Thứ Bảy, 7 tháng 1, 2017

Subaru Impreza WRC2007 Unveiled! part 1

e6tme 03-02-2007 07:30 AM

Subaru Impreza WRC2007 Unveiled!
from swrt.com:

[quote]
The Subaru World Rally Team has today unveiled the latest evolution of its rally challenger, the Impreza WRC2007, which will make its competitive debut on Rally Mexico (March 9-11) in the hands of Petter Solberg/Phil Mills and Chris Atkinson/Glenn Macneall.

As with previous incarnations of the iconic rally car, the Impreza WRC2007 is the result of a close collaboration between the teams of engineers and designers within Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd and Subaru Tecnica International (STI) in Japan and the Subaru World Rally Team in England.

The creation of the WRC2007 is a sign of Subaru�s ongoing commitment to the World Rally Championship as a way of proving the superior performance, reliability and safety of the Impreza model. Although the latest World Rally Car is outwardly similar to its predecessor, a number of key engineering improvements have justified the production of a new car for the remainder of this season.

Steve Farrell, director of engineering for the Subaru World Rally Team, explains: �The targets were to produce a car that has a more responsive front end with better traction and more balanced tyre wear, particularly on longer stages. To achieve that, we have applied a different philosophy into areas such as weight distribution, suspension geometry and differential set-ups. We also have new dampers to improve road-holding and traction.

�The car also has a different radiator and intercooler pack. We made an evolution in the middle of last season and, with the benefit of the new homologation, we�ve been able to make a further step on that. We have simplified the layout, which has improved the air flow, made the front end of the car easier to service and lost some weight.

�Externally, the differences are relatively subtle. The front bumper has been restyled to suit the new radiator pack and the bonnet vents are different � we have twin side exits on the bonnet this time rather than one central one.�

Richard Taylor, Subaru World Rally Team managing director adds: �Since the latter part of last year we�ve worked very closely with Subaru in Japan to look at certain specific areas of the 2006 car and bring the new version to fruition as quickly as possible. This season we have started to work with BFGoodrich and Mexico will be our first gravel event with its tyres, so we still have a considerable amount of learning to do in that respect.�

As the basis of a rally winning machine, few cars can match the competitive pedigree of the Impreza. First launched in 1992, the road car has developed in tandem with its rallying counterpart and over the last 13 seasons, the Impreza has scored 46 WRC victories and lessons learned on the rally stages have been fed back into the production model.

Like the road-going Impreza, at the heart of the rally car are two key parts of the Subaru philosophy, namely the Horizontally-opposed engine and the trademark Symmetrical AWD (All-Wheel-Drive). Through the work of STI and the Subaru World Rally Team, Subaru has established a two-way feedback process which complements both the road and rally car programmes.

Shigeo Sugaya, manufacturer principal, engineering, for the Subaru World Rally Team, says: �The collaboration between Subaru in Japan and England has worked extremely well to deliver the WRC2007 in a very short timeframe. Last autumn, engineers in Japan and England shared the idea before actual work started on both sides. Then development work was initiated as a joint project between the two teams.

�Our engineers in Japan are responsible for two main areas: the first is designing the bodyshell, including aerodynamics, and the other is improving the power unit. The engine itself contributes to further improving drivability in the middle to low speed range, which worked effectively in the Impreza WRC2006. As with previous designs, the engine is an all-aluminium construction, but the further use of light-weight materials means it is even lighter than before.

�On top of that, we work very closely with the Subaru World Rally Team engineers on specific projects and offer general support as and when it is needed. We also set up smaller groups including engineers from both Japan and England to develop areas such as the suspension or aerodynamics. The groups communicate directly, while my role is to oversee the success of each project. The WRC2007 does not represent a radical change for the team, instead we have made small evolutions in several areas.�

The team has used the WRC2006 for the first three rallies of the 2007 season and has scored points on each outing. In parallel, the new car has been undergoing testing on gravel roads in Italy and Spain. The two Subaru World Rally Team crews will drive the Impreza WRC2007 for Mexico and the subsequent 12 rounds of the WRC.

Today two Subaru Impreza WRC2007s were due to set off from the Subaru World Rally Team�s headquarters in Banbury, England to embark on the 5000-mile trip to Mexico in preparation for their debut in the World Rally Championship.

[/quote]
[img]http://www.swrt.com/img_gallery/508962656.jpg[/img]
[img]http://www.swrt.com/img_gallery/517794822.jpg[/img]
[img]http://www.swrt.com/img_gallery/228509735.jpg[/img]
[img]http://www.swrt.com/img_gallery/737804852.jpg[/img]
[img]http://www.swrt.com/img_gallery/770749074.jpg[/img]
[img]http://www.swrt.com/img_gallery/273186223.jpg[/img]
[img]http://www.swrt.com/img_gallery/252273867.jpg[/img]
[img]http://www.swrt.com/img_gallery/804035643.jpg[/img]
KC 03-02-2007 07:48 AM

Needs more hatchback.
Sir_Xenon 03-02-2007 08:07 AM

The top mount is the air intake it looks like ?
greg donovan 03-02-2007 08:17 AM

i am in love with those front fenders.
John Vanos 03-02-2007 08:29 AM

Ya, it looks like it....interesting that they got rid of the rotated intake, though im not sure if that was in the evolution or a previous one

Look at those wheelarches inside the engine bay and the strut top mounts....mmmmmmmmmm
eclip5e 03-02-2007 10:24 AM

I want to see the radiator position.
STiShawn 03-02-2007 10:32 AM

subaru seems to go back and forth between top mount intakes and the rotated ones seen on the 06...I'd be concerned with water ingestion with it located right under the scoop.
bjorn240 03-02-2007 10:39 AM

At least mounted there, you couldn't hit a log on the outside of a L4- and shove a log through the headlight and into the airbox. :D

- Christian
WRXedUSA 03-02-2007 11:24 AM

[QUOTE=bjorn240;17233843]At least mounted there, you couldn't hit a log on the outside of a L4- and shove a log through the headlight and into the airbox. :D

- Christian[/QUOTE]

Is that what really happened?

Noticed the deleted the roof vane from this car.
bjorn240 03-02-2007 11:29 AM

[QUOTE=WRXedUSA;17234404]Is that what really happened?[/QUOTE]

Yeah, you can't make this sheet up.

- Christian
RaceComp Engineering 03-02-2007 12:20 PM

[QUOTE=greg donovan;17232607]i am in love with those front fenders.[/QUOTE]

Too much wheel gap.....needs to be dropped. 1 finger gap all around. ;)


- Andrew
jruhi4 03-02-2007 01:56 PM

A couple more pictures from Autoblog
[img]http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2007/03/swrt_imprzwrc2007_16.jpg[/img]

[img]http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2007/03/swrt_imprzwrc2007_10.jpg[/img]
WRXPRESS 03-02-2007 02:59 PM

Nice pics thanks..
Boxologist 03-02-2007 03:43 PM

IBLoebwinsit
its gonna be a long season. at least mitsu and Skoda aren't running every rally!
STFU STi 03-02-2007 03:46 PM

[quote=KC;17232484]Needs more hatchback.[/quote]


****!!!!:rolleyes:


um, are those BC coil-overs?? like their new external res design??? :lol: ;)
Chiketkd 03-02-2007 03:59 PM

That strut tower bar is massive!!! :eek: Car looks like a beast on wheels!!! :devil:
boosted_rs 03-02-2007 04:21 PM

[QUOTE=eclip5e;17233675]I want to see the radiator position.[/QUOTE]

+1.

That and the intake set-up. Very curious to see what they came up with.
shikataganai 03-02-2007 04:43 PM

that interior is hot. and probably very hard to damage, too.

:)
sirfrankwilliams 03-02-2007 06:01 PM

[quote=KC;17232484]Needs more hatchback.[/quote]

/thread
meebs 03-02-2007 09:10 PM

The end of an era... farewell big blue beast. :( :( :( :(

[img]http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2007/03/swrt_imprzwrc2007_13.jpg[/img]
Weasel 555 03-02-2007 09:32 PM

nice :D

wonder if the rear bumper will be effected by the heat from the muffler ??
scrwrx 03-02-2007 09:36 PM

drop it! :rolleyes:
XenoWolf 03-02-2007 10:02 PM

Yeah! Run it with 10mm of clearance for Rally Mexico! That'd be awesome!












:rolleyes:
bitterWRX 03-03-2007 12:37 PM

[QUOTE=STiShawn;17233765]subaru seems to go back and forth between top mount intakes and the rotated ones seen on the 06...I'd be concerned with water ingestion with it located right under the scoop.[/QUOTE]

I don't think they have too much to worry about. They probably have the intake flap set up properly on that car. Subaru won't be much of a World Rally team if they can't deal with a simple water ingestion problem. :)
STi-MAN 03-03-2007 12:50 PM

no more optional semi manual transmission level on the inside? i thought it was cool during one of that rallies when the paddle shifters failed and they were just using the stick, to shift up and down.
Fail Wagon 03-03-2007 01:06 PM

how come that they only have 4 lug hubs?
dakwrx 03-03-2007 02:02 PM

video
Wonderful short feature on the new 2007WRC Subaru in the WRC Round 4 Preview of the Mexico Rally shown on Starsports. I just watched the torrent. Seek it out or PM me for info on how to find it........ :D

[IMG]http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b165/evolang/vlcsnap-91210.png[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b165/evolang/vlcsnap-91054.png[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b165/evolang/vlcsnap-90933.png[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b165/evolang/vlcsnap-90312.png[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b165/evolang/vlcsnap-88432.png[/IMG]
Sideshowbob 03-03-2007 02:26 PM

****ing sex. SEX I TELL YOU!
speedyHAM 03-03-2007 03:10 PM

Bah- I was hoping that it was based off the 2008 Impreza.

I like it and all, I hope it is fast enough to keep up with Seb, Gronholm, and Mikko. At rally Norway those three were in a league of their own.
RRR-K2 03-03-2007 03:40 PM

[QUOTE=STi-MAN;17244875]no more optional semi manual transmission level on the inside? i thought it was cool during one of that rallies when the paddle shifters failed and they were just using the stick, to shift up and down.[/QUOTE]
Most, if not all, of the WRC teams use the hand-brake lever as the back-up shift lever now. Only problem is that when you have to use it for shifting you loose the hand-brake function. :(

Happened to someone in '05 in Germany, I believe. They had to do a 3-point turn to get around several of the really tight hairpins and lost something like 30 seconds a stage.

Matt Kennedy
[URL=http://www.RockyRoadRacing.com][U][COLOR=DarkRed]www.RockyRoadRacing.com[/COLOR][/U][/URL]
FujiApples 03-03-2007 04:48 PM

[QUOTE=RRR-K2;17245883]Most, if not all, of the WRC teams use the hand-brake lever as the back-up shift lever now. Only problem is that when you have to use it for shifting you loose the hand-brake function. :(

Happened to someone in '05 in Germany, I believe. They had to do a 3-point turn to get around several of the really tight hairpins and lost something like 30 seconds a stage.

Matt Kennedy
[URL=http://www.RockyRoadRacing.com][U][COLOR=DarkRed]www.RockyRoadRacing.com[/COLOR][/U][/URL][/QUOTE]
Umm... :huh: You might want to think about that one again. Switching one lever from handbrake to gear lever would be one hell of a mechanical system. :lol:

I think you're remembering a car that has 2 of those levers... one is a gear lever thats hydraulicaly activated from the paddle shifters, and the other is the hand break. It does look like they dropped the gear lever. I guess they're confident enough that the hydraulics won't break.
burned 03-03-2007 06:02 PM

You are wrong and the guy before you is right. IT is the same lever you pull a pin and disconect the cylinder for handbrake disconect the switch conest the lever to the linkage leading to the tranny and its done. And that **** at germany happend its not funny driveing hairpins whitout a handbrake.
FujiApples 03-03-2007 08:28 PM

[QUOTE=burned;17246858]You are wrong and the guy before you is right. IT is the same lever you pull a pin and disconect the cylinder for handbrake disconect the switch conest the lever to the linkage leading to the tranny and its done. And that **** at germany happend its not funny driveing hairpins whitout a handbrake.[/QUOTE]
You could be right on that one. I was thinking something more on the fly - that would probably be a lot harder. :)

Even so, I don't recall ever seeing something like that. I've seen the paddle shifters stop working, but I always remember that they would use a sequential gear lever which was separate from the handbrake. I always though it was funny watching the in car shots with that lever flicking around from the hydraulic actuator. :P
Jonnyfilmboy 03-03-2007 08:39 PM

[quote=FujiApples;17246330]Umm... :huh: You might want to think about that one again. Switching one lever from handbrake to gear lever would be one hell of a mechanical system. :lol:

I think you're remembering a car that has 2 of those levers... one is a gear lever thats hydraulicaly activated from the paddle shifters, and the other is the hand break. It does look like they dropped the gear lever. I guess they're confident enough that the hydraulics won't break.[/quote]

:huh: um, no, you are wrong actually.
Jonnyfilmboy 03-03-2007 08:47 PM

[img]http://www.swrt.com/img_gallery/737804852.jpg[/img]

This one is an interesting shot. Monaco last year, didn't Petter lose his brakes and tail into a turn crushing his muffler and drastically reducing power from the engine? I'd think this new setup would help prevent this with the increased departure angle (or approach angle depending on what direction of travel is occuring):). And though it slightly raises the CoG, it also looks like it will reduce the time it takes when changing lower suspension arms on the passenger side.
Crzykdd 03-04-2007 11:59 AM

dakwrx you have PM!

-Jason
meebs 03-04-2007 12:15 PM

[QUOTE=Crzykdd;17251676]dakwrx you have PM!

-Jason[/QUOTE]

you have 2 pm's!! :)
greg donovan 03-04-2007 02:40 PM

[QUOTE=FujiApples;17247902]You could be right on that one. I was thinking something more on the fly - that would probably be a lot harder. :)

Even so, I don't recall ever seeing something like that. I've seen the paddle shifters stop working, but I always remember that they would use a sequential gear lever which was separate from the handbrake. I always though it was funny watching the in car shots with that lever flicking around from the hydraulic actuator. :P[/QUOTE]

it happened to marko martin in germany while he was driving the focus.
FujiApples 03-04-2007 09:21 PM

[QUOTE=greg donovan;17252711]it happened to marko martin in germany while he was driving the focus.[/QUOTE]

Couldn't find anything about Markko, but I guess Francois Duval had that problem in his Ford in Germany 2004. Never knew they had something like that. I guess each car does something different for a backup system. I always though they all used a 2nd lever since it was so noticable on the in-car shots flicking away with the gear changes.

Learn something new every day. :)
davis10 03-04-2007 09:42 PM

The new front fenders remind me of fords car :rolleyes:, seems like they have much more suspension travel. Also looks like they beefed up that gear shift lever too ;)
Misfire521 03-04-2007 10:04 PM

sweet.

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