Prodrive launches Power Performance Packs for Subaru
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Prodrive, the engineering firm known mostly in the US for its rally exploits, has launched a series of Power Performance Packs (PPP) for the Subaru Impreza WRX, WRX STI, and Forrester XT. And guess what? They're not available in the US at this time, which goes a long way towards explaining Prodrive's relative obscurity.
Regardless of the model, the PPP costs £1,700 (about $3,000), and includes a new catalytic converter, cat-back exhaust system, and a reprogrammed ECU (the STI also gets a new fuel pump). Power improvements range from 29 HP for the Forrester to 39 HP for the WRX, with the STI picking up a healthy 38 HP. That's enough to lop 0.2 seconds off the 0-62 MPH performance of the STI, and 0.6 seconds for the same standing-start sprint in the WRX and Forrester. Even more impressive are the top-gear 30-50 and 50-70 MPH roll-on acceleration results, with the modifications yields improvements of over two seconds in some cases. Clearly, the modifications lead to improved flexibility and more power across the rev range, which is something that everyone should appreciate.
The price may seem a bit steep, but the full factory warranty is retained, and emissions compliance is unaffected. No word yet as to whether the French police will be getting PPP-equipped patrol cars.
[Source: Channel 4; acceleration stats from Carscoop]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Stoneman 9:16PM (4/08/2006)
The Subaru WRX STi costs about 50 grand in Canada. For that kind of money, I think there's a few other cars I'd rather get than that one. One brake shoe alone costs $900 bucks. I know a guy at work who decided to get Porsche brake pads because they were 200$ cheaper than the Subaru
pads. If you buy a car like this you obviously don't care about the cost of parts. Unless you intend to put the car on a track, these types of modifications are a ridiculous waste of money.
Stoneman from
Stoneman Auto Review
http://www3.ns.sympatico.ca/sar
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Mark 9:47PM (4/08/2006)
If you get to keep the warrantee they most certainly arent. Especially considering the STI is one of the fastest cars on the road even unmodified. You gotta pay to play.
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matt 10:06PM (4/08/2006)
i got a Legacy gt and i live in canada.. anyways from my experiences with subaru i'd rather have a 50k sti than a 60k boxter(its a chicks car)
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Jeffrey 11:20PM (4/08/2006)
Forester has one "r", not 2. It's a forest, like where trees grow, not Forrest, like Forrest Gump.
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mike 3:43AM (4/09/2006)
It isn't politics or international policy we have here, so until prodrive affects the US who gives a crap about them or what they are doing?
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Bob 11:57AM (4/09/2006)
Actually, Prodrive already offers quite a few packages in the US market. They established a US office sometime last year.
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used cars 10:15AM (4/10/2006)
I think i would rather spend my money on the Mitsibishi Evolution, seems to handle nicer and sounds more powerful, its a machine worth having if you ask me. Subaru is a nice car but not for the money they want for them.
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Alex 11:15AM (4/10/2006)
These performance packages have been out in the USA for a while and the price seems very reasonable here in the US.
Check out the link and then find a supplier.
http://www.prodrive.com/defaultflash.asp?M=5
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Emulous1974 12:33PM (4/10/2006)
My guess as to why they are not offered in the U.S. besides all of the sue happy folks that scare the hell out of SOA, is that the rest of the world does not get the 2.5 liter engines that the U.S. gets, including the STI. If you notice from your link Alex, it's only avaialbe for the WRX from '02 to '04, meaning the 2.0 liter engine that the rest of the world still gets in their WRX's, STI's and Foresters.
SOA still seems to have a contradiction in the way in which they want to take Subaru in America they want to go luxury, but know that a lot of us that buy Subaru's want performance. The Legacy GT is a good compromise, but I for one, would of preferred to be able to buy a faster and better handling Legacy GT Wagon.
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RayRay 2:33PM (4/10/2006)
Don't you just love the roaring sound of the WRX? Something about it that still gives me the chills...
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