The New York Auto Show was one of the first events cancelled in the spring of 2020 due to the novel coronavirus. Initially postponed to the end of August of that year, the show was ultimately laid low entirely as the pandemic raged.
This year, though it was originally slated for its usual slot in April, the NY show was again postponed to August; this time, however, it will take place. Doors will open at the end of next month, and since it will be the first major North American show (Chicago was held in a reduced format recently) since the crisis began, there will be some important and interesting presentations.
One of those was confirmed yesterday, and it concerns one of the performance variants of the Subaru Impreza, the WRX. Now, Subaru had promised a few years ago that it would create greater design distance between the regular Impreza and this performance offshoot, and this time it will make good on its promise. We can now talk about separate products in the lineup.
To accompany its announcement, the Japanese automaker shared a short video showing the car in action, again in a way that doesn't reveal too much, of course. Still, the arrival of the 6th-generation model is generating a lot of interest and we'll take everything we can get as we approach the day of the presentation, August 19th.
The video shows an orange-painted 2022 WRX attacking a desert road. If you take the time to stop the video at specific points, you can discern a few details, like the lights that look a lot like those on the new BRZ.
The 2022 WRX is based on Subaru's global platform, a structure that guarantees all-wheel drive, of course. Mechanically, rumours have it that the WRX will adopt a variant of the brand's 2.4L turbo engine. Serving the Ascent, Outback and Legacy, it makes 260 hp and 277 lb-ft of torque. Expect more from the WRX, though. The same gearboxes should also be available: the 6-speed manual and the CVT (continuously variable automatic transmission).
We'll get back to you in a few weeks with all the details about this model. Subaru did not specify when the other Impreza-inspired sport variant, the STI, will be introduced.