BETTER PARTSNew for old: the comparison
Friedberg, 29 July 2016
"Yeah, once everything was better" you know how often I get cut this sentence as a young journalist by my colleagues around the ears, grizzled dignity actually? No? Too often. But I will like to teach me a lesson, you finally never stop learning. As luck would, today is the day where I'm going the winged set on the bottom. Appropriately stand before me two cars between those 18 years and several generations of model are: is the Subaru Impreza GT 1998 against the WRX STI by 2016. Unfair? Bullshit. I just want to know whether earlier really everything was better.
Let's start with the Impreza GT
I give the older Impreza priority today. Without saying that goes "Age before beauty". Finally, the Impreza GT looks like you would have dragged him just the legendary 555 livery from the sheet metal and a fresh layer of silver in. Memories come up whole weekend watching TV on Daddy's lap and the live broadcast of the World Rally Championship. Colin McRae became world champion in 1995 on the series GC8 Impreza WRC and my heart beats since that time for the all-wheel drive sedan from Japan. The GT comes with the flat spoiler and the unobtrusive yet functional styling of the bumpers while less aggressive so as be 18 years younger successor, still fits the design from the front up and down. The great fog lights in the front shouting "Col de Turini, Arganil and Ouninpohja", the GT has inherited the characteristic air intake on the bonnet of the WRX STI.
90-chic interior
In the Interior of the GT by the way new condition with only 2,600 kilometres on the clock create the excellent bucket seats and the non-slip Momo sport steering wheel more WRC feeling. The materials are pretty much '90s"and today probably wouldn't even be in a Dacia use more. But: I lack in nothing. The speedometer unit comes with a large tachometer, the seating position is really good and eye stripes the giant maw of air while looking through the front window it can be that simple. Sure, the switch of the Windows not more timely are not very fine course, the ventilation and can be found also in scarcely a new car a cigarette lighter. But: the GT finally 18 years old is because much was different. Even better? Time to let the Impreza of the chain.
Turbo lag? Ohja
Totally oldschool, turning the ignition key the WRX STI comes on push of a button right next to the steering wheel around, is it only a little disappointed: so quiet. Well, the time of the artificial sound amplifier was not broken on 1998 yet. Really beautiful. Also the motor thanks to Subaru Boxer construction runs nothing in its vehicles built very quietly. The smile will come through acceleration. The two-liter turbo speaks quickly and revs up willingly. You can experience the usage of the loader acoustically as well as haptically. With grandiose "Shhh-Wushhhh" murmurs the turbine will ride. A huge Turbo lag later shoots the GT to front. 211 PS: That doesn't sound like much, but enough for lots of fun at 1,230 kilograms live weight. The shift travel are far too long for today's standards, the handling is bony. Anyway: You feel like in a real rally car. The all-wheel drive clawing into the street, tugs at the Steering, catapulted the GT to front.
Through curves a pleasure
The large Momo steering wheel lies well in the hand, the steering is a very nice feedback, is far too indirect and translated much too soft. The suspension makes a stunningly perfect balancing act between firmness, side tilt and cornering. The flat Boxer engine contributes its part to the low roll angle. By the way: Subaru 2016 celebrates the 50th anniversary of the Boxer. The brakes? Ok. The small floating calipers one should not too much expect it, but it is more than sufficient. The GT is fun because it is so original, so rough, with corners and edges. Today, such a car would be well written. Too much character. Too rough around the edges. I think he's class.
Time travel in the year 2016
Transition in the 2016er Subaru WRX STI. You can see on the name: a lot has changed around here. Why the winged rally car for the road may mean no more Impreza? So he is more apart from the base sedan. The connection to the successful motorsport past is lost, so a little. After all: Visually the STI looks still could start at out with him from the cuff at the rally of Germany. Painted in the classic "Blue Mica", with a huge rear wing on the trunk lid so must a sports sedan look. The dimensions have grown significantly compared to its ancestor, the WRX dominated the Impreza GT in length, height and width. The wheels are significantly larger, big Brembo fixed Calliper brakes hide behind the 19 inch at the front axle.
To full Interior
The crack through the decades is particularly evident in the Interior: modern technology, high-quality materials, a fixed Navi. But the cockpit of the WRX STI appears through the variety of buttons and keys not only contemporary, but also a bit unfocussed and ordinary as that of the Impreza GT. The steering wheel is completely overloaded, the center console has more buttons than a lumberjack shirt. Clearly, somehow the infotainment system needs can be controlled, but if you today as I only ride out is, disrupts the oversupply. The seats although boast a beautiful mix of Alcantara leather, offer but little lateral support and have anything more from the sport shell charm of the old GT without integrated headrest left.
Quick. Very fast.
I start the engine as mentioned above a button right beside the steering wheel. The key somewhere Loveless flies around in the center console. Was the right quiet sound of the Impreza GT little surprisingly, the quiet voice of the WRX STI more baffled. Apparently, also here no artificial sound amplifier on board are a plus. I join the pleasant hard sports clutch and leave slipping first gear in the upper left lane. The shift travel are extremely short and crisp, no comparison to the medieval stirring of the GT. Thanks to its sophisticated all-wheel drive system shoots the STI after front, it cracks just so. Traction is always present, no matter in what situation. Before curves, the excellent Brembo system squeezes together the Subaru, then comes the very direct and emotional control in the game. He, the STI may curves. At the exit, I just make again the blue wing monster and entrust my traction wishes to the all-wheel drive. The 300-HP Boxer engine with 2.5 l engine and four cylinders is much more modern than the GT: no big Turbo lag, a balanced driveability. However to the aggregate notes also that it is installed since 2006 in the STI no comparison to modern turbo engines of the popular hot of all Seat Leon Cupra as Ford Focus RS.
Things used to be better
After an extended round of testing through the Wetteraukreis, I Park the WRX STI again next to his grandfather, silver. Both are worthy representatives of the Subaru rally family, both make a lot of fun, just one more than the other. The Impreza GT 1998 scores with a rough, real character, with the Ungeholbeltheit of rally car and the charm of the late 90s. The WRX STI is a modern, fast and balanced car. It can only raise not the same emotions in me as the old GT. Earlier really was all better? Not determined. But some was real in any case. (mf)