[Buwu Garage] As fast as the wind, the "Motto" Subaru Impreza WRX GC/GF on the track.
In the autumn of 1990, with the splendid opening of the "Osaka Flower Expo" (EXPO` 90) and the grand enthronement ceremony of Emperor Akihito at the Tokyo Imperial Palace, a new era of "Heisei" officially came...
At about the same time, the yen kept appreciating, the low interest rate policy induced the flourishing of the speculative industry, and the Nikkei stock price index climbed to a historical peak of 38,957.44 points. With its abundant funds, "Mitsubishi Estate" made a big move overseas. Real estate has also purchased 14 skyscrapers in the "Rockefeller Center" in New York, USA at a domineering price. At this moment, the slogans of "Eastern Mythology" and "Japan No. 1" have become the world's financial and economic Newspapers are concerned about the topic!
Although it is said that behind the rapid economic growth, there is a shadow of "bubble", but it cannot be denied that for the automobile manufacturing industry or import agents, the "Japanese money" (Japan money) supported by speculation Money), its strong purchasing power has not only made Japan's domestic ultra-high-priced car market a boom , Ferrari (Ferrari, Rolls-Royce) are so hot that there are no cars to sell, from land development or the stock market. The injection of large sums of money has also made various Japanese carmakers more courageous to actively invest in the improvement and testing of new technologies, especially the continuous strengthening of components surrounding the engine body such as the "turbocharger system". It has reached an unprecedented peak and demonstrated its strength on various tracks, proving that the "MADE IN JAPAN" under the skillful hands of the Toyo Samurai is not only at the level of "Mt. The "Mount Everest"!
The "L20ET" inline 6-cylinder turbocharged engine in the Cedric 430 series of RVs in charge of "Nissan" is the origin of the Japanese-made turbo production car. After ten years of continuous research and development and improvement, the first-tier European brands are the priority. Under the premise of the imaginary enemy, in the 1990s, whether the Japanese turbine was in the mainstream manufacturers such as "marketing Toyota, technical Nissan" (technical Nissan, sales のトヨタ), and even the main performance-oriented " Mitsubishi or Subaru, etc., have achieved fruitful results, and engineers of each brand have completed models such as "3S-GTE", "4G63" or "EJ20" The century turbine.
As recorded in Sun Tzu's "Army of War": "It is as fast as the wind, as quiet as a forest, invaded as a fire, motionless as a mountain, difficult to know as a shadow, and moved as a thunderstorm." , as if after the "Yingren Rebellion" in the past, the generals who rose in the "Warring States Period" were reborn, taking the brand as a "family crest" and the engine as a "weapon", and waving it in the fluttering of the "Fenglin Volcano" battle flag. In the middle, like a gust of wind, like a raging fire, ready to wait for the opportunity with a thunderous posture, the ultimate goal is only one... to dominate the world!
The first chapter of "Fenglin Volcano":
As fast as the wind, the "Motto" Subaru Impreza WRX GC/GF on the track
Published in November 1992, the first-generation Subaru Impreza GC/GF, named after the English "Proverb" (Impresa) , was a global strategic vehicle that Subaru executives had high hopes for the brand to further expand the market. Some Legacy mid-sized sports cars are based on the development. The length of the body is reduced by 20 cm, the wheelbase is shortened by 6 cm, and the weight of the body is reduced by up to 80 kg. It is equipped with the same design structure as the famous German sports car manufacturer "Porsche". The "boxer engine" with better maneuverability creates an unprecedented driving experience with a high sense of road stability.
As the flagship of the car series, it inherits the Legacy RS of the "World Cross Country Rally Championship" (WRC), and is more intended to fight against the respectable rival Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution I's Impreza WRX sports model. The original factory is generously transplanted on the track. The famous "EJ20" four-cylinder single-turbocharged engine is reconfigured with a symmetrical 4WD full-time four-wheel drive chassis system. The body structure is also deliberately strengthened, and the front suspension lower arm components are specially forged with aluminum alloy. The replacement, through the aggressive and high-profile aerodynamic kit, the pure five-speed MT manual transmission and the triple blessing of 240 maximum horsepower, immediately set off a whirlwind of Impreza WRX in Japan...
Just as the swords of the generals in the Warring States Period fought bravely against the enemy on the battlefield, the more they fought, the more courageous they became, and the famous swords such as "Miaofa Muramasa" and "Taidian Taiguangshi" were produced. In January 1994, Subaru launched the Impreza WRX The original factory refitted and upgraded version, that is , the high-performance Subaru Impreza WRX STi by the "SUBARU TECNICA INTERNATIONAL" racing department!
The forged piston connecting rod is introduced into the turbine engine, and with the addition of lightweight special pull rods, the horsepower value is adjusted to 250 horsepower, the torque value is 31.5 kg m, and the acceleration time of 0-100 km/h is 6.6 seconds. It's more sporty and sporty, but the factory is limited to 100 units per month, ahem .
Nine months later, an extreme "Spartan" version oriented towards the race, the Impreza WRX RA STi makes its grand debut! The turbo horsepower setting has been revised up to 270 hp, and the exterior and interior have been further replaced with genuine racing kits. Subaru’s exclusive “driver-controllable electronic central differential system” (DCCD) is also equipped, and the audio and unnecessary equipment such as air conditioners to reduce vehicle weight,
Want to buy it? Sorry, the RA version is not open for sale to general consumers, only for team purchases and modifications!
In 1995, following the previous season's loss to Toyota in both the team's and driver's annual standings, and after swallowing the title of WRC "Uncrowned King", the "Impreza 555" car with Impreza WRX STi as the skeleton of the competition finally won the With the powerful turbo power and four-wheel drive system, and the help of legendary drivers Colin McRae and Carlos Sainz, he won five championships and three runners-up in eight races, not only for the "555 Subaru World Rally Team" The factory team won the overall championship of the annual team, and arrogantly ranked the top two in the driver's list , and let the world really see Subaru's superb achievements! accomplished too! In order to celebrate the major victory of winning the double crown, at the beginning of the following year, Subaru produced a limited number of 1,000 "V-Limited" special cars, supplemented by the Impreza 555 factory car livery.
Don't think that Subaru's popularity is just a flash in the pan. In the two seasons of 1996 and 1997, the Impreza WRX Sti won the podium 8 times and 11 times respectively. The annual team championship, created the WRC three consecutive hegemony!
Of course, Impreza's reputation for dominating the rally has also spread in Taiwan, Taiwan. With the announcement of "Daqing Automobile" to assemble a new car in Taiwan, after the gasoline turbocharged engine entered the localization process for the first time , the price was about NT$900,000 ( The price of the five-door station wagon is 910,000), and you can start with the WRC championship blessing, the 218-horsepower WRX (both European and Taiwan specifications are named GT) four-door models, which can be said to have set off a new generation among young people. The hot-blooded domestic turbo wave, coupled with the Japanese original factory's further authorization to export Taiwan-made cars to Finland, Chile and other countries, has also made Impreza an out-and-out "In-Pi- Sa”…
Yes! "Skin Shark" Road Myth! The crazy legend of National Highway No. 1 going straight up to 200 km/h!
But for all "shark fans", the greatest of the 1990s and the most classic "hard-skinned shark" in the history of Subaru, was published in March 1998, with a limited production of 400 units to celebrate the WRC team three Lianba, a road version of the Impreza 22B STI that is mainly sold in the Japanese market.
Under the conception of the design team, the 22B reproduces the WRC factory car that returned from triumph almost in its original form, such as the exaggerated wheel arches (the width of the car is increased by 8 cm), and the adjustable super-large rear spoiler. Aluminum alloy lightweight hood, 17-inch BBS forged alloy wheels, Bilstein original drop-in shock absorber assembly, and exclusive racing blue paint are all put on, and the "pure two-door/Coupe" setting is added. , That's right, the coupe specification with only two doors, the factory car is 100% restored and eye-catching!
In addition, the technicians also expanded the original 1,994cc displacement on the top of the "EJ20G" to 2,212cc, renamed the "EJ22G" model, and used hand-forged pistons carefully crafted by master craftsmen, and matched with IHI balls Bearing turbocharger, although the horsepower value is also maintained at the unwritten upper limit of 280 horsepower for Japanese cars at that time, but the torque value has soared to 37.0 kg/m in one go, especially the torque increase at low speed is improved. The original "EJ20G" itself has the problem of "turbo lag", the torque value output plateau can be pulled all the way from 3200 rpm to the red line area of about 7900 rpm, and then through the full-time four-wheel drive, competitive version clutch, five-speed With the help of "intra-abdominal" materials such as manual transmission, carbon fiber engine room tie rods and aluminum alloy chassis reinforcement kits, the acceleration time of 0-100 km/h is shortened to 5.3 seconds, and the maximum safety and top speed quietly break through the domestic production in Japan. The "chicken rib" obstacle of the car's 180 km/h has directly reached 248 km/h, which is on an equal footing with the European purebred sports car!
With an exclusive and unique "GC8E2SD" body identification code, the suggested price of 5 million yen for the Impreza 22B STI is higher than the price band of the same class of cars, and even surpasses the Toyota CROWN "MAJESTA", the luxury RV indicator in the market. The market of the top model, even if the purchase threshold is high, does not affect the desire of Japanese "shark fans" to collect excellent products. ), turned the enthusiasm into practical actions, and quickly removed the Impreza 22B STI from the shelves, and it was sold out!
Guests please applaud and encourage!
end:
Since it is the first article of the "Fenglin Volcano" series, it means that there will be sequels (second, third, fourth?) , haha, friends, please look forward to the second article.
Image source, together with thanks to:
https://m.xuite.net/blog/twlkk001/twblog/143742373
https://www.cnet.com/roadshow/news/subaru-impreza-22b-sti-detroit-auto-show/
https://www.autocar.co.nz/1998-subaru-impreza-wrx-sti-22b/
https://www.car-engineer.com/review-the-subaru-ej20-engine-sti-wrx-comparison/
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