Mitsubishi Evo X unveiled - and Road and Track's renderings of the Subaru WRX STI

The good folks over at Mitsubishi have unveiled this picture of an 'exterior styling study' for the Evolution X (Evo X for us in the USA).

Expect this to be identical to the production Evo that we'll see later this year, packing 300-ish horsepower, and more electronic do-dads than you can shake a stick at (including an available dual-clutch automatic similar to the DSG sold by VW).

Also, today Road and Track put an article up on their website showing renderings of the new Evo (so you can compare against the official pic above) as well as their take on what the next WRX STI will look like.

Enjoy.

Road and Track: Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X vs. Subaru Impreza WRX STI

Could someone please loan Subaru a designer - Tribeca refresh

Okay, Subaru has gone for years without a real stylist on staff...then they decided to try one out and he forced a design language he couldn't get Alfa Romeo to accept on them (you can't blame them...what did they know about design and this guy was an 'expert')...the result was the B9 Tribeca...a dumb name with a front end that nobody seemed to like.

So, instead of firing the bad designer and hiring a better one...Subaru had a knee-jerk reaction and went back to their old ways.

The results we've already seen are the bland Impreza.

Now we get the refreshed Tribeca (note the lack of the B9 which Subaru is dropping with the refreshed front styling). Unfortunately, the Tribeca, while still stylish from the A-pillar back, now looks like the Chrysler Pacifica from there forward.

Again, I ask...could someone please loan Subaru a designer before it is too late?

More pics of the 2008 Subaru WRX

As we get closer to the New York Auto Show, we are getting more details of products that will debut. Today we have the first official pictures of the new Subaru Impreza sedan as well as better pictures of the wagon replacement/hatch and the interior.

Unlike some of the pictures we saw earlier, that were scans from the latest issue of Motor Trend, these pics show the hatch in a better light. We're still a bit iff-y on the front-end (so you can expect that Subaru is already hard at work at a better look for the 2010 model since they are renown for their Impreza freshenings on pretty much that schedule anyway.

Powertrain details are also out, and it appears that we'll have to wait for a year or two to see serious performance upgrades for the standard WRX. The 2008 is going to keep the standard 2.5l turbo, flat-four with the same power output (though the rpm for both the horsepower and torque peak are both a touch lower now).

It will be interesting to see how competitive the new Impreza will be with the Mitsubishi Lancer and the Evo X and, assuming the Impreza is not class-leading, how long it will take Subaru to adjust.

More details later this week after the debut.

New Subaru WRX breaks cover - courtesy Motor Trend

Well, there's been lots of turmoil over at Subaru with regard to styling (witness the corporate face they played with on the Tribeca and then quickly walked away from when customers balked). Now we can see yet another direction with the new WRX hatchback.

Personally - I think the front end is hideous. The rest is simply okay.

Now, performance specs might change my mind a bit...but Subaru really needs someone who can draw pretty cars on the payroll.

Check out the rest of this pic as well as more pictures from Motor Trend's spread (in their new May issue) at:

NASIOC: New 2008 WRX from Motor Trend