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Show r WWt 9 9 9 f WeaYThursFri. April 7-9, 2004 The Park Record C-17 TgTll J f "tgrj .;r: Vsubar u WRX ' " v i m v 7 Good News. You've got more time to save big on that All-Wheel Dive Subaru you've been wanting, from now through March 1 , get 1 .9 APR financing for up to 63 months or 0.0 APR financing for up to 24 months. Plus Dealer Discounts up to $3500 on select models or Lease for $235. 00 per month. $2500 due at signing. Plus Tax, Lie & Lease up Front Fees, 42 Month Lease. Not valid with any other offers. dam b Cflsto SQ38 cr3TlriTiYf.ii 2004 Outback UPT0 $1,500 IN CUSTOMER CASH 10 OFF 10 OFF Any Parts of Accessories! Up to $750 in Service Vouchors with Any Subaru Model Purchase! Not valid with any other offers. By MALCOLM GUNN WHEELBASE COMMUNICATIONS If you want to leam just how capable Subaru's WRX STi really is, ask any kid. That's right, many have logged countless hours honing their driving skills behind the w heel. OK, just how is that possible? It so happens that the hottest rally car on the planet plan-et is also featured in some of the hottest arcade and home-edition video games on the planet. Now it's time to put down the controller and pick up the keys. Subaru has seen fit to release a street version of the STi to anyone patient enough (and with deep enough pockets) to join an already lengthy line for its newest flagship Impreza model. Yes, gamers, the real deal is ready for you. In North America, Subaru promotes pro-motes itself as king of the international interna-tional World Rally Championship circuit, a unique niche that also neatly ties in with its role as the sole provider of all-wheel-drive only vehicles. The STi (the name stands for Subaru Tecnica International, the company's motorsports division) is an offshoot of the Impreza WRX, a fast-acting sports machine with slightly tamer, but still potent road manners. Buoyed with the WRX's success and aware that rival Mitsubishi was planning to introduce its Lancer-derived Lancer-derived Evolution rally car to our shores, Subaru decided to act quickly quick-ly and bring out its big dog. From all angles, the Sn appears every bit the serious competition-bred competition-bred car with its oversized hood scoop, ground-effects kit and giant rear wing. I Iowever, unlike your C Any Service! A" a ....rmm- "' ""' o aQ8 QMte (SBg 2004 WRX sn Four-door, ai-wheeWrive compact sedan The STi is a barely civilized version of Subaru's all-out competition car and is designed with few compromises for diehard die-hard performance buffs. 2.5-lrier DOHC horizontally opposed four-cylinder four-cylinder engine, producing 300 horsepower. horse-power. Six-speed manual transmission. The North American-only STi is simply one of the fastest production sedans on the road. With its highly visible hardware, STi drivers driv-ers will be instantly recognizable by players play-ers of video games as well as followers of the world rally scene. MPG: NA Base price: $31,000 typical tuner-grade tack-ons, these items are fully functioning accessories. acces-sories. The hood opening'helps move fresh air to the intercooler while the spoiler and ground effects work to keep the car glued to the road. A lowered suspension also hell's the car stay in regular contact w ith the pavement. Pavement? Isn't this a rally car? Call it a rally car for the street. Subaru makes it abundantly clear that smooth surfaces, and not washed-out back roads, are where the STi belongs. The underlying hint is that your dental work" will shake free if you attempt to hot-dog it over gravel-covered and pot-hole-infestcd trails. Continuing with the race -air theme, heavily bolstered front seats with integrated head restraints are designed to keep you in your place ffl&MrQD ALL - 2004 Impreza WRX $259 mo 42 Month Lease $1909 Due at Signing. Plus Tax, Lie, Up Front Lease Fees 12k and the clean and straightforward dash layout should keep you focused on the road ahead. Keeping weight to a minimum is important on any performance car. The STi uses thin rear glass, aluminum alu-minum suspension components and special 17-mch forged-alloy BBS-brand BBS-brand w heels to achieve its'svell, but not light, 3,250-pound mass. With 300 horsepower and 300 lb.-ft. of torque emanating from its 2.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine, the four-door STi is designed to leave just about everything every-thing else in its wake. Bv contrast, the rose WRX delivers 227 horses and 217 lb.-ft. of torque from its smaller 2.0-liter turbo engine. The STi's engine includes variable valve timing, the first such application in any Subaru. Shifting the STi's six-speed manual transmission (don t even think of asking for an automatic) will blast you from a standstill to 60 m.p.h. in a claimed 4.8 seconds. The quarter mile, still the acceleration accelera-tion benchmark, arrives in just 13.2 seconds with the STi whizzing by at 103 mph. Times are comparable to the competing Mitsubishi Evolution. To haul down the STi from such a torrid pace, large diameter Brembo-brand disc brakes are standard stan-dard issue. The STi's all-wheel drive system lets the driver dial in six different front- rear-w heel torque distribution settings. It can also be left in automatic auto-matic mode, allowing the computer to determine, based on surface conditions, con-ditions, w here the pow er should go. At a fully loaded list price of $31,000, the STi is considerably more expensive that its video-game counterpart. But for those who want to get oil" the couch mid experience some real thrills, driving this swiftest of Subarus is the only way to play. WHEEL DRIVE AlVA |
