cars costing twice as much.
Driven modestly in traffic, a WRX appeared downmarket economy car barely distinguishing itself from ordinary Imprezas. But winding mountain roads revealed Jekyll transforming into apex devouring rally stage veteran embarrassing rivals and costing far more coddling drivers through distraction.
Subsequent GC8 Subaru Revisions Amplify Precision On Racetracks
Following successful GC8 WRX models wowing Japan as Subaru’s exclusive special projects division STI enhanced second-generation variants injecting sharper focus on circuit racing domination instead of loose gravel rally stages for key improvements. An acclaimed 2.0 twin-scroll turbocharged boxer engine exclusive to the new GD Subaru Impreza WRX STI lineup pushing horsepower near 300 and signature gold Brembo brakes granted this four-door family car supercar stopping distances.
Revised gear ratios kept turbo boost “on boil” across wider powerbands abundantly accessible challenging assumptions where peak torque arrived – transforming the STI into the period’s definitive tuner icon laying foundations cementing serious credibility taken seriously today.
Conclusion Of GC8 Subaru
Before smartphones and infotainment integration, Subaru Imprezas best represented commitment translating rally-developed sports sedans balancing motorsport extremes daily drivability without excessive gimmicks or creature comfort isolation. Early GC8 and subsequent GD generation WRX and WRX STI models focused purely on maximizing mechanical sensation extraction for the dollar through utilitarian interiors sitting atop carefully fortified chassis components and burly turbocharged boxer engines pulling strong from practically any RPM values.
This unmatched authentic driving engagement character established credibility absent among mainstream brands – forever endearing Subaru amid grassroots enthusiast circles despite present sales ambitions softening their universal immediacy today.
