Impreza impresses

Laranzo Dacres, Sunday Gleaner Writer

'The 2011 Subaru Impreza WRX sTi is like nothing else out on the road," declared Major Hugh Blake, general manager of Kingston Industrial Garage Limited (KIG). "This new, capable and fun-to-drive XV gives you the confidence to go anywhere. I had the honour of driving it on the Andes Mountain in Chile and I can say it is a very versatile vehicle."

Last Wednesday evening, Subaru lovers gathered at the Kingston Industrial Garage Limited (KIG) showroom on Spanish Town Road to witness the introduction of the 2011 Subaru Impreza WRX sTi (sedan) and the Impreza XV.

"We opted for an introduction which is a lot more informal and allowed for closer interaction with KIG staff while viewing these new units," he said.

The Impreza XV has a 2000cc rating, with a horizontally opposed four-cylinder, four-stroke engine, which gives a maximum output of 150 PS, maximum torque of 196 NM that combines to allow the 2011 model to reach a maximum speed of 186 KM. These features are also complemented by the standard Subaru package, including a four-wheel drive (4WD) and air conditioning.

On the other hand, the Impreza WRX sTi has a 2500cc rating, kicks out 300HP, with 240 pounds of torque and is operated by a six-speed transmission that comes with the standard Subaru package.

The Impreza XV currently goes for $3.724 million, while the price of the sTi is $7.528 million.

Expressing confidence in the Subaru brand, Dawn Green, marketing executive at KIG, told Automotives: "It's one thing to claim performance and safety, and another thing to prove it. With the new WRX sTi and Impreza XV, we do both."

Concerning the availability of parts and service response for the new models, Blake said: "There's a ratio that we have to maintain, of parts-to-new-vehicles, and we are well up on that. Also, there should be no problem at all in accessing parts for any of these vehicles, as we have them in store."

In reviewing the local motor vehicle industry, Blake noted: "It's no secret that the industry is experiencing a 30 per-cent decline in business. In fact, there are some dealers who have been even more severely hit by the downturn in the economy over the last 15 months," he noted. According to Blake, the government collects, up front, between 63-177 per cent of cost, insurance and freight (CIF) on imported motor vehicles, resulting in even the most economical cars being unaffordable to consumers today.

"This is an untenable situation in a most important industry. In fact, this level of duty is immoral to say the least," Blake added.