New York Auto Show: 2008 Subaru Impreza WRX takes the stage

UPDATE: Video of the WRX live reveal added after the jump

click the above image to view over 100 high-res shots of the 2008 Subaru Impreza

In what was surely one of the most anticipated debuts here at the New York Auto Show, Subaru took the wrapper off its new WRX while reminding us just how excited we should be about its revised sport compact.

We covered the key points of the overall Impreza refresh in our previous post, so we'll mostly stick to the WRX-specific details here. The intake manifold, turbocharger, and top-mounted intercooler are new. Peak power is unchanged, but peak torque now hits 800 RPM sooner, so it should be a bit more forgiving of improper gear selection. If you select the five-door, the boxer will breathe through a single exhaust tip, while the sedan gets twin outlets. Weight, meanwhile, is down by 50 lbs.

Outside, the sedan gets a discrete spoiler, while the hatch will wear an underbody diffuser. Both models will roll on 17x7" wheels shod in 205-section all-session rubber. A stability control system is available, should tail-out driving not be in the cards.

For those interested in WRC, Impreza will be campaigning the five-door version of its rallying rocketship.

Hit the high-res gallery for over 100 still shots of the 2008 Subaru Impreza, check out the official specs after the jump, and click-through to the Autoblog New York Auto Show megapost to see everything else that's been going on here at the Javits convention center.