Latest news with #SubaruImpreza
Scoop
14-07-2025
- Automotive
- Scoop
Palmer Cleans Up The Taranaki Tarmac Rally; Increases Lead In NI Rally Series
Quentin Palmer (Skoda Fabia Rally2 Evo) continued to stamp his mark on the 2025 Hawkeswood Mining North Island Rally Series (NIRS) after winning every stage of the SBT Group Taranaki Tarmac one-day rally held on Saturday and taking overall victory. Second NIRS competitor home was William Menzies/Doug Dolan (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 6) ahead of Bradley Stewart/Oliver Drake (Subaru Impreza). 'Definitely thrilled to take the win,' commented Palmer. 'With Cameron (Ross) and David (Rogers) as (overall) favourites I didn't expect to do well, so was surprised to find I won the opening stage ahead of them.' With two Special Stages cancelled (SS 3 and 4) Palmer and co-driver Dayna Kiekebosch went on to win all seven other competitive stages finishing 1min 34 sec ahead of Marcus van Klink/Matt Richards (Mazda RX8). Competing in his first tarmac rally, Menzies came home a solid second in the NIRS standings and third overall. He was also awarded the 'Driver of the Day' trophy. 'I wasn't sure what to expect,' said Menzies. 'It was completely different as my car is set up quite tight for gravel. I was on rally tyres which worked out in the end. I heard rain falling in the middle of the night so was confident it was going to work. 'There were a couple of dry stages where the car was moving around. Other than that, it felt great as it was quite wet at times, so it worked out. Thrilled with the result and really encouraged by it.' The competition for the final podium position was close between Stewart and Charlie Evans (Mazda RX7). The latter was holding on to third until he suffered a rally-ending mechanical with one Special Stage to complete, handing the place to Stewart. Fourth were Chris Ramsay/Amy Hudson (Toyota Corolla APR2) ahead of Ben Huband/Corinne Watson (Subaru Impreza). The SBT Group Taranaki Tarmac Rally incorporated the second round of the NIRS which saw Palmer extend his lead to 34-points over Huband and Menzies who sit second equal with Dave Strong in fourth followed by Stewart and Phil Campbell. 'We must have got the (tarmac) setup right,' said Palmer who moved up to the Skoda Fabia Rally2 car this season. 'We got some good advice heading into the rally and I'm feeling more comfortable in the car, although there is plenty more to learn. It is my first rally win so thrilled to have achieved that.' In the Class results, John Whooley (Honda Civic) has extended his lead in Class C (2WD 1601-2000) while in Class D (2WD 2001 and over), Charlie Evans' (Mazda RX7) retirement saw Ramsay take maximum points while Jeff Torkington (Toyota MR2) retains his lead. In the Classic Class E, 18-year-old novice and recipient of the RallyDrive New Zealand full day testing voucher, Kyle Percival (Ford Escort Mk2), also extends his lead over Nick Flanagan. Palmer continues to lead Class F (4WD 1601-2000) while Ben Huband (Subaru Impreza) has had his lead narrowed to just three-points over Menzies in Class G (4WD 2001 and over). Bradley Stewart (Subaru Impreza) moves to 13-points ahead of Chris Burke in Class I (4WD Pre 1996). Both drivers and teams take a break before the third round of the Hawkeswood Mining North Island Rally Series on 23 August 2025 at Rally Coromandel.
Scoop
06-07-2025
- Automotive
- Scoop
Taranaki Tarmac Rally To Be Hotly Contested By NI Rally Series Competitors
The SBT Group Taranaki Tarmac one-day rally takes place this Saturday 12 July 2025 with the rivalry amongst the 2025 Hawkeswood Mining North Island Rally Series (NIRS) competitors expected to step up a notch. The question to be answered after nine Special Stages is 'Will this be a year a rally car beats a Targa spec car?' Quentin Palmer (Skoda Fabia Rally2 Evo) stamped his mark on the 2025 NIRS season after taking first round honours in early May winning the Ruarangi Rd Rallysprint. It was his first outing in his new Skoda, and he beat home last season's champion Phil Campbell (Ford Fiesta AP4). "Taranaki will be interesting for us," commented Palmer. "Our car originally came into NZ as a tarmac car before being converted to gravel spec. I definitely have to do some tarmac practice, and we have a lot of setup changes to make.' However, traditionally the Taranaki Tarmac Rally has been the domain of bitumen specialists and last year's winner Cameron Ross/Matthew Buer (Subaru Impreza) is seeded first and will be hard to beat as will second seed David Rogers (Mitsubishi Evo 10). Also making an appearance in the North Island and not to be discounted is Marcus van Klink (Mazda RX8) who will start third on the road ahead of Palmer. The rally comprises 204kms of Touring Stags and nine Special Stages totalling 124kms with four of them being repeated. As per MotorSport NZ Tarmac Rally requirements this event runs with 200 Kilometer per hour speed limit. The new route includes the infamous tunnels and the spectacular Inglewood yumps. Co-Chairman Sean Bryce said 'The Rally Committee are excited about the new route and location of this years Rally and hope this Event will go down well with the residents, local community and the competitors' Missing from the start list is last season's NIRS champion Phil Campbell (Ford Fiesta AP4). Current Class C (2WD 1601-2000) leader, John Whooley (Honda Civic) will look to extend his lead while in Class D (2WD 2001 and over), Charlie Evans (Mazda RX7) resumes his battle with Jeff Torkington (Toyota MR2). In the Classic Class E, Kyle Percival (Ford Escort Mk2) will have his hands full. Palmer will want to extend his lead in Class F (4WD 1601-2000) as will Ben Hubbard (Subaru Impreza) in Class G (4WD 2001 and over) and Bradley Stewart (Subaru Impreza) in Class I (4WD Pre 1996). Scholarship recipients (with a discounted entry fee) are first time rookies young Samuel and Matthew Broadbent (Mitsubishi Evo) from Ngatea who have been showing fast pace at recent Rallysprints. The Clubman's and National Rally is promoted by the Taranaki Car Club in conjunction with the South Taranaki Car Club, and will take place in the New Plymouth and North Taranaki regions. The first car gets away from the Plymouth International Hotel at 07.00 hours, starting Special Stage 1 at 07.30hrs, returning at approximately 16.00 hours to the Plymouth for the champagne finish and after match meal and prizegiving.
Auto Car
23-06-2025
- Automotive
- Auto Car
Why Richard Burns is the WRC's unsung hero
If I were to ask everyone in the office to name their favourite rally driver, I'd put money on names like Röhrl, Kankkunen, Sainz, Mäkinen and McRae being thrown about. Indeed, these hotshoes all have the stats to prove their endless driving talent. But for me there's one that deserves to stand head and shoulders clear of the rest: Richard Burns. Here was a name that was, ahem, burned into my brain early on, when my parents bought me a pair of radio-controlled rally cars: a Subaru Impreza WRC and a Peugeot 206 WRC, each with the names of Burns and his co-driver Robert Reid affixed prominently to the rear window. I'd regularly get them out and attempt to drift them across the conservatory, laminate flooring being surprisingly good for perfecting the art. It was the blue and yellow Scooby that stood out to me, and watching Petter Solberg pilot his life-size version over huge crests and between trees on television set the foundations for a love of rallying from an early age. My true appreciation for Berkshire-born Burns came later, when I stumbled across his excellent autobiography, Driving Ambition, which tracks his rise to prominence from the Peugeot Challenge series, which helped launch the careers of many great drivers. My godfather used to compete in the Peugeot Challenge in his 1.6-litre 205 alongside Burns (who was in the big-boy 1.9-litre car) and my dad was part of the service crew. He once recounted a story of Burns from the Circuit des Ardennes rally back in 1991: not only did he win the event, but he was fastest on most of the stages and was easy to spot during the night because his brakes were glowing orange, such was his commitment. Burns would go on to become the youngest ever British Rally Champion and eventually a World Rally Champion in 2001 with Subaru – an incredible achievement, considering that he was behind the likes of Colin McRae and Tommi Mäkinen heading into the final round in Wales. Cool, calm and collected, Burns kept his Impreza on the road while McRae crashed out and Mäkinen retired from the event early on. As of today, Burns remains the only English driver to win the WRC title. You only need to watch on-board footage of Burns to gauge how talented and supremely fast he was at the helm of a rally car. His smooth driving style coupled with Reid's detailed pace notes allowed him to paint a clear picture of the stage ahead.
NZ Autocar
17-06-2025
- Automotive
- NZ Autocar
New models continue Subaru's unblemished safety record
The Subaru Crosstrek and closely-related Subaru Impreza have both received five-star ANCAP safety ratings following their MY25 safety updates. These scores apply to Crosstrek and Impreza vehicles built from April 2025 and on sale from June 2025. Because this pair is so similar under the skin, shared test results were used to determine the safety ratings for these models. Collision avoidance performance tests were conducted on the Subaru Crosstrek together with the full-width frontal, oblique pole and side impact tests. Meantime, frontal offset (MPDB) testings was conducted on the Subaru Impreza. The Impreza also underwent its own side impact and pedestrian tests to confirm comparable performance. Read out review of Subaru Crosstrek here. For Adult Occupant Protection both models achieved an 83 per cent result. They offered Good levels of protection for the driver in the full width frontal, side impact and oblique tests. Here, full points were scored. Front passenger protection in the frontal offset test was also deemed Good. A centre airbag between the front seats resulted in mixed performance following side impact crashes. Both models achieved 91 per cent crash test results for Child Occupant Protection. They scored maximum points in the two crash tests that featured the six- and ten-year-old child dummies. Similar results were recorded for Vulnerable Road User Protection (Crosstrek 85%; Impreza 84%). In physical impact tests, the bonnet and windscreen of both models provided Good protection to the head of a struck pedestrian. But Poor results were noted on the stiff windscreen pillars. Both models have the ability to detect and automatically avoid or reduce the severity of a crash with pedestrians and cyclists. Safety Assist systems garnered a 73 per cent result for both models. Each is fitted with Subaru's EyeSight technology. So they offer AEB, lane keep assist, emergency lane keeping, speed assistance systems, and a direct driver monitoring system. The Impreza offered slightly better head and lower leg protection for pedestrians than the Crosstrek. But femur protection provided by the Crosstrek was superior to that of the Impreza, giving it a slightly higher Vulnerable Road User Protection score.
Irish Times
11-06-2025
- Automotive
- Irish Times
Peugeot E-3008: Electric all-wheel-drive is like a cheat code for fast cars
Four-wheel drive was the magic sauce, that indefinable thing that generates desire, that feeds an obsession. Ever since Audi first thought of adding four-wheel drive to a low-slung coupe to turn it into the most fearsome rally weapon of them all, having power going to all four wheels was a minimum requirement for dream car status. Although I'm slightly too young to have lusted much after an Audi Quattro during its heyday, I certainly craved the cars it inspired — the Sierra Cosworth, the Lancia Delta Integrale, the Toyota Celica GT4, and latterly the glorious original Subaru Impreza. All cars based on humble family machines that put their copious power down through all four contact patches. On the west Cork roads of my youth, that made for a far more enticing proposition than any Ferrari or Lamborghini. Sadly, the hot all-wheel-drive car seems to have fallen out of favour in the years since. Improvements in tyre tech, and especially in the arcane electronics of stability control have in part erased the tractive advantage of the flame-spitting 4WD country-fried supercars. READ MORE Equally, the cost of running such a machine – the extra weight and friction of four-wheel drive and the consequent effects on fuel economy and emissions – meant many just bought two-wheel-drive cars and shoved their old rally-star dreams to the back of a drawer. Now, though, there's a chance – a slim one but a chance all the same – that electric power offers us a cheat code for clawing back our fast, four-wheel-drive dreams. Adding an extra electric motor for more power and performance is a relatively simple thing to do, and although it will impact efficiency and range, that impact is cushioned by the fact that charging up at home is always going to be much, much cheaper than pumping in litres of former-dinosaur juice. Which means that this new Peugeot E-3008 Dual Motor GT seems oddly compelling, to me at least. The existing front-wheel-drive electric E-3008 is one of the more notably impressive mid-size EVs when it comes to delivering usable real-world range. The Peugeot e-3008 is good-looking car with impressive range efficiency. Photograph: Tibo - The Good Click Peugeot e-3008: really tight corners with fast approaches will remind you, very quickly, that this car weighs an unhelpful 2.2 tonnes and that is a limiting factor. Photograph: Tibo - The Good Click It also looks sharp, with those almost malevolent headlights, the grille that melts in and out of the front bodywork, and the chopped roofline that genuinely gives it the air of a kinda-sorta-coupe. It's handsome. Oddly, this range-topping Dual Motor version is no more handsome. For a car with 325hp, all-wheel drive and a tweaked, sportier chassis, you'd have expected more visual thrills, or at least a badge with more evocation than 'Dual Motor'. However, as Emmanuel Varene, head of the E-3008's development told The Irish Times: 'We didn't want to over-promise with a badge like GTI or Peugeot Sport Engineered. Besides, a car with those badges should be one level above this model.' We'll start to see what Varene means with the imminent reveal of the E-208 GTi, the first EV to wear those hallowed letters. In the meantime, making do with the E-3008 Dual Motor will be no hardship at all. As with the exterior, there's nothing on the inside to tell you that this is the hottest 3008. It's still a cracking cabin though, even if it's a bit tight in the back for anyone who's graduated from national school. The boot's a bit smaller too, due to the space taken up by the 112hp rear motor, but you'd be churlish to call this anything but a reasonably practical car (and the far roomier E-5008 Dual Motor will be just across the showroom floor…). What really makes the E-3008 Dual Motor stand out, though, is what Peugeot has done under the skin. The springs, dampers, and anti-roll bars have all been stiffened up, but the best bit is the revised steering, which has some actual feel and feedback, and turns the standard model's over-assisted rack into something far sharper and more engaging. It's a bit tight in the back of the Peugeot e-3008. Photograph: Tibo - The Good Click Peugeot e-3008: stylish interior. Photograph: Tibo - The Good Click In combo, the tighter steering and tauter suspension make this E-3008 really quite a rewarding companion on a challenging road. Really tight corners with fast approaches will remind you, very quickly, that this car weighs an unhelpful 2.2 tonnes and that is a limiting factor. However, on slightly more open roads with longer radius corners, the E-3008 Dual Motor is properly enjoyable to drive, with engaging responses and a sense of sporty crispness. You do pay for the stiffer suspension with an urban ride that's considerably harder-edged, though. However, you don't pay all that much for the extra lower and 90kg of extra weight. This Dual Motor model uses the same 73kWh battery as the regular E-3008 (we're still waiting for the long-range 98kWh version with its 700km range, but production slowness at Peugeot's battery producer is slowing things up) and that means a reduction in official range from 527km to 490km. However, Peugeot may be a touch pessimistic here. Over a long day's driving on motorways, in crowded towns, and on some vertiginous country roads, we averaged 18.5kWh/100km, only slightly worse than the official WLTP figure and that was driving almost all the time in Sport mode with the air conditioning on. A touch more care should see you do better than that, and so the efficiency and range penalty for the extra power and poise might just be minimal. Figure on a fairly reliable 440km real-world range, not much worse off than the front-wheel drive model. [ The VW Buzz is a superhero, here to save us from villainous SUVs Opens in new window ] That's a small price to pay for the impressive boost in performance (0-100km/h in 6.0 seconds with hugely enjoyable mid-range thrust for overtaking or fast motorway merging) and the extra traction which made the E-3008 feel rock-steady when the heavens opened and a huge burst of rain hit the tarmac in front of us. The 325hp is way more power than that offered by any of my 1980s and 90s rally heroes, and now I can have it at hardly any running cost penalty? Yes please. The downside is that there will still be a chunky cost penalty – Peugeot Ireland still hasn't set prices as this Dual Motor model won't be with us for at least six months yet, but it's likely to top the €55,000 mark. That's a lot of cash, so once again, probably few Irish buyers will take the plunge. I'd be tempted, though…
