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Update: The old forum is now located here: http://www.mackaywrx.com/forum2 if you wish to view the old information.

Once you have signed up again you can start posting on the new forum: http://www.mackaywrx.com/forum, I am in the process of moving most of the important information across to the new forum.

Riding on the success of the first Gymkhana Practice video that grabbed the attention of over 20 million viewers worldwide, the Gymkhana TWO video takes infomercials to the next level. Unlike other infomercials, this one sells the products with great action, cinematography, and a dramatic driving performance—and, no stereotypical cheesy informercial pitchman!

Produced specifically to market Blocks first-ever Rally TeamWorks Collection, the new video is filled with great driving stunts, surprises, explosions, and a guest appearance from DC team rider, Rob Dyrdek. Filmed at the Port of Los Angeles, expect non-stop motor sport eye-candy as Block hits the all-new course in a custom tuned, high performance, and brand-new Subaru Impreza WRX STI. Visit dcshoes.com/gymkhanatwo for more photos and info on the high-performance video and Blocks complete Teamworks Collection.

Lars Martensson’s Subaru Impreza WRX STI concept – click above for a high-res gallery

It’s fair to say that Subaru has enjoyed a run of strong product in recent years, as well as an exponential credibility increase in enthusiast’s eyes, essentially ever since the automaker began shipping over the Impreza WRX back in 2001. Those considerable achievements aside, it’s likewise fair to say that Subaru has yet to well-and-truly crack the aesthetics portion of the modern carbuilding equation, having produced some daring (if ungainly) entries like the origina B9 Tribeca and a series of aggressive yet unpretty Impreza variants. And while we applaud originality, we think the folks at Fuji Heavy Industries could use a consistent design force, a man (or woman) with a mission that’s out in the public eye as something of a known quantity. Think: General Motors’ Ed Welburn, former Mazda-turned-Tesla wunderkind Franz von Holzhausen, former BMW lightning rod Chris Bangle, etc.

All of this is not to say that the man behind the WRX STI rally car renderings shown here has the answers, and these images come courtesy of one Lars Martensson (apparently better known on the interwebs by his handle ‘GRID)’, a man who spends his days crafting 3D renderings for videogames (Rallisport Challenge 2 for xBox, Battlefield 2 for PC). To us, this Swede has a handle on what the STI needs to be: Squat, mean, and purposeful. Okay, so perhaps the cut-down greenhouse wouldn’t leave much room for taller folks (much less a helmet), but if one of these were parked in our driveway, well… we’d happily squat a little.

Subaru has announced its participation in the 37th ADAC Zurich 24-Hour Race (AKA the 24-Hours of Nurburgring) with a Subaru Technica International-modified Impreza STI. The WRX will be campaigning in the SP3T class (comprised of turbo’d cars with a displacement of 2.0 liters), with Kazuo Shimizu, Toshihiro Yoshida, Naoki Hattori and Koji Matsuda manning the helm during the enduro.

According to Subaru, the team’s objective is to “collect data and verify technical know-how” and use the knowledge it gleans from the race to improve the STI’s development. The modifications are standard race-car fare, with a stripped interior and safety equipment, along with a number of body stiffening components and a “Flexible Tower Bar.”

Subaru’s set up a micro-site to track the team’s progress and will supposedly have live timing and results when the event gets underway in May. Press release in the forums.

The Rebel Alliance vehicle seen above was apparently spotted at Guardsman Pass in Utah: a Subaru Impreza WRX rolling on a mighty set of treads wearing Ken Block’s number and sponsorship paintjob. We have no idea how, why, or where he acquired such a vehicle, but we do know this much: Ken Block gets to have a lot more fun than the rest of us.

The car pictured above is the Prodrive Impreza WRC2008 with which former World Rally Champion Marcus Gronholm will return to the WRC for a one-off race at the Rally of Portugal. Gronholm will test the Impreza in Wales this week, before undertaking a full two day pre-event test in Spain next week. This means the two-time World Rally Champion will have three days to familiarize himself with the race car before starting his first World Rally Championship event in nearly 16 months.

According to Prodrive, the Impreza WRC2008 is virtually identical to the car used by the Subaru World Rally Team at last season’s WRC. “We have only been able to make minor changes to the car because of homologation restrictions, with the most significant difference being the Ohlins dampers,” said Prodrive technical director, David Lapworth. “In a perfect world, Marcus would have had far more time behind the wheel, however, with his years of experience, I am absolutely confident he will very quickly find a rhythm in the Impreza,” he concluded.

The very first Subaru Impreza World Rally Car (WRC), a 1997 model with chassis number PRO-WRC-97-001 has been put up for sale by the Japanese firm’s official partner in the WRC (before its decision to withdraw from the sport late last year, that is), Prodrive. The two-door Impreza WRC was the very first car built under the new WRC regulations introduced in 1997 and during that season, the chassis was used by the late Colin McRae, Pierro Liatti and Kenneth Erikkson before being rebuilt and sold to a Prodrive customer in 1998.

The rally-prepped Impreza has been fully restored to its original condition by McKinstry Motorsport in Ireland and liveried as it was at the Rally of Finland in 1997. And now the answer to the question we’re sure that all you Subie fans are dying to know; how much? Well, the car carries a price tag of £85,000 which come to around $123,000 U.S. or €96,500 with today’s exchange rates.

And if the ‘97 Impreza isn’t your cup of coffee, Prodrive has also put up for grabs another seven former works Impreza World Rally Cars and 17 Prodrive Impreza Group Ns via its new site. Prices range from £50,000 ($72,000 U.S. or €56,700) for a 2005 Prodrive Impreza Group N to nearly £350,000 ($504,00 U.S. or € 397,000) for an early 2008 specification Impreza WRC.

Toyoda told the assembled masses that the new FR sports car is an essential part of the automaker’s “rejuvenation” efforts to bring younger people into the fold, and a large part of that is price. The coupe is still expected to cost around 2,000,000 yen (a little over $21,000 US) and is set to go on sale in 2012. According to Toyoda, the production postponement has nothing to do with the delay in construction of the Toyota/Subaru factory, where the two-door was due to be built next year. Instead, Toyoda claims that the hold up is due to the adaption of Toyota’s new D-4S direct injection system for the flat-four engine. Currently, the FR sports car is codenamed “086A,” and for those of you schooled in the world of Hachirokus, that spells good things to come.

[Source: 7Tune | Image: Holiday Auto (colored by AB)]

Click above for high-res gallery of the Subaru Travis Pastrana Impreza WRX STI

Tucked away in a corner of McCormick Place was this custom WRX STI built in as part of a cooperative effort between Subaru and Travis Pastrana’s race team, Vermont SportsCar. The car commemorates Pastrana’s third consecutive Rally America National Championship, and although a one-off, many of the parts on the car can be purchased through your local authorized Subaru dealer.

The exterior features custom yellow paint, a carbon fiber hood and rear spoiler, front chin spoiler, and a set of PIAA 2100 HID driving lights. Handling is improved thanks to an SPT strut tower brace, lower chassis brace, and BFGoodrich G-Force Super Sport A/S tires wrapped over satin black Work Evolution XD-9 wheels.

Under the hood, the 2.5-liter boxer engine gets an upgraded ECU and custom downpipe, while the interior now sports custom blue Alcantara seats with yellow piping, short-throw shifter, Kicker sound system and… an XBox 360.

The $128m Forgan Bridge Project is the most significant project for the Mackay region since the duplication of Ron Camm Bridge and includes the replacement of the existing bridge with a new four lane structure, replacement of Barnes Creek Bridge and upgrading of the Kooyong Intersection.

Proposed Traffic Changes

The following changes will be made for the Mackay CBD Area:

Removal of traffic signals from the River Street/Sydney Street intersection

No access onto Forgan Bridge from Sydney Street (u-turn facility provided for local traffic)

Modification of various River Street intersections for safety and efficiency purposes including:

- Roundabout at Macalister Street intersection

- Protected right turn from Gregory Street

- Restricted left-in/left-out at Wood Street.

Closure of west bound lane on Victoria Street at Macalister Street intersection (u-turn facility

provided for local traffic)

Single lane exit from Forgan Bridge into Sydney Street and River Street Benefits

Continuous traffic flow on and off Forgan Bridge

Avoids the need for frequent traffic changes

Improves safety and efficiency for the travelling public and project construction

Head to the Forums for the traffic changes map.