Subaru to withdraw from World Rally Championship

[Street Road Laino]

Subaru to withdraw from World Rally Championship

December 16, 2008 JAPAN'S Fuji Heavy Industries, the maker of Subaru cars, said it would withdraw from the world rally championship at the end of the 2008 season because of the global financial crisis.

"Our business environment has rapidly deteriorated. In order to protect the Subaru brand we were forced to make this decision," Fuji Heavy President Ikuo Mori told a press conference.

Mori fought back tears as he announced the decision at a press conference here, thanking Subaru fans.

He cited the global economic slump and falling car sales as major reasons.

The company had already decided to pull out of the rally at the end of 2009 but brought forward the timing due to the severity of the business environment, he said.

The announcement came a day after Suzuki said it would not compete in the 2009 world rally championship largely because of the present financial crisis.

Their exit follows the shock withdrawal of Honda from Formula One earlier this month.

Agence France-Presse

http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,...-23770,00.html

[Nevermind]

Big news.............

[Jeev]

If the new WRX wasn't so shyte they may have held off for the extra year. They only have themselves to blame, but it is a shame because I love WRC.

[Wardski]

Not surprising really

Subaru have really lost the plot... And I mean in a big way... The WRX platform was, and has always been built off the back of the tried and tested WRC platform. This is how they marketed the Imprezza WRX to potential buyers and die hard fans...

With no representation in the WRC I am guessing this is the begining of the end of Subie's "cult" factor...

In this regard, I really wish I could time warp back to the late 1990's and grab me one of those 1999-2000 WRX's before they butchered the beast into a fking "off to church" sunday drivers dream...

Fking wankers

[PaulG]

I really wish I could time warp back to the late 1990's and grab me one of those 1999-2000 WRX's

2 door sti FTW

[Jeev]

It's all about the Litchfield Type−25

[Nevermind]

Thats certainly the best looking Impreza this side of the century

[Jeev]

Not only the best looking, but it's one of the best performing too Go to the Type 25 website and read the numbers. That car might look a little on the stock side, but they build it from the ground up.

[YOUTUBE]QvyFbcZH-mU[/YOUTUBE]

[Street Road Laino]

will be interesting to see who else pulls out of motorsport. Wonder if any of the superbikes or MotoGP vendors are having problems??

[Nevermind]

Holden out of the V8 Supercars, replaced by Lexus/Toyota?