I'm sure they are going back to WRC there isn't really any reason for them to be building the new "World" engine if they aren't.
Yes 1.6 liter displacement limit. It may have to be direct injection I can't remember its been a while since I read the requirements and a quick search got me nothing.
The rumor mill has spinning the WRC return since it leaked the next STi (in 2014) would have a 1.6L which is current WRC spec. Should be a shorter wheelbase hatch too if that is true. I didn't realize WRC forced the inline 4. Wtf? Limiting displacement wasnt enough? That sucks.
Uh, didn't the FIA mandate that all WRC entrants had to run an inline 4? I know that a few years ago that was something they wanted to do and Subaru was against it.
Nice marketing video, I'm not getting excited until I hear an official announcement regarding a return to WRC for Subaru.
doubt any of these guys are capable of running WRC. and like was said before that would require them to develop an entirely new engine platform.
I totally agree none of these guys will be in WRC. What I was saying is the only announcement I am personally interested in is when they announce the new STi with a 1.6L and a return to WRC. Search around there have been rumors about the new STi in 2014 having a 1.6L and is part of the reason(supposedly) they were separating the impreza from the STi going forward. If they are going to be competitive in a return to WRC the new STi would need to be a short wheel base hatch. Unfortunately, all I can find now is saying it will be a 2.0L for 2014 :-( . I REALLY want to believe the rumor mill. I'll keep searching and post up if I find something more interesting. Although the renderings do look like a short wheelbase hatch.... just has .4L more displacement than what WRC allows. Here you go this was the article that got me excited about this: http://www.motortrend.com/future/future_vehicles/1107_subaru_wrx_to_go_its_own_way/
I read a rumor today that the next WRX/STI will have an electric turbo and ditch the traditional exhaust-gas powered turbo.
Superchargers run off a belt. somehow they're going to use an electric motor to spin the blades to the turbo, so the boost can potentially be an instant motion. it'll still need to build pressure, but if they can get the force out of the electric motor, it should build quickly. I'd don't know much about it. But the announcement it totally the about their Puma Sponsorship. "... we let the CAT out of the bag..."
I doubt the new sti will be a 1.6 liter. They may build a limited run of special editions to get around the homiligation rules though.
Yeah, you will see a limited edition to get homiligation and then the US model will have a 2-2.5L engine in it.
The definition of a turbocharger is a turbine turned by exhaust gases. If anything, what you explained is more like a supercharger that isnt belt driven.
Fair enough. Like I said, I know little about it. Here's the link to the article. http://tinyurl.com/bskpatb
http://www.topspeed.com/cars/car-news/bmw-files-patent-for-electric-powered-turbocharger-tri-turbo-m3-still-a-possibility-ar119350.html This is not the first time I have heard of an electronic turbo. BMW filed a patent for one of those awhile back and it sparked some rumors of a tri-turbo M3. If Subaru is thinking about doing something like the BMW patent describes it is actually an honest to god turbo just with an electronic assist for better spool. The compressor and the turbine of the turbo are each on an individual clutch so they can engage/disengage independently. So if I understand this correctly, under no load conditions both clutches are open. Once there driver hits the gas, the compressor side will engage and will be driven by the electric motor. Then there will be some transition period where the turbine side will start to engage and the turbo will be driven by both the exhaust gasses and the electric motor. Once the turbo is at design RPM, the turbo is being driven solely by exhaust gasses, and electric motor in the turbo actually acts as an electric generator. So basically it is like an electronic/exhaust gas hybrid turbo. The Prius of turbos! Its a really cool idea... except this will make turbo upgrades a whole lot more expensive and tuning a whole lot more complicated.