Subaru’s new Impreza WRC car will be shown at the Frankfurt auto show in September, and it hints at the possible design of the new Impreza WRX STI road car that will debut at the Tokyo show in October. But the team’s star driver, Petter Solberg, might never race it. The former world champion—a Subaru driver for the last seven years—signed a three-year contract extension last year, but the beleaguered Subaru team has not met a number of performance clauses, potentially leaving him as a free agent. Solberg was dismayed by news that the new Impreza will not be introduced until the WRC visits Finland in the middle of next year, rather than at the start of the season as originally anticipated. If Solberg leaves Subaru, it could be for multiple-world-champion team Citroën alongside Sebastien Loeb. If that happens, rumors say Subaru might try to take Jari-Matti Latvala from the Stobart Ford team. However, Ford sources say Latvala will remain a Stobart driver next season before moving up to the full BP factory team in 2009.

Also in other news, Mitsubishi will not return to the WRC with a new car. The manufacturer’s decision brings an end to one of the most successful stories the series has ever known, with Tommi Makinen clinching a still-unbroken record of four straight titles from 1996 to 1999.Mitsubishi was part of the WRC when the series began in 1973, then unexpectedly withdrew at the end of 2005. The break was meant to be a sabbatical while parent DaimlerChrysler sorted out its finances, with a return slated for 2009. But now, company bosses have told the rally team that the withdrawal will be permanent. So far, there has been no official statement.
Since Mitsubishi pulled out of the WRC in a factory capacity, the British-based rally team has entered customer cars occasionally on a privateer basis. Officials from the team hope that some sort of rally activity can be salvaged and are negotiating with senior management in Tokyo.




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front end makes me a little sea sick , to many waves

pretty decent looking

Looks alot better than the standard one!! The flared fenders def do magic for the car. I look forward to seeing the new wrx's race in rally racing!

The STI one will probably be fast as sh_t when it arrives, I need to look up the weight of the new ones I assume they are alot lighter!

they just needed to drop the front flares down to the bottom , and make the line under the lights flat

To add to your post G.T. This isn't the WRC car but the new 09 WRX STI testing at the Nuburgring in Germany. You can notice the flared fenders inspired by this WRC car here

2009 WRX STI TESTING

Mmmm... Yessir, that right there... is pure sex on wheels.




-John

Hey look! the front end matches the rest of the car now! lol....




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flared fenders FTW!!!!

that's a much improved appearance. Although i'm not sure how i feel about how abrupt that front flare ends and the "slapped on look" it has.






2007 Corvette Z51 | Suzuki Swift GTi SCCA racer | 2008 Edge