While our man on the West Coast, Gary Faules was cavorting at the Monterey Historics this weekend, here in Ontario The Garage was deep in car show land. We helped organize the first annual Subaru show at Willowdale Subaru along with the folks from the Toronto Subaru Club.
With the freaky weather we’ve been having in the GTA this summer, we were lucky to have a bright, sunny day with the exception of a few sprinkles in the afternoon. The sun was more than welcome in the park like setting that we enjoyed courtesy of Toronto Hydro. Not only did the grass and shade trees to keep things cool, but don’t black cars look better in the shade?
The sporting side of the Subaru community was well represented with all manner of street tuned cars and a couple of special guests. Planet Motorsport graciously sent over a couple of full on rally cars to show what the truly hard core enthusiasts have to offer. The 95 Subaru Impreza of Mark Williams is quite a special car, with a very unique history that will be the subject of an upcoming post. It was joined by the Impreza 2.5RS campaigned by MaNick Rally.
With a DJ pumping out tunes, great food, great cars and an enthusiastic crowd. We had all the makings of a great day. Here at Willowdale Subaru, we couldn’t be happier with how the day went and can’t wait until next year’s event.
After the break, we have a huge gallery of the day’s fun. Continue reading →
Friends of The Garage Travis Allison and Andrew Harvey recently spent a day at the edge of a snowy while a handful of rally teams tested their machines for the upcoming season. The resulting combination of photography and video is very cool. The sequence photos are so smooth they look like video.
As I mentioned on the weekend, the 2008 Subaru Impreza WRX STi has finally arrived in stores. I know that many folks are iffy about the switch to a hatchback format, but I think the car looks great. The only complaint I have is the front fenders end too abruptly, looking more like a homebuilt GT-3 car rather than a world class rally car.
It was only a matter of time before the new Subaru WRX STi hit the trails in North America, so it makes sense that Subaru Canada is partnering with Rocket Rally Racing and past champion Pat Richard. Both a show car and the rally car will be built, in an effort to capture the 2008 Canadian Rally Championship.
I just got back from a vary quick blast in a 2008 Subaru WRX STi! On cold, salty roads it’s hard to get too much of a feel of a car. Suffice it to say that the thing is very fast. Autocrossers will like the super short first gear, followed by a slightly longer second. The shift throws are one of the shortest I’ve seen in a production car.
Unfortunately, I don’t have my camera with me today.
After a number of poorly photo shopped pics of the next gen Subaru WRX, finally we get some honest to goodness shots of Scoobie Doo in the raw. The quick shooters over at Autoblog.it got their shutters clicking in the face of the new Subaru flagship. I hate to say it, but the mini wagon looks like a cross between the Mazda3 and the previous Protege5, rather than a world killing rally car. That said, the car in the shots look remarkably close to production. Continue reading →
Mitsubishi’s much anticipated Evo X concept has finally made it to the streets for some real world testing and the sharp eyed Jeremy Kupfer was there to sneak a few shots of the bra wearing test mule.
Arriving in the first quarter of 2008, the Evo looks posed to launch before it’s rival, the Subaru WRX STi, which will not be produced as an 08 model.
Oh No! The upcoming Impreza is what the young folks call FUGLY!
A report by Autocar says that the new Impreza will be released to the public in Subaru’s latest salvo against rival Mitsubishi. The new 5 door hatch, based on the B5 TPH concept will be powered at first by normally aspirated 1.5 or 2.0 liter boxer engines. Continue reading →
A couple of weeks ago, the Canadian rally community celebrated 50 years with a Celebration in Toronto. Past Canadian Rally Champion Randy Black tells us about the event.
A FIFTIETH CELEBRATION OF CANADIAN RALLYING
For those who couldn’t make the Celebration, I offer this synopsis. Enter the foyer of the Double Tree Hotel on Dixon Road near Pearson Airport and there were five rally cars representing five decades of rallying. A MK II Cortina, a 510, Taisto’s ’82 Celica painted as it was campaigned that year, Sprongl’s Audi Quattro and a Subaru Canada WRX grabbed the eye of all who walked through the foyer. Continue reading →
Over at WorldCarFans they’ve scooped this shot of the 2008 Subaru Impreza WRX. That’s right, it’s a hatch! We’ve always been disappointed that they didn’t offer the STi in the wagon format, so it looks like our wishes may have been granted.
