| A Week at the Wheel | Cambs, England | Subaru Impreza GB270 |
Inside & Out:
The GB270 reflects all that is good and bad about the Impreza. It boasts the most lairy rear wing yet fitted to the Impreza's rump combined with the meshed grilles we first saw on the
fantastic RB320. In the bright blue hue of the GB270 it is almost excessively loud visually. This car draws attention to itself just when you don't want it to.
It looks every inch the special stage hoon-mobile, perhaps more so than any previous version, and as such is almost the antithesis of where Subaru is intending to pitch the new car. The interior is standard WRX fare other than the nicely embroidered seats and a special Momo wheel and gearknob.
The interior is, as ever, only okay as a driving environment goes. The wind and tyre noise are noticeably excessive in this Pirelli P-Zero shod car, diminishing refinement significantly and potentially making long distances something of a chore - nothing like as bad as the
Evo FQ-360 though.
Engine & Transmission:
The 2.5-litre flat-four is a really good engine; smooth, gutsy and, thanks to a cheeky exhaust, as throbby as the Impreza should be. If anything it's a little too vocal for our tastes, though tellingly this is more noticeable outside rather than in.
A power figure of 270bhp is always adequate in the Impreza, the linear shove from 3,000rpm upwards - once the turbo is giving its all - is addictive and strong and the willingness to rev is ever present. It entices naughtiness and effortlessly dials up big numbers.
The lack of the Driver Controlled Centre Differential (DCCD) is disappointing, but the omission of the six-speed 'box is actually quite welcome; the five speeder has always felt sweeter shifting than the six and it's not as if there isn't enough grunt to mask the loss of a ratio.
Ride & Handling:
It's here that the missing DCCD really hits home. That adjustable differential allowed the Impreza to truly, once and for all, stand toe-to-toe with the Lancer Evolution as a drivers' car. Particularly noticeable in the dry - when drive could be directed rearwards safely - it endowed the Impreza with turn-in sharper than ever before.
The GB270 handles very well, but never lives up to the levels of the RB320. It's good, but it's not great - it so easily could have been
Equipment, Economy & Value for Money:
Much of the added value in the GB270 is cosmetic and mechanical. The interior is largely standard, as are the equipment levels. The iPod compatible stereo is a little fiddly, but a welcome addition nonetheless.
As a run-out version the GB270 enjoys a raft of extras at a big discount. A limited edition guarantees exclusivity and decent residuals. Enthusiasts will be keen to hunt these cars down in the future and the feel good factor of owning such a sought after car is hard to quantify in pure numbers. Anyone who buys an Impreza for economy is either misguided or masochistic.
Overall:
This generation of the Impreza will really be missed. This car is the last of its type we will see and marks the end of an era in a way. It's a fitting send off for the Impreza, particularly so in tandem with the RB320. It lacks the ultimate dynamic appeal the car perhaps should have had due to the DCCD not being fitted. However, it's still a very capable car and fans will not be disappointed by the package and the value.
Now is the time to snap up an end-of-line STi model and demand a large discount from your dealer. The new model is only around the corner...