Subaru to officially debut WRX at L.A. Auto Show
Subaru has officially confirmed that it will debut the all-new WRX at the 2013 Los Angeles Auto Show.
The car, a hotter version of the Impreza hatchback and sedan that Subaru revised for 2012, will come in sedan form only.
The automaker won’t release specifics on what moves the WRX’s until it’s revealed in L.A. on Nov. 20.
PHOTOS: What to expect at the 2013 L.A. Auto Show
But don’t expect the formula to deviate much from what has made this all-wheel-drive hot hatch a favorite among both the tuning crowd and fans of affordable speed in snow.
This means it will likely use a turbocharged four-cylinder engine, making something close to the current models’ 265 horsepower and 244 pound-feet of torque.
Given its enthusiast bent, a manual transmission is a sure thing. Yet Subaru has also been keen on putting CVTs in their new models to offset the fuel-economy hit all-wheel-drive usually puts on the cars. Such a transmission in the new WRX would follow this philosophy.
The WRX will sit at the top of the Impreza lineup, but only for a short stint. The full-crazy 300-horsepower STI model is also due for replacement in the near future.
It’s no accident that Subaru would use the L.A. show to launch this WRX. California is its largest market for the WRX and STI models; nearly 20% of these cars Subaru sold in 2013 were in California.
Subaru is to officially debut the car at a news conference the morning of Nov. 20. When it does, it will fight other automakers including Porsche, Kia, Chevrolet, Toyota, Mini and Mercedes-Benz who have tapped the L.A. show for key world debuts.
The L.A. Auto Show will be open to the media on Nov. 20 and 21. It will open to the public from Nov. 22 through Dec. 1.
