Subaru WRX 2012 News

Subaru has launched a major 121,754-vehicle recall to fix a potential fault which can cause the brake lights to fail (though the brakes themselves will still work), with every Forester, WRX, Impreza and XV sold over a particular timeframe impacted.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has announced its latest round of safety recalls, with models from Subaru, Mercedes-Benz, Hyundai, Mazda, Toyota and Ford affected.

Volvo, Subaru, Land Rover, Citroen and GM have issued safety recalls for some vehicles due to defective manufacturing issues.

NSW Highway Patrol evaluating high-power four-door replacements for Holden Commodore and Ford Falcon.

Either that or these grease monkeys have had a lot of coffee. But if that’s what it takes to strip and re-build a Subaru Impreza WRX STI in three minutes, then why not.And when the car is set to be driven by daredevil Travis Pastrana you’d want a speedy mechanic team. Pastrana’s had more smashes, spills and misshapes than a crash test dummy on a bad day – so hasty repair jobs are in regular demand.Maybe the techno overlay has something behind this swift strip and build? That track alone has got us twitching in our seats.Whatever the catalyst, we wouldn’t mind some in the Carsguide office. 

But not in the disastrous manner of 2011, when the  brand's production was stalled by natural disasters. The Australian arm of the Japanese car maker may struggle to get enough of its two new models, the Impreza and the XV, until production capacity is improved later this year. Subaru Australia managing director Nick Senior says sales targets are around 700 per month. "Last year was 11,000 with 2000 WRX - our biggest problem will be supply for Impreza and XV - adding the XV we have another model without increasing production capacity, that's later this year," he says. The introduction of the rear-wheel drive BRZ (a shared development with Toyota) has given Subaru a boost as it continues to overcome its 2011 performance that was marred  by natural disasters. "It has already started doing things for us, there's a focus on Subaru since the announcement, with all the coverage and the unveiling - we've never seen so much coverage for the brand. "When it goes on sale there will be a potentially new audience for us," he says. While the rear-wheel drive model has been seen by some in the industry as a dilution of the Subaru All Wheel Drive mantra, Mr Senior says there were no plans to go front-wheel drive with its new Impreza to provide a cut-price contender in the small car market."The short answer is no - we've been able to demonstrate that the changes we've made to the Impreza, in terms of weight reduction and transmission technology, has put us towards the top of the pack."In terms of fuel efficient and low emissions, a competitive price, the strategy we have adopted is the correct strategy and there's not a lot of benefit to gain from trying to compete at the bottom end with a front wheel drive car in that category," he says. Sales targets for 2011 were set above the brand's 2010 record of around 40,000, numbers. Mr Senior is aiming to see in the year-to-date total column at the end of December, but without resorting to a front-wheel drive model. "We at the moment have a point of difference in the small car class, we've demonstrated it doesn't have to add weight and in fuel consumption we are ahead, we've addressed a whole lot of issues - there's not going to be a huge saving going FWD any way, our system is simple and we do it efficiently," he says. Four new Subarus will grace local showrooms over the next 12 months - XV, Impreza, BRZ and Forester - but the wait for new WRX and STI models (now a line-up divorced from the Impreza) will be a little longer. "WRX and STI is now it's own model in its own right, the business model is being done at the moment, it will not be here this year - we've seen the strongest WRX sales we've seen in the last 5 years on the changes made, that will continue for a couple of years," Mr Senior says.

A funky family wagon and a new coupe are shining lights to buoy Subaru Australia in 2012 after enduring a sales disaster this year. Its managing director, Nick Senior, says the effects of Japan's tsumani in March crippled production of its mainstay Impreza range, pushing back the launch of its important successor model by four months. "The sales figures are ugly," he says. "Impreza makes up 45-50 per cent of sales and that relates to about 1400 a month. We're now doing less than 1000." The effect will slash Subaru Australia's predicted 42,000 total sales this year to around 34,000, Senior says. It recorded about 40,000 in 2010. "The disaster has affected two months of production and probably another month of backlog," he says. "We expected the new Impreza on the market this week. It'll now be March. "But the good news - and there is some good news - is that Australia will be the first market in the world - even beating the home market of Japan for the first time ever - to get a new Subaru model. "I think the XV will become an important volume model and will go a longway to recoup the sales shortfall we're experiencing now." The XV - set to launch here on January 1 - is a cross-over wagon based on the Impreza.Senior says there may be some cannibalisation of Forester sales but sees them attracting different buyers.

The company’s general manager of overseas sales and marketing, Mitsuro Takada, apologises for the delay. “We would like to express our gratitude at offers of assistance from Australia,” he said.“It is a key market for Subaru and the delay in the 2012 Impreza is disappointing.”When it does arrive the Impreza promises more space from the same footprint.The 2012 models now rides on a bigger wheelbase but the overall dimensions are virtually unchanged from the previous cars.The growth in wheelbase has added 50mm to rear seat legroom, along with more space for hips and shoulders, and let the engineers fit bigger doors front and rear to improve getting in and out of the cars.The bigger interiors are wrapped in new soft-touch plastics and a central infotainment systems handles the in-car controls. The 2-litre boxer engine produces 110kW/196Nm and is matched to a continuously variable transmission or six-speed manual. The side mirrors have been moved from the A-pillars to the doors and are nearly 25 per cent bigger.The sedan’s boot arms are now repositioned within the boot interior trim to stop them hitting items when the boot is fully loaded.The final Australian specs have yet to be set, but the US entry level model has power windows, door locks and side mirrors, a 60/40-split/fold rear seat, outside temperature gauge, a multi-function display with fuel economy information, remote keyless entry, security system with engine immobilizer, tilt/telescopic steering wheel, variable intermittent windscreen wipers and a low windscreen washer fluid warning light.Stepping up the range adds alloy wheels, steering wheel-mounted audio and Bluetooth controls and connections for iPods, USB sticks and a 3.5mm audio jack.Subaru expects the 2012 models to be more fuel efficient than the current car but it is yet to undergo ADR fuel consumption testing.

There's nothing like leaving it to the last minute to maintain suspense. From the moment Subaru announced the new Impreza WRX STI last year we've been on the edge of our seats

That their idol has been defiled by marketing executives.