Seriously, go check it out by acessing it through ls1.com kills section or Bob's shortcut URL.... Just for laughs.
The site looks pretty convincing. If this was in fact true, I would think it would have made headlines everywhere. Oh well, too bad.
Here is the text from the "article":
PREVIEW TEST: Subaru WRX2200
The best of two worlds.
By LARSON WILSON
August 2002
Page 1 of 2
What happens when you take one of the best convertible chassis in production today and mix it with a rally proven drive-train and enough boost to blow your lungs out? You get the new WRX2200, a joint venture between Honda Motor Co. and Subaru of Japan. After all of the accolades received for the S2000 and the WRX, the companies decided to mix and match a car which will be unchallenged in any racing scenario. (See page two for a description of the unique suspension choices that come from the factory.)
This September, sports-car fans, the car of your (wet) dreams will finally arrive. Subaru's WRX2200 comes to market with one goal: Winning every race it's in. It has the stuff sports-car fantasies are made of: a front-engine, all-wheel-drive layout; a six-speed, close-ratio manual transmission; an unequal-length control-arm suspension all around; massive disc brakes; and supportive, firm bucket seats--in a package that weighs less than 2850 pounds. The WRX2000's crown jewel, however, is a 2.2-liter turbocharged four-cylinder boxer engine pumping out an incredible 465 horsepower at 8600 rpm and revving to a 9000-rpm redline.
Astonishingly, there is no volume-production roadster on sale in the U.S. can top the featherweight WRX2200's power-to-weight ratio: even the yet-to-be-released Viper with 500 ponies under the hood can't touch this car. Best news of all is the expected price: $37,000, to which dealers are limited from the factory from charging more than. Please, stop drooling.
Think of it this way, you will have saved $963,000 buying this car instead of a McLaren F1. So now, you can afford the garage to park this incredible machine in.
Subaru and Honda used some serious teamwork when coming up with an engine that would blow away the competition. Of course, the Honda engineers thought that V-tec and a high redline were the way to go, while the Subaru side voted more for there twin-turbo setup ala the Blitzen. So what to do...... If you can't beat 'em, join 'em. Yes, you heard us right, this bad-boy has a 9000rpm redline combined with sequential twin-turbos pumping out 17psi of boost. While it isn't unheard of for a Subaru engine to pump out 285ft/lb of torque, it is a slight departure from the norm to do it over 8000rpm. That's the beauty of this setup. By achieving high horsepower numbers through higher rpm's and not through gobs of torque, the engineers could use lighter driveshafts and a variant of the lightweight S2000 tranny, which only had to be beefed up slightly to handle the extra power.
The small, rev-happy engine creates a unique driving experience. The elevated redline forces you to retune your ears to the proper shift point. Since few of us are used to the sound of an engine screaming away at 8900 rpm, we had to watch the tachometer for the first few shifts to avoid short shifting. At engine speeds below 5000 rpm, one can hear and enjoy the burbling exhaust note. At more than 6000 rpm, the beast comes alive, and you wonder if you should have picked up some hearing protection (really, we're not kidding).
Considering the high redline, it's no surprise that you have to rev this thing--a lot--to keep it moving. This is not a problem since there's zero engine vibration felt in the cabin, the tranny has six gears dedicated to keeping the engine spinning, and the shifter feels oh-so-sports-car perfect. All that revving exacts a penalty in cabin noise, however; wide-open-throttle acceleration is good for 97 dBA, topping even an F355 spider's 89-dBA shriek.
As with most high-strung motors, the WRX2200's engine lacks low-end grunt, so it must be revved hard at launch during acceleration testing. The situation is a little better than then stock S2000, since the first turbo is spooled to 8psi by a meager 2500 rpm, but the real fun doesn't kick in until the V-tec and second turbo get under way around 5000 rpm. Put about 6000 rpms on the tach and drop the clutch to watch one of the most uneventful launches in history. As mentioned above, the WRX2200 is equipped with Subaru's legendary All-Wheel-Drive system, and might we say, it is beautiful. With a slight chirp of the tires, the WRX2200 pulls hard through every gear, making consistent low 12's through the quarter mile. Maybe if the gas tank wasn't so full, the car would have pulled a high 11. We're sure to test this car again.
Although it's nice to have a powerful car, true sports-car nuts like a lusty engine because it gets the car to the next corner quicker. Honda didn't skimp on the S2000's handling, and the WRX2200 shows that fact. Other than some minor adjustments and tweaks, the chassis is almost all stock S2000 (albeit, shorn in 245/45 and 275/40 rubber front and back, respectively). Its highly rigid frame uses a large-cross-section center tunnel for rigidity and provides a firm foundation for the all-control-arm suspension. (We didn't notice a hint of cowl shake over bumps.)
Page 2 of 2
The chassis tuning is nearly perfect, and the weight distribution rounds to an ideal 50/50. The tires always feel precisely planted. The car communicates a clear picture of what's happening at the contact patch, and as in most Hondas, we could use every last ounce of the 0.99 g of lateral grip with complete confidence. The WRX2200 takes a definite set in corners, but it never feels stuck in one position. It's always ready to change direction yet tracks arrow straight when asked. The ride is firm but not harsh. The tail stays well planted--but be judicious in your use of throttle, so much power is on tap that the car can be made to rotate very easily. The best part is the 4 wheel drifts that are so easy to induce.
The brakes only enhance the WRX2200 confidence-inspiring nature. They're strong, REAL STRONG--stops from 70 mph required only 130 feet, we'll let you try to find a car that stops faster.. Even better, the brake pedal feels firm, and the WRX2200 doesn't do a nose dive when braking hard. The only downside to these brakes is going to be the cost of replacing the 13.5" slotted, drilled, vented Brembo rotors and the pads that fit their 6 pot calipers. There's plenty of legroom, even for six-footers. There's a dead pedal for your left foot and enough room in the pedal box to allow unhampered footwork. And thanks to the engineers this time for the cloth top. Not only is it manually operated, but it can be completely removed for weight saving purposes. It's amazing to see the things done to keep the weight down even with the addition of the All-Wheel-Drive system. Note: this car only packs on 50 more pounds than a stock S2000, but adds 225 more ponies.
There are still a few sports-car vices that will always be a part of the roadster formula. Storage space is at a minimum. There's no glove or pockets. All of the areas of storage for the WRX2200 have been replaced with aluminum panels, once again due to weight. The trunk holds only six cubic feet of stuff (slightly bigger now due to a lack of a spare), a bit more than a Miata's. But who cares? You want storage space, get a Honda Odyssey.
And now for the astonishing announcement from the factory. Every WRX2200 will come with a choice of Rally or Road Race suspension and tire package. The Rally version includes larger and stronger control arms, shocks, springs and wheels while the Road Race equipment is lighter weight, but not useful off-road.
Will there ever be another car that has all of these capabilities? We sure hope so! Maybe we'll see the Twin Turbo Viper Evolution VX make it on the streets if the WRX2200 lights the fire beneath Mitsubishi and Dodge.
The WRX2200 comes in your choice of colors, as long as it is Blue. There is no optional equipment, but everything you'll ever want in a roadster is here. Note, however, a CD player, cruise control, keyless entry, and all other frilly things have been removed, but we promise you won't miss them. Subaru plans to make only 5000 WRX2200s for the U.S. each year, so go ahead an contact your dealer now. The line is already forming.
Subaru WRX2200
Vehicle type: front-engine, all-wheel-drive, 2-passenger, 2-door roadster
Estimated base price: $37,000
Major standard accessories: power steering, Electric compressor-removable A/C unit
Sound system: Bring a walkman along.
ENGINE
Type. . . . . . . . . . . . 4 -Horizontally opposed, aluminum block and head
Bore x stroke. . . . . . . . . . .3.73 x 3.30 in, 87.0 x 84.0mm
Displacement. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136 cu in, 2197cc
Compression ratio. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8.5:1
Engine-control system. . . . . . . . . .Subaru PGM-FI with port fuel injection
Emissions controls. . . . . 3-way high flow catalytic converter, feedback air-fuel-ratio control, EGR, auxiliary air pump
Valve gear. . . . .chain- and gear-driven double overhead cams, 4 valves per cylinder, variable intake- and exhaust-valve timing and lift
Power (SAE net). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 465 bhp @ 8300 rpm
Torque (SAE net). . . . . . . . . . . . . .285 lb-ft @ 7800 rpm
Redline. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9000 rpm
DRIVETRAIN
Transmission. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6-speed manual
Layout. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Subaru Electronically Controlled All-Wheel-Drive
[This message has been edited by Sig (edited 28 June 2002).]
[This message has been edited by Sig (edited 28 June 2002).]
