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Subaru Impreza S204 trial

Subaru announced the onset of the new S204 car, which is developed on the basis of the Impreza WRX STI model, but unlike the base, has a richer filling. Such derivative models are sometimes called complete configuration machines (Complete Car). Series S has already 4 generations, and the current model is distinguished by an extremely powerful engine. Our journalist made a test trip by this car.
 
List of main improvements.
If cars participating in races are used over time as a base for developing active driving machines, that is, sports machines, it is not at all surprising if sometimes a car intended for participation in the rally will suddenly take and converts into a cool sports sedan. It even happens that they do not make any changes to the car of category B at all, they will simply assign a serial number to this machine, and now it is already sold to everyone. Buy and wheels along the city streets for pleasure. And since they are produced by a strictly limited amount, they become even more desirable. One of these cars is the new Impreza S204 car, which, however, differs from the model participating in the rally, but still, it reminds it very much.
As you know, the Subaru Impreza WRX series is a series on the basis of which a car participating in races is developed, in particular in the worldwide championship (WRC). So this is the most combat -ready unit in the Subaru car park. Then the designers do this: take a car for the rally, slightly adapt it to driving in urban conditions, and that’s all. According to this scheme, a new Impreza S204 model was made. As before, it is planned to produce 600 such machines, that is, we are talking about a very limited party. But every year a fresh model appears. That is, last year the S203 model was released, this year - S204, and so on. How does the 4th generation machine differ from the previous version? The main differences are as follows. Firstly, the so-called additional Amortizer Performance Damper began to be used in the design of the machine, and secondly, the height of the car decreased by 15 mm, and thirdly, an enhanced type stabilizer appeared in the rear suspension. And, finally, fourthly, the method of attaching the parts of the suspension to the body has been changed.
If we analyze the nature of the changes made, then, without even sitting behind the wheel, the following conclusion can be made: the back of the car became tougher, the steering became more neutral, you had to do a little comfort, but on the road with normal coating, steep turns can be held at a greater speed. However, a reasonable question arises: what is it - an additional shock absorber Performance Damper and why is it intended? Moreover, this innovation is considered the most important feature of the new S204 car.
 
What is an additional Performance Damper shock absorber?
What are the ways to increase the hardness of the car body? Well, for example, you can use a device called Strut Tower Bar, that is, the sparking of the racks of the left and right suspension. This method has found wide application in practice. But will only these areas be strengthened? The answer should be negative, since in case of violation of general strict equilibrium, the deformation will still occur, but now in other, weaker places.
As everyone must be aware, the stiffness of any structure is estimated by the magnitude of the deformation, which is per unit of force acting on this design. The deformation, by the way, always takes place, regardless of whether the design is reinforced or not. Only its value differs. In general, even when the deviation from the optimal position (deformation of the structure) is measured in tenths of the fractions of the millimeter, the presence of the shock -absorbing device is completely useful. This shock -absorbing device under the influence of external force is compressed and thereby prevents the position of the structure he served. This effect is the basis of the additional shock absorber Performance Damper, developed by Yamaha engineers. As soon as I heard these explanations, I immediately realized that it was me so embarrassed when I drove the S204 car. The fact is that during the trip I moved in normal mode and on ordinary roads, but the very force that, in theory, should be transferred to the body whenever the road surface is flaw, was somehow not very intelligible. In addition, when it was necessary to turn the steering wheel, or at a short period of time when the steering wheel was supposed to play, in fact, everything happened very naturally, the steering wheel seemed completely free from the action of extraneous factors.
I believe that if the already held owners of the Subaru S203 at least once saw this additional shock absorber in work, many of them would probably not refuse to put such a device for themselves.
Hand to perfection.
The new S204 car is equipped with a powerful engine, which works cleanly, without choking, up to 8000 revolutions per minute. Its maximum power is 320 hp, and the greatest torque is 44.0 kg/m. You can imagine what pleasure to deal with a machine, the heart of which such an unit serves. But the clear operation of the steering mechanism is also a good pleasure, and the ability of the machine to sharp maneuvers is generally fascinating. At the same time, the appearance of the car is made in a slightly restrained style. This is not to say that it does not attract attention at all. No, but his suit immediately suggests that he was cut according to the type of Toyota Crown Athlete. The noise that makes a titanium muffler of the car is somewhat muffled. True, this is for the time being, until the engine gained high speeds. Then the sound changes, to a greater extent corresponding to the speed characteristics of the car.
For someone who understands a lot about sports driving, the S204 model is a very desired toy. And at the same time, the price that the seller asks for it, that is, 4 million 809 thousand yen, it is quite possible, will seem too high to someone. However, one who, in principle, cannot afford to pay such an amount, for calming it can always find a lot of reasons to declare, they say, this is too much, is it?
Here, for example, the driver of the driver taken from the RECARO company - costs 50 thousand yen apiece. At first, it seems too close and tough, but then, probably, due to the special materials that are used in its design, it slightly unclenches its grip. This should mean that, having sat in this chair two or three times, on the fourth driver will feel like if it were made on an individual order. At the same time, the steering column that can change its slope, but does not have a telescopic mechanism to change its length, can become a very significant obstacle if the driver has long legs.
 
Three pedals are located on the floor in front of the driver. And, as I noticed, each of them has its own length of working and free move, and they counteract the pressure to varying degrees. And if they are adjusted in different ways, then using the control of the heel control plus the sock will also be completely difficult. The pedal group, it seems to me, should lead to more consistency, both in terms of stroke and hardness.
And yet, a few words about the 6-speed gearbox. I believe that it would be nice to adjust it in such a way that neighboring gears are more blocked by each other. In this particular case, we still do not deal with purely racing a variant of the machine, and therefore the final gear number could be made higher. Such trifles obtained by mechanically copying the basic model can be counted a lot. I think, if you make a civilian from a racing machine, you should pay attention to all the little things. So it would be more true!
Technical characteristics of the Subaru S204 model:
Length 4475 mm x width 1740 mm x height 1410 mm.
Wheel base: 2540 mm.
Machine weight: 1450 kg.
Drive: all -wheel drive
Engine: 2-liter, 4-cylinder with the opposite location of the cylinders, a turbo with an intercooler, the developed capacity of 320 liters. at 6400 rpm, the largest torque is 44.0 kg/m at 4400 rpm.
Machine price: 4 million 809 thousand yen.
The price of the machine on which the test trip was performed: the same.

A source: Webcg.net