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Fancy Subaru’s oddball WRX hot hatch at 1990s pricing? Seriously, you can now buy a new Impreza WRX for R269 000.
Subaru says its celebrating the Impreza Turbo’s 15th year anniversary by offering the truncated and sacrilegiously styled hatch version, at the same price the Turbo sedan originally entered the European right-hand drive market at in 1994.
In British terms, the market which has been most WRX obsessed, it means a new WRX now retails for £17 998. Locally the price has seen a substantial R46 000 reduction to R269 000. However, little detail about the price-drop is available on Subaru SA's website.
The Impreza WRX special as indicated on the Subaru SA website.
This means one of two things. Either we are staring to see the extent of profiteering built into vehicle pricing, or the WRX is about to become the loss-leader of all-time for Subaru, in an attempt to kick-start sales momentum of some sort.
Holding company Fuji heavy industries is struggling and we can't help but wonder if Toyota is picking up much of the financing shortfall. Perhaps the discount has been offset by Subaru's WRC saving for this year, after it pulled out of world rallying.
The current local hot hatch market is heavily subscribed with quality products. A price reduction of this magnitude should see the WRX, with its 169kW flat-four engine and secure, though performance sapping, all-wheel drive system finally being able to offer a compelling alternative.
Critically, with the new pricing WRX, despite being the least aesthetically appealing, now undercuts its three most bitter rivals. Ford’s Focus ST five door (R292 560), Renault’s redoubtable Megane Sport (R280 000) and Mazda’s anonymous but rapid MPS hatch (R284 180)
Expect the deal to either mature quickly or stock to be sold out very swiftly. If you’re not doing anything lunchtime, a walk down to your local Subaru dealer might be an agonising half an hour well spent.
We're just not sure how you are going to explain the hatchback's lack of loadspace to your wife or kids though...
Subaru says its celebrating the Impreza Turbo’s 15th year anniversary by offering the truncated and sacrilegiously styled hatch version, at the same price the Turbo sedan originally entered the European right-hand drive market at in 1994.
In British terms, the market which has been most WRX obsessed, it means a new WRX now retails for £17 998. Locally the price has seen a substantial R46 000 reduction to R269 000. However, little detail about the price-drop is available on Subaru SA's website.
The Impreza WRX special as indicated on the Subaru SA website.
This means one of two things. Either we are staring to see the extent of profiteering built into vehicle pricing, or the WRX is about to become the loss-leader of all-time for Subaru, in an attempt to kick-start sales momentum of some sort.
Holding company Fuji heavy industries is struggling and we can't help but wonder if Toyota is picking up much of the financing shortfall. Perhaps the discount has been offset by Subaru's WRC saving for this year, after it pulled out of world rallying.
The current local hot hatch market is heavily subscribed with quality products. A price reduction of this magnitude should see the WRX, with its 169kW flat-four engine and secure, though performance sapping, all-wheel drive system finally being able to offer a compelling alternative.
Critically, with the new pricing WRX, despite being the least aesthetically appealing, now undercuts its three most bitter rivals. Ford’s Focus ST five door (R292 560), Renault’s redoubtable Megane Sport (R280 000) and Mazda’s anonymous but rapid MPS hatch (R284 180)
Expect the deal to either mature quickly or stock to be sold out very swiftly. If you’re not doing anything lunchtime, a walk down to your local Subaru dealer might be an agonising half an hour well spent.
We're just not sure how you are going to explain the hatchback's lack of loadspace to your wife or kids though...
