2013 Subaru WRX Special Edition

Michael Harley — Fri, 14 Dec 2012 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sedan, Performance, Subaru, Quick Spins

Two months ago, I was carving pumpkins in a canyon - last week, I was carving canyons in a pumpkin. I genuinely prefer the latter.

It's hard to miss the 2013 Subaru WRX Special Edition. The twins (the automaker is offering the package on both the WRX and its higher-performing STI sibling - just 300 copies in total) arrive in Tangerine Orange paint with Jet Black wheels, black exterior mirrors and black front fender badges. The purely cosmetic upgrades are carried inside the cabin with black cloth upholstery contrasted with orange stitching on the seats, doors, shift boot and piping on the floor mats.

After a day, I completely forgot about the controversial orange paint (you either love or hate its burnt pumpkin color) and focused on the simple joy of driving the rally-inspired Subaru WRX.

Driving Notes

The turbocharged 2.5-liter flat-four is a gem of an engine. It pulls soundly from the low end of the tachometer yet willingly runs to fuel cutoff at redline. Unfortunately, the note coming from the quad exhaust pipes resonates and booms from within the cabin. I liked it, but many of my passengers complained.
While the industry has moved to six-speed manual transmissions (as has the STI), few realize just how wonderful a competent five-speed gearbox really is. Despite giving up a bit in acceleration and fuel economy (the 6MT has a lower first gear, and a taller six gear), the 5MT will easily run to 60 miles per hour without a shift to third gear. This also translates to less clutch work around town.
During a spirited run up Decker Canyon and Mulholland Highway, Subaru's Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive kicked serious tail in the corners. It absolutely refused to let go of the pavement, regardless of how much power was going to the wheels.
The suspension of the WRX is a bit softer than I expected. While it translated to a much more comfortable highway ride, it came across a too squishy for really hardcore flogging. For upgraded suspension, brakes and a more capable all-wheel drive system, consumers need to look at the STI.
The cloth bucket seats are comfortable, supportive during aggressive driving maneuvers and heated. What more can one ask for?
The WRX won't let anyone forget its Impreza roots. The cabin appointments are budget-oriented, with no-frills hard plastic on the dashboard and doors, minimal digital instrumentation (no trip computer or fuel distance-to-empty display) and a lackluster audio system (one of the worst I have experienced in years).
Keep in mind that Subaru has already replaced its Impreza with an all-new fourth-generation model - the WRX (and STI) are still on the third-generation platform - expect their high-performance replacements to emerge within a year.

2013 Subaru WRX Special Edition originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 14 Dec 2012 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Subaru WRX and WRX STI Special Editions hit SEMA just in time for Halloween

Zach Bowman — Tue, 30 Oct 2012 14:20:00 EST

Filed under: SEMA Show, Sedan, Performance, Japan, Subaru, Design/Style

Subaru has pulled back the curtain on a pair of 2013 WRX and WRX STI Special Edition models ahead of their debut at the 2012 SEMA Show, which kicks off today in Las Vegas. Each car bows with a unique orange and black color scheme that carries over into the cabin. With black wheels, badges and side mirrors, it should easy to pick these machines out of a crowd. Indoors, designers have graced both sedans with a black headliner and the seats feature orange contrast stitching.

Mechanically, the Special Edition models remain unchanged from their more ordinary counterparts, which means buyers will enjoy 265 horsepower from the WRX and 305 ponies from the more muscular WRX STI. Even so, the flashy paint and trim might be enough to drag buyers to the showroom - if you count yourself among that crowd, best get to getting. Subaru is only planning to produce 200 examples of the WRX and another 200 of the WRX STI. Check out the official press blast below for more information, and stay tuned for our live shots from the SEMA show floor.

Continue reading Subaru WRX and WRX STI Special Editions hit SEMA just in time for Halloween

Subaru WRX and WRX STI Special Editions hit SEMA just in time for Halloween originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 30 Oct 2012 14:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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