This is the groupN version of the new car. But still a surprise. On last year’s Rally Japan we saw both groupN dominators showing us new cars, when the new generation Subaru Impreza (GE) WRX-Type RA STI N14 as well as the new generation Mitsubishi Lancer EvoX were driving the stages as course opening cars.
Though Olivier Burri at Monte Carlo 2008 is definitely the World Rally competition debut of the new shape Impreza!
Olivier Burri is a rally icon maybe lesser known outside Switzerland, but a Rallye Monte Carlo expert nevertheless. He finished in the top10 overall of the Rallye Monte Carlo no less than 4 times: 1993 = 7th in a Ford Sapphire Cosworth 4x4 groupA; 1997 = 7th again in a Subaru Impreza 555 groupA, 2000 = 8th in a Toyota Corolla WRC and 2004 = 8th again in a Subaru Impreza WRC03. His strongest showing was probably 2002, when he was setting 5th and 6th fastest times in a Peugeot 206 WRC until a minor elctrical fault sidelined him.
For all this it seemed surprising for 2008 Olivier Burri entered in a groupN car, but now it turns out the competition debut of the new shape Impreza will be to his credit.
As far as Subaru goes, maybe on this event there is no real benchmark. Rallye Monte Carlo 2008 not being a round to the PWRC, nor the JWRC, and also looking through the entry list, there seems no real competition to compare the new car to.
It's a Subaru hatchback of course, but it is really hard to tell when was the last time a Subaru hatchback has been rallied at World level. Subaru’s first try at the Rallye Monte Carlo was when Shekhar Mehta started in 1984 with a 1st generation Leone Coupé model. Though the result was a disappointing 14th place, being beaten by many 2WD cars in snow. We further note that on the 1993 Safari Rally the Japanese STI arm of the Subaru works team started with 3 tiny, supercharged 600cc Vivio fleas. Probably the last time a Subaru hatchback – in the far sense – started at World level, was when local Patrick Njiru retired early with engine failure in the Safari Rally 1997 in a somewhat curious choice: a Subaru Impreza Wagon (Estate)!
No comments:
Post a Comment