Ultimate Road Impreza?

[tbtstt]

This is a question I've had for a while - and I appreciate it may divide opinion - but I've seen many comments on various Scoob forums about the preferred Impreza for use on the drag strip, or the best Impreza for use on the track.

I was wondering though, for those of you who have driven Scoobs old and new, if you were going purely for a road car, what would your choice be (i.e. classic, newage etc.) and what would you consider the best engine/power choice for road use?


NB: This isn't intended to start a classic vs. newage squabble.

[Lucky]

I've driven classics, had a 2004 blob 2.0 WRX and now a 2006 2.5 STi. I love the classics as they feel raw, light and nimble. I love the blob as all the power arrives at 4000rpm with a bang but I find as a road car the Sti is great as it has bags of torque so no need to be up and down the gearbox, together with a reasonably good level of comfort without compromising handling etc, so for me, a 2006 onwards STi is a good road car. But then I would say that!

[Anger]

My RA at 340/340 on the VF34 was perfect for the road and didnt really need to worry about anything on it, didnt cost much to get to that power either

[Skullfudge]

Good question.

Like Lucky, I have also driven many Scoobs now (although only owed the P1) and it's really down to personal preferences and driving confidence mate.

I can see what guys like about newage as they feel a lot more refined than classics but if you want something a bit serious for street & track the classic is a more apt starting point.

Street/Strip you wont need coil overs but when you are approaching 450 - 500 Bhp you will need to fork out around 3 grand for reliable drive shafts because after repeated hard launches they WILL end up breaking. The good ones are £ 1200 each. A Syvecs ECU would also prove good as certain mapping elements cater for the strip (flat shifting) etc. Twin plate clutch.


Street / Track Adjustable Coil Overs are essential. Big brakes, and a good race based oil cooler will also be required. Oil Temp / Oil pressure and Boost gauges are a must (if you haven't got them already).


Ideal Bhp for the street? Having had my P1 built in stages from original lump 310 Bhp to RCM lump 400 / 450 / 500 up to current 541 with 500 lbft I have always said 400 - 425 in a classic is bang on and will beat most things when driven hard.

A proven 500+ is perfect driving normally but is too much for the roads when raggin the thing. Many 500+ cars have crashed and nearly all have resulted by avoiding other vehicles.

If you get chance jump in CJ.s or Anger's or other members running big power.
If we ever bump into each other I'll take you out for (hopefully) controlled raggin

[tbtstt]

Cheers for the replies guys.

As I say I'm thinking with purely road use in mind (not considering comfort or anything like that, just the best configuration for a fast road Impreza). I've long thought that something like a stripped Type R or RA would be the best fast road car, but having seen comments from various sites (placing preference on the later newages) I wondered if a sorted Blob/Hawk with a wee bit more power was the better option.

My other question, and again one for those who have driven Subaru old and new, would you say the 2.0L or 2.5L (or one of the intermediates) is the best suited for fast road use?

Originally Posted by Skullfudge

If you get chance jump in CJ.s or Anger's or other members running big power.

Hoping to convince Anger into giving me a passenger ride at some point...

Originally Posted by Skullfudge

If we ever bump into each other I'll take you out for (hopefully) controlled raggin

DEAL!

[C. J.]

All the newages from bug to hawk have the same chassi

[andy-m]

forgetting the newage/classic/BHP arguement for a sec, as i've only driven classics, I would say a wagon is better than a saloon, purely cuz people dont expect a wagon to be as quick as a saloon.
Its more embarrasing for a pr1ck in a BMW/Audi when he tries to beat a wagon off the lights n fails than if he tried the same thing against a saloon n failed.
The wagon puts more of a smile on my face than my old saloon ever did

[Scooby Roo]

2011 Sti. Great torque briiliant drive and so compliant.

Real complaints are fairly superficial like cr@p plastics, connectivity to the sat nav/stereo, lack of gadgets compared to the likes of the EVO and even the Golf GTi [specially for the dough you pay]

Not started modding yet but I guess that we are talking out of the box.

Cosworth would be mental

Roo

[tbtstt]

Originally Posted by Scooby Roo

Not started modding yet but I guess that we are talking out of the box.

My original question was aimed at a modded car not a standard one.

Perhaps I'm not explaining myself that well: I'd like to know what people think would be the best pure, fast road Impreza. So discontinuing comfort, day-to-day practicality and everything else other than being as fast point-to-point on the road as possible. What chassis would do that job best, and what powerplant would you have in the car.

[Skullfudge]

P1 (1290 Kg's) / Coil Overs (40 setting per corner) / 6 Speed / 400 - 500 Bhp 6 Pot Brakes.

Driving from A to B very few Scoobs will live with it.
On track very few Scoobs will beat it.
Good power to weight ratios will always win.

It's obvious I would say the above because I have one but so far (5 yrs) no other road legal Scoob has matched the performance, and I've driven several Scoobs up to 725 Bhp.

I can only comment on my experience, but it does suggest the above.

[tbtstt]

I'll be honest and say I've never driven a big BHP car on the road. Considering road use only is 500 BHP with a big turbo not a bit of a handful on the road, or is it manageable?

For just road use, is a smaller (faster spooling) turbo and less BHP (that you can make full use of) better, or can you comfortably use all the power of a track-orientated 500 BHP car on the road?

[Anger]

I use most of mine on the road... Just ask the biker on the way to Rykers a minute ago

[C. J.]

Use mine on the road and spools as quick as a standard sti
As for weight mine weighs less than clive's
Earlier in the year talking to Andy f about chassis he said hide rather have ten accidents in a newage to one in a classic

[Skullfudge]

Perfectly drivable on the roads. It will only go as fast as you drive it

CJ what the weight of your car mate?
You must of stripped a fair bit out?
Andy F is correct. Newage would be much safer in an off.



CJ , Anger we shall have to book up Brands one evening. Will be interesting seeing how the three compare over s one lap distance.

[Skullfudge]

CJ what fuel was you using to achieve your bhp figures chap? and what fuel / estimated bhp are you running on the roads?

[C. J.]

Tesco 99 =554bhp/515lbs
Tesco 99 +15%meth =603bhp/585lbs
As for brands mike l would blow us all away and his there end of October but I'm unable to get there for that day
Yes I have taken afew things out that aren't needed and have more to remove .
Some have been put back on for road use like standard seats and crash u bar

[C. J.]

Ps use both fuels

[Skullfudge]

Cool, .. nice results.

I know!, Mikes car is seriously quick. I watched him at CC and nothing came near it lol .......

[C. J.]

Cheers
May not have the car for much longer

[DukeBoy]

Originally Posted by C. J.

May not have the car for much longer

Think positive!!!

[Ginola]

Originally Posted by C. J.

All the newages from bug to hawk have the same chassi

arnt the later blobs and hawks slightly longer and wider ? from 05 blob on ?

[C. J.]

Originally Posted by Ginola

arnt the later blobs and hawks slightly longer and wider ? from 05 blob on ?

Yes but chassi the same

[Anger]

Hope you dont have to get rid of your car after all the effort you have put into it Chris

[Skullfudge]

Why CJ ?

[C. J.]

Tax man

Originally Posted by Anger

Hope you dont have to get rid of your car after all the effort you have put into it Chris

Agreed!

I would imagine and hope it would only go as a last resort Chris? Like James said, a lot of time and effort has gone into it!

Originally Posted by C. J.

Tax man

That horrible bastard!

Is this personal tax? Or corporation tax? Both if them are really good if you call them and will go out if their way to help you! After all, they want their money, so any attempt to sort out a payment plan is looked upon favourably

Keep the faith mate

[C. J.]

If it goes it will be a sh@t as it's now finished and just wanted to use it more .
If it does I will be doing a bike powered project next

[C. J.]

Personal tax
It may be a knee jerk on behalf after the last time cost me £27k on me mortgage and not doing that again ,so will sell what ever is needed !

[Moley_WRX]

Standard car then probably a P1.

Modified? Who knows. Most are modified for personal taste, so depends on the owner.
Not much help i know!!!

[Hongkongfooi]

Originally Posted by C. J.

If it goes it will be a sh@t as it's now finished and just wanted to use it more .
If it does I will be doing a bike powered project next

Hope you don't have to sell but break it so I can have some bits from it!

[tbtstt]

I guess the driver is a very relevant factor. A decent driver could safely use 500 BHP on the road, where as an average driver *raises hand* could take to the road with the same power and throw the car at a tree on the first corner.

Sorry to hear you might be forced to sell CJ.

[C. J.]

Originally Posted by Hongkongfooi

Hope you don't have to sell but break it so I can have some bits from it!

That's the only way it's getting sold

[simonairheadz]

your accountant wants shooting if you got that far behind on your tax chris!how?

I hope you get it all sorted Chris

Right, back on topic! I agree totally with the comment that an awful lot is down to driver ability. I hark back to it quite a bit, but some people on here will remember this! There was a Toyota starlet at japfest several years ago that went out with the supras & skylines including some massive hp cars! This starlet wiped the floor with them, yes it was a very sorted car but it was 20 seconds a lap quicker at castle coombe than all that hp!

[simonairheadz]

did brands in a 190bhp caterham seven with amazing brakes!driver was of a very high standard and nothing touched him,EVER!!was a wake up call for those that thought they had fast cars and good skills!all in a car that at the time was for sale at around £14,000

[SpecB]

Personally I love the 2.5 for road use over the 2.0 anyday as the low down pull is so much nicer for the road - track ok 2.0/1/35 would be my choice.

A good 2.5 with 450/450 would be my choice and I prefer the refinement of the newages - ideally if buying again a widetrack blob/hawk.

Originally Posted by simonairheadz

did brands in a 190bhp caterham seven with amazing brakes!driver was of a very high standard and nothing touched him,EVER!!was a wake up call for those that thought they had fast cars and good skills!all in a car that at the time was for sale at around £14,000

On a very similar note, there is a video of a megane going round the ring (in the ring zone somewhere I think) that goes round the ring in a very good time, while talking you through the track, he gets overtaken by all kinds of stuff on the straights but catches it all up again through the corners, and this was an out if the box megane cup, with 888's, nothing more than that!

I do agree with nick about the 2.5 and those 450/450 numbers! That IMHO sounds pretty sorted!

[Justin]

Good question, OP

Never driven a newage, but I have come to learn that 300HP/ton is all you need for the road, so IMO best road Impreza is

Classic STI with aircon
2.5 conversion
Billet 20G or 321H
UK 6 speed conversion for motorway and reliability
A quiet exhaust
Coilovers with 4kg front, 3kg rear
22mm ARB front, 24mm rear
STD 4 pots will be fine with decent 2 piece discs and decent pads / braideds lines/ fluid, I would go for pagid blues.

Job done

[tbtstt]

Cheers for all the replies chaps.

Definately plenty of info for consideration, a 2.5 in a classic seems to be a potent combination for a B road blast.