Clarkson Lays into New Subaru WRX STI

aDam January 21st, 2008 2:41 PM Link

For sure he’s right that the car is ugly!

Zelman January 21st, 2008 2:52 PM Link

it looks like the corolla matrix wearing rally gear.. horrible rally gear.

Jason January 21st, 2008 3:13 PM Link

It looks like a Daewoo with a bargain bin body kit. The previous generation could never have been called ‘handsome’, but at least it had attitude and you’d recognize it on the road!

chris mich January 21st, 2008 3:36 PM Link

The new WRX STi may be ugly, but I’d still drive one in a heartbeat.

For this type of car, it would just be bonus points if it looked pretty.

Jason January 21st, 2008 3:43 PM Link

Yeah, but I won’t go on a blind date with someone best described as having a “great personality”, either - it’s the whole package that matters.

Chris January 21st, 2008 3:55 PM Link

I’ve seen them in person and it’s not as bad as I thought it was. It definitly needs the sport grill in place of the chrome thing and the bbs in my opinion are ugly for the price, but beyond those 2 easily fixed things it’s not bad. You have to like hatchbacks though, and I own a 5 door focus svt hatch so that’s why I’m liking this thing.

chartguy January 21st, 2008 4:04 PM Link

If you actually read the review, you’ll see that it’s Clarkson being Clarkson. His game is playing Howard Stern in tweed. He wants readers and viewers, and shocking some of them, making them mad, is how he gets them. His description of rally racing is a classic example. I think they’re the best drivers in the world, dealing with real roads in cars with suspension travel. The man admits to never turning the traction control off. In other words, he’s not comfortable in a slide.

He complains that the STI doesn’t have all the comfort features and sat nav gadgets that he’s become accustomed to in his high-paid position. He misses the point. The STI is the right tool for the job when you’re hustling down a dirt road, especially one that’s snow covered. Obviously, he doesn’t ever envision himself doing that. To some of us, it’s a way of life (I live on a dirt road on top of a Colorado foothill). I’ve never owned a Subaru, but the STI is something I can appreciate. It is one of the right tools for the job up here.

Jonathan Fung January 21st, 2008 5:04 PM Link

One of his more interesting comparisons in the article: “fewer toys than an Ethiopian birthday boy”

However, one thing I’ve realized over time is that, although I do enjoy Clarkson’s writing for its entertainment value, I can’t take him seriously. Now, for someone who writes with wit and keeps you entertained while still offering great insights, check out Ezra Dyer who writes for Automobile Mag. That man is a genius without the edge.

Ben January 21st, 2008 5:06 PM Link

I like Clarkson - he’s funny.

I would like to respond to chartguy about a few things. Clarkson does not shut the traction control off in normal driving situations because it doesn’t matter if it’s on or off in normal driving - not because he doesn’t like going sideways. Also, for the price the STi is going for, it should include some of the extras as standard equipment.

Ross January 21st, 2008 6:20 PM Link

Am I the only person who thinks the STi version of the new Impreza looks brilliant?! Kinda like a Delta Integrale Evo…. All wheelarches and attitude. I would certainly buy one.

Jeb January 21st, 2008 7:36 PM Link

Besides, if you get into a wreck sliding on public roads with the T/C cut off, especially in something as hoontastic as an STI, I’d bet dollars that your insurance is going to deny your claim and if someone else was involved, you might well end up in jail. Clarkson’s columns (more so than his Top Gear segments) are pretty realistically oriented toward real-world driving.

mbslrm January 21st, 2008 8:02 PM Link

chartguy: Clarkson turns off all driver aids on the track. If you watch Top Gear, you would know.

Andrew January 21st, 2008 8:23 PM Link

I have an ‘06 STi. I love it, but it most certainly is _not_ kitted out for performance rally. That’s a whole world of (quite expensive) changes. It does very well on dirt and gravel considering it’s wearing summer tires… which isn’t saying very much.

Jason January 21st, 2008 8:51 PM Link

Jonathan is right, Ezra Dyer is one of the best auto journalists out there. One of the few reasons left to actually buy a car magazine (made of paper, remember?)

southern January 21st, 2008 10:56 PM Link

I’m shocked. Shocked I tell you. Clarkson making an ass of himself? Again.
I’m shocked.

Forget the car.
It’s not a good show unless it is about him…….
If you doubt that, ask him.

chartguy January 22nd, 2008 1:03 AM Link

Ben,

Your normal driving and mine are quite different. For me, it’s hardpack snow, on top of gravel for a mile to the nearest paved road. That paved road is 4½ miles long at a 9.7% grade (Pikes Peak Hill climb is a 7½% grade). So traction control would likely be invoked before I left my driveway.

Yes, Clarkson can slide, and does in the show. That doesn’t mean he’s good at it. If you watch, it’s pretty obvious that he hasn’t a clue about weight transfer, and it’s effects.

Southern summed it up perfectly. Clarkson demands the spotlight, and will say or write whatever is required to grab that attention. That’s one reason I described him as Howard Stern in tweed. I enjoy watching and reading him, but I do NOT take him or his pronouncements seriously.

Ben January 22nd, 2008 7:16 AM Link

Ditch the summer tires.

Aaron January 22nd, 2008 8:33 AM Link

a third vote for Ezra Dyer, whom also occasionally appears in the New York Times, iirc.

I think chartguy hit it when comparing him to Stern. He seems to be creeping ever more into “shock jock” territory. Still always good for a laugh though, especially on stage with May and Hamster, though.

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