I do think the WRX getting an update is a big deal. Before the WRX update I was all Ralliart, and now that WRX has 265 hp I am seriously thinking of the WRX. All I am waiting for is the WRX's official MSRP, which is speculated at $25K.

 

I guess it's just a matter of opinion, I think the Ralliart is vastly superior style wise, and I'm not too worried about the 28 extra hp the WRX gained on the Ralliart since I doubt mine will be stock for long. The Ralliart still has more torque than the 09 WRX 253 to 244.

 

I am with you on the Ralliart's styling superiority. That's were I am torn between them. But like I said if the WRX's speculated MSRP is right, hell a bit more modding with this car and you are in EVO/STI turf, of course without EVO SAWC. Still that's a huge bang for the buck. If only Mitsu had the ralliart with a manual.

 

Sorry c/a, I was talking price. A fully loaded WRX w/nav will *probably* cost more than the Ralliart w/ Recaro Pkg...

The WRX, save its looks, is a lot of bang for the buck, if all of the hoohaa is true. The RA, for the most part, is too. Dual clutch AND AWD AND turbo is insane for the starting price. I wish the amenities would come standard, but if you compare this to an '09 GTI $<>$, the RA is a steal...

 

Also, you are assuming that the RA power is correct. As seen with the EVO the factory numbers have been a little less than actual power so don't be surprised if the power is more right out of the box. The extra torque is what matters on the street anyway, not horsepower. So the RA has an edge and it is highest at a very street friendly 3k RPM. Evo is about 4400 so I have seen some reviewers say that the RA is really fun in city traffic compared to all out EVO. Just some thoughts. Also, I think it will be easy to edge up the RA performance.

 

I drove a GTI today for the first time. I can only hope the RA feels that good on the road.

 

I know this may sound really newb.. but what is the difference between torque and hp?

 

Engines don’t make horsepower; they convert fuel into torque. Torque is the twisting force imparted to the crank flange and then transmitted to the transmission and the rest of the drivetrain. To some degree torque is the grunt that gets things moving, and horsepower is the force that keeps things moving. An engine is most efficient at its torque peak, wherever that happens to occur. Below the torque peak, engines generally have more than enough time to fill the cylinders; above the torque peak, they don’t have enough time to completely fill the cylinders. This is generally beneficial in that it lets engines produce most of the desirable grunt work (torque) at lower engine speeds, which means reduced wear-and-tear and better fuel economy. The ability to extend an engine’s speed-range allows it to stretch that torque curve out farther, provided that the high-speed efficiency is there to make horsepower.

 

LOL. I owned an '06 GTI for a year. It had suspension work,muffler delete, and wider rims. The DSG made my commuting life bearable, and my auto-x/track duties fun. I really enjoyed that car, and enjoyed the 34 mpg + I managed on road trips (no joke!!). I averaged 26.9 mpg for that year over 14K miles. It was getting better and better every fill up. I did not like the FWD, nor the trips to the dealership for a number of reasons, so I got a Forester.

I can't wait to drive the RA with the SST/AWD/torquey turbo. The MR was fun to drive, but a little out of my price range. I love hatches, so the sportback is just about perfect IF the RA can deliver.

 

Yeah, I'd like an MR myself, but it's way outside my range. I figure the RA should have most of what I liked about the GTI, so we'll see.

One thing we definitely won't see on the Ralliart though...the GTI apparently makes full torque from 1800rpm (Google). I couldn't catch that thing out of it's powerband in 15 miles of driving.

 

That's the benefit of direct injection and a small turbo. My brother has an A3 S-Line with the V6/dsg combo and a GTI with the 2.0L/dsg actually feels faster. GTI's are IMO better cars than the MS3 but the electrical gremlins that plauge VW's can get annoying.

The Ralliart will have more aftermarket HP potential due to a more robust engine, simpler fuel injection system and bigger turbo.

 

We shall see. Any increase in power will yield great increases in torque, and the SST is the weak link there. I'm willing to settle for just 325 AWTRQ and 300 AWHP, though...

 

Yup... and mitsu is not know for respsonding quickly to market changes... oir for pricing things properly. The SST hype alone will not sell this car over the WRX! but i suspect that is exactly what mitsu will try to do...

 

OK so which is it??? one minute i hear folks saying the R32 VW top GOLF is slow then i hear that the GTI is fast even though it is "below" the R32???!?!?

 

The R32 had a 2008 base price of nearly $33,000. The GTI had a base price of just under $24,000 for a 2-door with DSG. The R32 is supposedly about 0.4s faster to 60, which isn't very convincing for $9,000. The GTI is pretty quick for the price, but as far as raw numbers on stock cars, the R32 is definitely faster. The GTI is fairly quick for what it costs -- I think that's the idea being expressed.