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Aardvark Automotive 2000
Impreza & Forester Information
The most interesting snipit of informationI found was the availability of a FOUR DOOR Impreza RS! Early Impreza & New Forester 2001Information
The regular Impreza L series remain as they were in 1999. Both the 2 and 4 door RS get limited slip differentials, new silver alloy wheels and cruise control. That last item should go over real big with rally drivers! Sure, set it at 160 and forget it!
The Outback wagon gets the STI look, with both upper and mid level rear spoilers.
The Forester L gets cruise control.
The Forester S gets a limited slip differential and a driver's side wiper fin.
It appears the 2000 (August 1999) Impreza and Forester will just be interim models. New models will start arriving in February 2000 as early intro 2001's. They both get sheet metal changes and we'll finally get a 2.0L turbo WRX . Look for it to be similar to the European version at about 205+ hp.
I am receiving a lot of email about turbos, will it, won't it, should I, etc etc. I don't have all the answers ....yet! I was assured, by people close enough to the product to know, that the turbo is coming and I for one believe it. The question is when, and there I received some conflictiing answers. I was told, at first, that the Impreza turbo would arrive with the model change over in February 2000 as a mid year intro 2001. Later I was notified that it may be a full 12 months (August 2000) before we see it.
Those of us who are getting Subaru info from off shore sites are in for a real drought. Subaru USA as well as Fuji are aware that too much information is being made available on the internet and new information, about upcoming products etc, is becoming harder and harder to come by.
On the Impreza accessory front we are starting to see some useful stuff. New for 2000 is a real gauge pack that replaces the center storage compartment on top of the dash. The three gauges are white faced with red needles and show vacuum, voltage and oil tempetrature. It's sold as a two part system with the beige (Forester?) or gray housing being sold or ordered seperately.
There is a bright red strut bracecoming as well as a carbon fiber shift knob (5 speed), brake handle and center planel trim kit. These accessories will all be available in a couple of months or so (Nov/Dec). Don't even bother asking your dealer for them until then!
I just got hold of some 4 door RS photos! The relevent changes from last year's 2 door and new for 2000 on both are: The 4 door itself. Thelower spoiler for the sedan, the 2 door retains the higher one. The new alloy wheel. The interior appears darker than last year, but for some reason the mats seem lighter!
What a let down! I know most people who read these pages are more interested in the Impreza as opposed to the Forester, but now that I have the 2001 Forester specs I can only hope that there is going to be a model divergence between these two. The dimentions are virtually indentical between the 2000 and 2001 Forester models! The only difference is in head room with the new moonroof.The only other changes are, paint schemes and some internal/external accessory options, that's it!
I do have 2001 Forester pricing and there are some Subaru low financing rates on the left over 2000's.
Regardless of model the exterior/interior color combinations are still predetermined at the factory. They are Blue/Gray, Gold/Gray, Silver/Gray, Black/Gray, Green/Beige and Red/Beige.
The 4 monotone colors (red, white, black and silver) are ONLY available for the S in combination with a new premium package. This package includes a (very large) moonroof, gold accent alloy wheels and side air bags.
New standard features for the L:
New (chrome) grille, same as the S.- Pull out front dual cup holder.- Re-designed head and tail lights.-
Rear seats have 3 point seat belts, 3 headrests, 60/40 fold down and no longer recline. - Tachometer has outside temperature gauge.-
In-glass radio antenna.
New standard features for the S:
New grill design - Re-designed head and tail lights.- New alloy wheel design. (rounded spokes) - Pull out front dual cup holder.-
Rear seats have 3 point seat belts, 3 headrests and 60/40 fold down.- Tachometer with outside temperature gauge. - Remote keyless entry.- AM/FM Cassette with 6-Disc in-dash CD changer. - Body colored outside mirrors. - Leather wrapped steering wheel, shift knob and brake handle.
New "port" installed options for all models. (Available March/April 2000)
(Only the new options are listed all the others, except compass gauge which is discontinued, remain unchanged.)
Auto-dimming rear view mirror with compass. - "Performance gauge pack (replaces compass pack). Black face, vacuum, volt and oil gauges". - 6-Disc in-dash CD changer. (L only) - Painted rear spoiler. - Fender flares (unpainted black) .- "Sport grille (looks like a Lincoln Navigator!)". Options in "quotation marks" may not actually exist even though they are listed in the brochure.
As far as I can tell that's the whole deal. If what you are looking or hoping for is not mentioned, then it hasn't changed from the 2000 model.
