Subaru u-turn over Impreza

WHEN Subaru scrapped the saloon styling of the Impreza fans of the iconic rally weapon felt they had been robbed—their favourite machine transformed into a pretty bland hatchback .

But slipping under the radar of many UK-based journalists at the New York Motor Show was this, Subaru’s pretty unexpected debut of a 2011 Impreza WRX STI saloon.

It’s appearance may yet indicate a dramatic U-turn for the firm.

A return to the saloon market would see the Impreza going head-to-head, once again, with its old World Rallying foe, the Mitsubishi Evo.

Already confirmed for production in the Unites States, the new WRX STI saloon boasts revised suspension tuning, lighter 18-inch wheels and numerous cosmetic tweaks.

Both the front and rear suspension systems now employ higher-rate springs and thicker front and rear anti-roll bars than the 2010 model, while spring rates have increased by 15.6 percent in front and 53 percent in the rear.