Free stuff and lower list price on Impreza

I’ve mentioned Subaru a couple of times in recent weeks because of its eagerly anticipated joint venture with Cosworth. More on that in due course when the car is finally revealed. But there’s another reason to plug the Japanese brand, because if you’ve been considering an Impreza WRX or STI Type UK there’s never been a better time to buy one. Why? Dealers are offering upgrades worth more than £3k for nothing. The free stuff includes a Prodrive Performance Pack, which makes the car quicker off the line. The WRX will now hit 62mph in 5.9 seconds instead of 6.5, and the STI’s posted time is down from 5.2 seconds to 4.8. You’ll also get new 18-inch alloys and tyres which are just about visible in the picture (above). And if all that was tantalising enough, the firm has actually cut the list price of the cars by £95. They now start from £18,995.

Uber-hot Volvo C30

The Gothenburg Motor Show in Sweden isn’t exactly premier league, but the two local brands usually make an effort and unveil something interesting. With Saab off the radar for the time-being Volvo was the star turn – and took the wraps off this beastie (above). It’s the work of Polestar Performance, the enthusiasts behind the firm's championship-winning Swedish Touring Car Championship team, and is based on the C30. Called the Performance Concept Prototype, this is a 400bhp all-wheel drive road-going version of the STCC race car. In short, it’s what happens when engineers and designers get free-rein to create something interesting, rather than having to work to specific race regulations. Power comes from Volvo’s 2.5-litre five-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine, with larger intercooler and various modified components. Inside there are leather-clad race seats and four-point motorsport harnesses. But do you want to know the really good news? I’m driving it next month, and will be blogging about it here.

SEAT Ibiza FR - the thinking man's hot hatch

Been driving a new hot hatch supermini from SEAT, and very good it is, too. Diesels account for about one per cent of UK supermini sales, but for the SEAT Ibiza it’s about nine per cent. What that means is that the all-new Ibiza FR TDI (above), isn’t a niche product but a mainstream one. With a 143bhp 2.0-litre TDI powerplant mated to a six-speed manual gearbox, it’s available as a three or five-door model for extra practicality. It will hit 60mph in eight seconds, yet still returns more than 60mph fuel economy. What’s more, as it’s only pumping out 123g/km of CO2 it’s exempt from the Government’s new ‘showroom tax’. SEAT bosses say this is the car that proves you can have your cake and eat it when it comes to buying a sporty new supermini. I have to say I’m convinced; with fuel costs as they are, buying a 1.4-litre petrol Ibiza FR that offers 44.8mpg, or the new diesel that does a third more miles to a tank, is a no-brainer. This year more and more people are going to figure that out.

Chevrolet sets a new record

You’ve got to take your hat off to Chevrolet. Its cars might not be the best on the planet – the Spark city runabout and Aveo supermini are good examples of decent-ish cars eclipsed by better rivals – but it does like a good PR stunt. Witness the Spark DJ, a vehicle which can be turned on its side so its wheels can be used as turntables. It’s labelled the bizarre sight (above), ‘the world’s biggest record player and the most mobile of mobile discos’. Power for the record players, CD deck and mixing desk comes from the engine’s motor, which presumably means it still works when the car on its side. It’s been created by a team of Buckinghamshire engineers and will take centre stage at a number of gigs by indie-band The Mystery Jets later this month. A public vote will determine where those will be. You can find out more at www.sparkunscheduled.co.uk and see a short video of the car at www.youtube.com/sparktour.

Zenvo, Denmark's first supercar

My guess is you’ve never heard of a company called Zenvo. I’m happy to 
admit I hadn’t either. But it is Denmark’s first supercar maker, and 
above is the rather delicious result of its efforts in the five years 
since launch. The ST1 apparently made its world debut at the Le Mans 
24 Hour race last summer, but I was there and never heard a thing about it.
The car is powered by a 7.0-litre V8 engine and delivers more than 1,100bhp
to the rear wheels via a six-speed manual transmission. Yes, I know. That’s
quite a lot of horses isn’t it? Carbon fibre has been used extensively to keep
the weight down to under 1,400kg, and that coupled with the outrageous
power – more than a Bugatti Veyron – means a 0-60mph time of three seconds.
Top speed is said to be 233mph. Not surprisingly, this isn’t the price of your 
average volume brand hot hatch. €800,000 (£700,000) is what it cost you to own
one at ST1, and you’ll have to be quick because production is restricted to just 15 cars. How the other half live, eh?

Scooby & Cossie - more details

I wrote on 15 February about one of the most eagerly anticipated
automotive collaborations in recent times – Subaru and Cosworth
joining forces for a special edition Impreza – and more details have
now been announced. It’s called the Cosworth Impreza STI CS400 and
it goes on sale from June. Fans are going to have to be quick, though.
Only 75 are being built, and there’s no word on pricing yet – or anything
more than teaser images of the car. Pictured above is the lower front grille.
Power over the standard Impreza STi is up by 100bhp, to 395bhp,allowing
the newcomer to hit 62mph in just 3.7 seconds. Not surprisingly, there’s a
bespoke brake package – with six-pot callipers and 355mm discs at the front –
developed in partnership with Coventry-based AP Racing. The car will also
feature a wide range of upgrades, with suspension and exhaust all revamped
to cope with the extra power and mark the car out from the crowd.

Drift away!

I’ve been chatting with a young man called Pete Barber this week, a hotshot in the world of drifting. He will be competing in the 2010 European Drift Championship (EDC) and the season kicks off on 24 April at Oulton Park circuit, Cheshire. Pete, 24, was third in last year’s EDC and with a reworked car he’s aiming for the top spot this year. Drifting is the art of going sideways for a long time and being judged on your performance, and Pete and his 540bhp Mazda RX-7 (above), are a very determined duo. They’re sponsored by performance, modified and imported car insurance broker Swinton Specialist. If you’re a motorsport fan and have never been to a drift meet, I would urge you to go. It’s pretty spectacular to see and the EDC is visiting Knockhill, Brands Hatch, Cadwell Park and Snetterton between now and October. The skill level involved is mightily impressive – I know because I’ve tried (and failed) to do it myself! For more information visit www.europeandriftchampionship.eu

Final edition Focus RS unveiled

The Ford Focus RS is one the UK’s best loved hot hatches, and a new ‘final edition’ is about to cement its position even further. Pictured is the RS500, and if you thought 300bhp through the front wheels was a lot, this brute has got even more. In case you were wondering, it’s not 500bhp – that’s the number of cars that are being sold across Europe, 101 of which are coming to the UK. Power from the same 2.5-litre five-cylinder petrol engine that’s in the standard RS is up to 350bhp, with a host of technical upgrades to improve breathing and combustion. Personally I think the best thing about this car is the paint job; the matt black and matching 19-inch alloys are like nothing else Ford has ever done, and really set the car apart from the crowd. The RS has been a big hit for Ford right across Europe. Bosses orginally expected to sell about 8,000 but when production ends later this year it will be nearer 11,000. Want to own one of these special editions, each of which comes with a numbered plaque on the centre console? Visit www.focusrs500.com for details.

Big stars shine on Touring Car grid

There’s been a couple of big announcements from the British Touring Car Championships in the last few days which I know fans will be excited about. This series is all about the personalities involved, and there are none bigger than former champions Jason Plato and Matt Neal. Plato, who will be back with a new series of Fifth Gear very soon, has signed for the manufacturer-backed Chevrolet team (above). He will be supported by rookie Alex MacDowall – at 19, a massive 23 years younger than Plato – and the pair will each be behind the wheel of a Cruze. Meanwhile, Honda has revealed Civic-driving Neal and partner Gordon Shedden will be involved in some unique pre-race activity. One Honda dealer near to each race circuit will be staging a special ‘Question of Motorsport Live’ event with the drivers as team captains. I’ve attended one before with Button and Barrichello as leaders, and while they got pretty competitive it was also good fun. You can find out how to attend at www.honda.co.uk/btcc from today, and there’s also a chance to win a Civic Type R Mugen, the car I was testing when I started this blog on 9 November last year. Have a look in the archive to see what a great prize it will be.