Review: 2008 Subaru Impreza WRX STi

Okay, it's been a while since I posted an update, but I have a really good reason - my head has been sore.

It all happened two weeks ago at roughly 3am. My girlfriend was feeling rather ill, and as most women seem to do in that situation, request a hot water bottle. Honestly speaking, if men could be cured of all their illnesses by just applying direct heat to their stomachs, doctors would most likely be out of business, and Hugh Laurie's acting career would possibly be inexistent.

The hot water bottle is located in our laundry, which is so small that there is basically just enough room for the door to open, and perhaps a very tiny person. To illustrate further, there is a rubber doorstop behind said very-small door which has a habit of not just keeping the door from hitting the wall, but at times when I am in a hurry, half-closing the door behind me.

So you understand the situation, the environment and the logistics of the matter and to very quickly to sum it up the story, I ran in half off my head with my eyes partially closed at 3am in the morning, the door half closed without my knowing, and i turned to run out (still not knowing the door was half closed) and ran into it headfirst, very hard.

Somehow this knock to the head seemed to bring good luck (did I mention it hurt like hell?) and as a result, I managed to land another big lot of IT work that i'd been hanging out for. Oh sorry, the important bit. I have probably never felt pain like this before, it wasn't even that sharp a pain, one of those dull, drawn-out kind of pains which pretty much resulted in my girlfriend being instantly revived and running to my aid with a very large ice pack.

It pretty much felt like I had been hit in the head with a baseball bat, which coincidentally is one of the largest sports in Japan. Luckily for me, the following week I not only managed to have my headache go away, but I had the fortune of testing a brand-new car that also came from Japan - the 2008 WRX STi.

Okay okay, so perhaps the shape isn't what everyone was expecting, but I want everyone who has only seen the car in photos to do themselves a huge favor and get off their butts, and go see this car in the showroom. It is really important that you see this car in the flesh and in a color that doesn't look arse - it looks quite good. I'm really sick of these commentaries about the shape of the car. This whole movement happened when we saw 'ol bug eyes' first rear it's ugly head back in early 2000 and guess what? Everyone accepted bug eyes, and as usual with most WRX models, looks fade quickly, and the performance capabilities are all anyone cares about. Right? Right?

Another area where this car has vastly improved compared to it's predecessors is the interior ergonomics, comfort, and general quality. I was able to sample the top-of-the-line Spec R. which boasts comfortable, leather Recaro bucket seats, and also the lightweight 18-inch alloy wheels. Both which I would highly recommend for the comfort and performance/visual gains, respectively. Honestly speaking though, I don't actually remember what the inside of the car looked like, I don't even remember looking at the gauges because I was just having too much fun.

Critics who were casting out the STi and worrying that it would go soft have been duly silenced. The suspension and ride may be softer, but the heart and soul of this car are definitely not. Whether wet or dry, the STi sticks to corners like glue, and the steering definitely communicates a sense of feel to the driver. A great feature of the 6-speed gearbox is that it has a short shifter, which definitely is something that adds a large amount of fun and character to the car. The changeable SI-Drive and Diff modes are kind-of cool, but in the same tune, kind-of unnecessary as well. To give credit to it, you can notice the difference when the power is upped and the traction control is lessened.

Here in Australia (as with just about anywhere outside of Japan) we receive the more-torquey 2.5-liter version of the engine. Developing roughly 305hp, the STi is no slouch in a straight line, going from 0-100km/h in roughly 5.2 seconds (though the sales rep reckons they have got it below 5.0). One thing I do like about this engine over the Evo's is that if you're a sound freak, the audio soundtrack of this engine delivers a much more satisfactory burble, rather than a raspy, silent dialogue. It also pulls quite well, with shifts at roughly 5700rpm seeming to be the best point for maximum power. In stock form, it's power will surprise you greatly, even if you do own one of many modified Subies'.

There are some minor issues I wish to point out about this car. Firstly, with all this extra 'European' being put into the STi, it's not necessarily the cheapest car on the road. For the Spec R in Australia, you're looking at roughly 71k to put the car on the road, which is a bargain considering the ridiculous performance you get for the price, but to the true bargain car hunter here locally, you still may find many turning to Ford Turbos or Holden V8's for performance bargains. It is a little more expensive than previous-gen STi's.

The second issue is that no matter how much you or I love the look of the new car, it's still one of those cars which people won't immediately love, it's one of those cars which people will always have to have a very good think and consideration before they say 'i like it'. Then of course you are the subject of the usual police questioning and tailgating as a result of just having an 'STi' badge, which can be annoying. Track freaks will also be a bit disappointed that we don't receive the 2.0-liter engine from Japan which revs to 8k.

You have to really be a Subaru lover to appreciate the looks, and of course you have to be willing to commit to the slightly higher financial requirements for this model. The advantages are that you have a fast, comfortable, fun, and practical hatch (I may have forgotten to mention it has four doors and enough room for a giant to sit in the front and back) that you can throw around the corners in the morning on the way to work, but on the way home, you can sit back and relax in leather comfort as you cruise home.

The new STI has traded in it's t-shirt and tracksuit pants for a Polo shirt and a nice pair of jeans. Luckily it hasn't donned a suit and tie - yet.

My head still hurts, I think it's time for some more Panadol.

Pics shamelessly ripped from Flickr users: Fkrisz and Zek.
Thanks to Subaru Interactive @ Docklands for the drives.

Review: 2008 Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG

My first I.T. job after graduation was a small and unassuming printing company who's name is spared to protect the innocent. This company was the kind of small operation where everyone in the office is like family, everyone likes to have a laugh, and it's all one big, gooey, incestuously-oriented, creamy pile of warmth and love .

Sometimes I like to think that humanity is capable of many feats of greatness, perhaps an ideal that we can all live and work in harmony together - occasionally making friendships that are long lasting and influential on our lives. On the flip side, you could run in to a pack of complete bastards, be traumatised for a brief period in time, and then tell them where to shove it whilst losing faith in humanity permanently.

My car at the time was a 1993 Saab 900s that had just been taken in because once again I was not only was suffering back problems from a wonky seat that was literally causing me to see a chiropractor, but also transmission problems which meant that every time i put my right foot down, gear changes through the automatic gearbox would come in at a respectable 5000 rpm minimum. So what did I do? I borrowed mum's car of course.

I was very naive for not considering the fact that a bunch of people of average age 40+ working at a small business would be extremely jealous and paranoid that a barely-20-something was somehow driving not only a newer car than they were, but one with a 'more prestigious' badge. I guess at the time I had a different view of people, and my foresight versus my life experiences was not quite up-to-date.

From that point on things slowly went downhill. People started barely talking to me and giving me funny looks when i said 'hi' and then, when they did muster up the 'courage' to talk to me they would ask me questions like 'how much is that car worth' and 'are you a rich kid?' They gave me the kind of attitude that your dog deserves when its just been into your bin and sprawled rubbish everywhere. Needless to say, I quit the job about 2 weeks later when i'd rather quickly cottoned on to the fact that they didn't like me for quite shallow and pathetic reasons.

Why? What possible reason could honest, small-business-minded people have to completely change their disposition and attitude to someone they barely even know. How can one badge cause instant alienation from co-workers and colleagues?

It's simple really - I drove to work in a Mercedes-Benz.

That Mercedes-Benz was a base model, 2005 C200 Kompressor. I bet the people at that office would eat their pencil shavings if that made them jealous in comparison to what I had the privlege of driving recently - the brand new C63 AMG.

You have to admit that compared to the previous-gen C55, the C63 has a much tougher and outspoken exterior than it's predecessor. My biggest beef with the C55 was that it looked too much like a normal C class to really be any different to the untrained eye. The new C63 has a big, toothy grin on it's front grille, complimented by a much lower, wider stance. The AMG bodykit at the front, sides and back of the car also help to add a little more shape to a C-class design which I wasn't a huge fan of when I first saw generic C-Class models for 2008. The car looks great in both 18" five-spoke, or 19" turbine-style rims.

I'm going to save the over-elaborate journalism. Drive this car, and you'll agree it's one of the most stupidly fun and addictive cars Mercedes-Benz has ever come out with. I have had the opportunity to drive many different types and models of Mercedes over the years, but I was yet to find one that I would call the 'complete' overall package for it's class like the C63 delivers.

One massive problem I have always had with Mercedes is that their transmissions can tend to feel on the indecisive and unresponsive side, likewise with the accelerator feel. It's always on or off, that seems to be the common mold of most that I have driven. Even with the introduction of their 7G-Tronic, you will still notice in many of the more common Mercedes-Benz around that it still delivers this twitchy and unpredictably annoying feel to the car.

The C63 is precise and smooth, happily accepting as much (or as little) throttle as you want to give it. The overhauled 7G-Tronic Plus has really done a fantastic job of giving this car a new feel that no other AMG or Mercedes has possessed before . That's also because it gives you flappy paddles for a more 'natural' feel to the car, one of the first Mercedes with an automatic gearbox to give you a chance of actually dictating when to change gears.

This is also the lightest-feeling Merc I have driven yet. It's so composed and controlled around corners you'll still wonder if it's really a four-door Mercedes saloon that you're driving. Of course, if you switch off the traction control, make sure you're loaded up on caffeine and that you have signed your will previously. Did I mention it sounds like an unchained animal and that every squirt of the accelerator will leave you grinning like the Cheshire Cat?

Along with the much-needed performance and design upgrades, the inside of the Benz has been upped in the quality department as well. The seats are comfortable and swathed in generous amounts of leather and stitching. Being someone who isn't on the small side, there is more than enough room for a driver, just don't expect the passenger behind you to have a massive amount of legroom.

The driver's seat and the steering wheel feel fantastic, as do the ergonomics of the accelerator pedals. The C63 comes standard with bucket-style leather sports seats with inbuilt headrest as well as full side and lumbar support, not too dissimilar to that of the V8 Vantage that I drove last year. The satnav is placed intelligently and folds back without fuss, and all switchgear, door panels and materials in general are some of the best i've seen Mercedes provide in years. Oh and the start button is a treat too.

Just about everything in this car is standard. That's right, you get satnav, sunroof, full-leather interior, leather bucket-style seats, 18" alloy wheels, bi-xenon headlights, adaptive cornering headlight function, AMG sports wheel, AMG sports suspension, AMG bodykit, AMG quad-exhaust system, AMG shaving cream - you get the idea. The only options that seem to exist at the moment in Australia are the keyless entry and button starter package (highly recommended if you're terrible at finding your keys in pockets or bags) and there's supposely a performance pack which raises the electronically-limited speed among other things.

At $150,000 AUD you would look at me like some sort of lunatic to say that this car is good value, but it is. You get an exciting drive that you can compare to that of two-door sports cars costing $100k more, you have enough badge on the car that you'll never be rejected by the Ritz Carlton, and on top of that you get enough room in the car to keep your family happy and enough doors to keep your wife not leaving you for a bloke who owns a SUV. Oh and it's about 15 grand cheaper than a BMW M3?

If you're into your cars that's why you're reading this blog, and if you're into cars and surfing the internet at the same time then surely you've watched the reviews of this car from Top Gear and Fifth Gear via Youtube. You have all seen the BMW M3 lay waste to the lap times of the C63 AMG during both tests. For this reason, we can cite that perhaps the C63 short-delivers, but this would be the car's only potential drawback from what is otherwise, one of the best value cars in any category you can buy.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I love it because it's lairy, big, and obscene in many ways. Benz-hardcores will feel that it's lost it's elegance, poise and grace in terms of shape and continuity. I like it because it's the first C-derived AMG that looks the furthest from it's derivative than any other in the last 10 years and that makes it unique as well as special.

This is one of the most soulful and awesome cars MB has ever built. Potential for loads of tire smoke dressed up in a suit and tie is a winning combination. Kudos for having the balls to stick their best V8 in their entry-level sedan class. Mercedes is back and their German rivals had better take notice.

When you go out and buy this car make sure you don't tell your BMW mates that you bought one, or else you're going to be subjected all day to jibes of "but mine's quicker around a racetrack" constantly.

In a category of cars that will see very little track time, the question really beckons - who gives a toss?

Thanks to: Worrells Toorak for the drive.
Pictures: Mercedes-Benz

Exotic Modding 101 - Lesson 1: Bigger Is Not Always Better

Out of the blue this week I got an email from a friend asking me for help in locating a widebody kit for his newly-acquired Lamborghini Murcielago LP640. After trawling the web and locating various sites, it seemed to boil down to a couple of manufacturers - IMSA and Hamaan.

After doing some research on my friend's request then comparing the specs of the kit with the factory-standard Lamborghini aero and wheel package, an insider source has explained that the standard aero package available on the LP640 is how it is for a very specific reason - other kits can severely affect the performance for the worse. (Although Hamaan insists theirs is for performance purposes not just looks as opposed to IMSA)

Why? The Lamborghini factory go to amazing amounts of research and development to ensure that when people buy their products, they aren't just getting a taste of what the potential of the car is, but the full all-around package that you would expect for more than half-a-million $AUD.

Quote from insider source:

"..even just changes in wheel size and aerodynamic packages can result in a hampering of performance in both steering geometry and suspension setup."

While this may or may not be the case for other exotic manufacturers and tuning companies, there is an important ideal communicated through the efforts of my friend - if you're planning on driving exotics around for look, rather than serious performance (anything less than 150 km/h) then you can most likely modify your exotic til the cows come home.

If you bought your exotic for serious performance, (track driving, autobahn cruising, long trips on unrestricted highways) have the common sense to check with your manufacturer before performing any major modifications. There's nothing worse than half a million bucks down the drain! (or more depending where you buy exotics)

Sources:
Carscoop: "Lamborghini Murcielago LP640 Carbon Fibre Bodykit by IMSA"
Autoblog: "Have Murci! Hamann tricks the Murcielago LP640"

Pictures:
Carscoop
Autoblog

Skyline GT-R V-Spec C-West Demo Car FOR SALE

Generally i'm a huge fan of browsing the variety and selection that Iron Chef Imports have available for budding import enthusiasts in Australia. I've seen very few other importers that can bring in such quality cars, and this latest one is a real doozy.

Up for sale right now is a 1999 Nissan Skyline GT-R V Spec. Not just any old V Spec, but an ex C-West demo car completely kitted out from head to toe in after-market goodness.

Of particular interest is the Chef's comment about the car:

"I am quite literally without speech…I have listed this without compliance, you’d be seriously mad (or rich) to attempt to try and get it through SEVS"

You heard the man, if you're crazy / rich or both, go give the ad a closer look. A lot of the Chef's stock is sitting in Japan waiting to be imported, so don't think he just sends out cars to Australia!

I very rarely see cars like this available to the public. A great opportunity for true import after-market nutcases. Go check out the full specs of the car in the advertisment.


Original URL: 1999 Nissan Skyline GT-R V-Spec **C-West Demo Car** - $79000 landed
Pictures: Iron Chef Imports