Subaru is back in rallying – signs up for the 2010 Intercontinental Rally Challenge

subaru-rally

Subaru is finally back where it belongs – rallying on the world stage. For so many of us, the default mental image of Subaru is of a blue rally Impreza with the famous yellow stars on its side, probably with McRae or Solberg kicking up some dirt. It was sad news when Subaru announced in 2008 that it would be leaving the World Rally Championship, but they are now back, not in the WRC but in the Intercontinental Rally Challenge (IRC). Parent company Fuji Heavy Industries has announced that it will register as a manufacturer for the 2010 IRC season. There won’t be a works team, but Subaru will provide customer cars and is eligible to collect points.

Organised by sports channel Eurosport, IRC seems to be gaining momentum to unseat WRC as the premier rally series, and it already has eight automakers signed up to compete next year – the Group N Impreza will be joining rivals from Abarth (Fiat), Honda, Mitsubishi, Peugeot, Skoda, Volkswagen and our very own Proton to race in legendary events such as the Safari Rally and Rally Monte-Carlo, which is the season’s curtain raiser. Be sure to mark down 19 January 2010 on your calendar!

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Danny Tan

Danny Tan loves driving as much as he loves a certain herbal meat soup, and sweet engine music as much as drum beats. He has been in the auto industry since 2006, previously filling the pages of two motoring magazines before joining this website. Enjoys detailing the experience more than the technical details.

 

Comments

  • WAH ! Me first time

    Good Luck , Subaru

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  • cpt shopalot on Dec 08, 2009 at 10:34 am

    Exciting!!!

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  • Rally Fan on Dec 08, 2009 at 10:34 am

    Very good news indeed.

    More reasons to eat/sleep motorsport again!

    This means that with Proton's attack alongside Subaru in the IRC, it is a new sheet of paper for both to make a new and lasting impression!

    Should Proton score higher than Subaru every round, by season's end the perception and brand of Proton would be a true force to be reckoned with!

    Wonder if Prodrive would make a return to develop the Subaru as well as they did for the last decade..

    Good luck to all manufacturers and hope they stay and fight big time.

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  • Mufasa on Dec 08, 2009 at 12:09 pm

    no la,,excito

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  • SKYTECH on Dec 08, 2009 at 2:15 pm

    great !! Hope can see them back in WRC soon .

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  • Knoxx on Dec 08, 2009 at 4:46 pm

    Saingan hebat!!! but i still fan of Satria Neo…

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  • littlefire on Dec 08, 2009 at 5:02 pm

    I think is due to budjet, as WRC need to travel and cost more to enter… So cheaper option is to join IRC…

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  • albagmane on Dec 08, 2009 at 5:03 pm

    wow more car makers more interesting! unlike WRC Ford vs Citroen…

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  • pulge on Dec 08, 2009 at 5:29 pm

    I wish they have a broadcast on our TV.

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  • zoolf (Member) on Dec 08, 2009 at 5:38 pm

    Yeah, they should show this on our TV. Its a must!

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  • w_lighter (Member) on Dec 08, 2009 at 5:46 pm

    wrc is just in disarray right now…. IRC is run like a cooperate company. Manufacturers are not ask to commit as much as WRC which seems to be more popular with the manufacturers

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  • Ford_GT on Dec 08, 2009 at 5:49 pm

    What did I told you folks before….they are back , even better than ever.

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  • Darius Drake on Dec 08, 2009 at 5:52 pm

    WRC is really dull at this moment – its more of a straight fight between Citroen and Ford, a rallying rivalry between the French and British really.

    The IRC has managed to attract plenty of manufacturers to take part because its main goal was always to provide an affordable gateway for international rallying aimed at encouraging more manufacturer participation, that explains why the S2000 format is the centre of the IRC's operations with an alternate FWD championship running at the same time.

    I've always been a fan of S2000 cars, so no doubt I find the IRC appealing.

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  • Ford_GT on Dec 08, 2009 at 6:05 pm

    Let's hope other former motorworks like Toyota and Suzuki back in business…maybe not in WRC but in inagural IRC event.

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  • Mysticmind on Dec 08, 2009 at 6:39 pm

    I thought Subaru getting bored when toyota bought them.

    lucky they are not (at this moment lah).

    If Proton can side by side with Subaru, then it should be best highlight and exposure for proton branding. Even more better if Proton can beat that subaru!.

    Proton can make an ads then:

    "We even beat Subaru Impreza".

    Book your limited Satria Neo S2000 limited edition at nearest proton dealers NOW!. :D

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  • droll on Dec 08, 2009 at 7:21 pm

    good news!

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  • akupung on Dec 08, 2009 at 7:47 pm

    habis laaa subaru kena ngan proton :)

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  • Mazda 3 MPS on Dec 08, 2009 at 7:53 pm

    hahahaha…..proton please just quit…don't waste your time and every malaysian's money

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  • shintoman on Dec 08, 2009 at 8:15 pm

    Did you say Honda in IRC? Which car will Honda enter?

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  • Jacob on Dec 08, 2009 at 8:39 pm

    woww!!good luck to both proton and subaru!!bravo Proton!!! :)

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  • Darius Drake on Dec 08, 2009 at 8:49 pm

    Well if Proton quits now, it'll be an even greater waste of money. All that investment spent on R&D and the car doesn't get to compete? At least this will promote the brand internationally and plus, the Satria Neo S2000 has so far proven to be quite a competent rally car.

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  • intermilan on Dec 08, 2009 at 10:21 pm

    Good news for all rallying fans.

    Pity the WRC, although now Kimi Raikonnen will compete in 2010 WRC with Citroen Junior team.

    Subaru might provide strong challenge to the Peugeot 207, which have but conquered the IRC for the past few seasons.

    Fiat Abarth and Skoda seem to be the only teams that give them hard times all this while, although both come short in the end..

    i wonder how are they going to be a serious contender in IRC as have yet to hear about S2000-spec Impreza.

    But since there will be no works team involved, i guess this is more about Subaru trying to 'position' themselves back in rallying, rather than trying to win the IRC outright. Bet the withdrawal from WRC hurt their image and pocket quite hard. I guess Subaru will only 'be there only', unless they could get a very strong customer team. Even the like of Prodrive will find it hard to beat current works team in IRC. There are just so many things they need to caught up since the season will start pretty soon (21 Jan 2010).

    And lets hope that Proton could achieve better results and improve it's consistency (finish the rally) in 2010.

    So far, Peugeot are clearly in a class of its own. Peugeot has conquered the IRC, winning in 2007, 2008 and 2009, while Citroen does about the same in WRC. The French does perform to the highest order in rally. Look like the 'British teams' i.e. Ford, Subaru etc need to raise their standard. Proton will be representing the 'British' side in terms of rally camps (as the Neo is developed by a UK team). Nonetheless, I will be supporting the French side. :)

    BTW, if you want to watch the IRC, get yourself an Astro and subscribe to the Sport package. They are showing the IRC programme via Eurosport, usually in channel 814.

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  • Ford_GT on Dec 08, 2009 at 10:57 pm

    shintoman,

    It's Honda Civic Type R. Already involved in IRC since year 2006 however they are now participate in 2WD Cup only.

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  • barca on Dec 08, 2009 at 11:32 pm

    all the best to the participating manufacturers!

    at least proton IS doing something serious in promoting its brand and hey, it would be awesome to watch a satria neo beat an impreza.

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  • Prismo on Dec 08, 2009 at 11:46 pm

    la… encik Mazda 3 MPS ni org UK rupanya… Neo S2000 dibahsuai oleh MEM UK dan Proton cuma supply chasis dan bagi kuasa utk ubahsuai Neo… patutlah dia takut MEM membazir duit rakyat UK kot? heheh….

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  • prolever on Dec 09, 2009 at 12:35 am

    sah2 org SEBERANG……..

    bagaikan aur dengan tebing…….

    tapi ape2pun god luck to all participation…..

    ye hooo….

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  • V70T5 on Dec 09, 2009 at 2:06 am

    mazda-3-mps-wat-ever

    neo s2000 is one of the best chasis ever driven bt mcrae

    try ask him about mazda3mp3mp4wmv… will u?

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  • Rulered on Dec 09, 2009 at 2:15 am

    Subaru really belong to the IRC/WRC league, not much on the normal tarmac road driven to office.

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  • Jacob on Dec 09, 2009 at 4:08 am

    Mazda 3 MPS:

    Dude, where is your beloved Mazda?Does she enter the race?LOL

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  • linear_system on Dec 09, 2009 at 4:35 am

    lol to Mazda MP3 :D doesnt know anything about car :D

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  • teamslepnine on Dec 09, 2009 at 4:37 am

    subaru wont be running s2000 spec…they dont have any!!they will be running group n production spec impereza (prodrive n 14) same like the one in production rally championship…

    the pace of subaru(prodrive n14) car is around the same as the evo 10 group n….

    more on the car subaru will be competing via privateer
    http://www.prodrive.com/level3.html?id=808

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  • initial R on Dec 09, 2009 at 4:44 am

    Hahaha…. so i can store it in my astro player for season…

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  • sum1 dun know whats sarcastic.LOL

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  • bmpower on Dec 09, 2009 at 7:15 am

    it's good to see protons compete with subarus what. more or less, it's still a good publicity.

    BTW anyone… Mazda is 1 of the respective Rally Champion in 80's (1985 something.. can't remember) . With their very well known mazda familia GTX 4wd.

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  • Neo.S on Dec 09, 2009 at 7:33 am

    this is gonna be interesting………hehehe cant wait to see the result & action

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  • tokmoh on Dec 09, 2009 at 9:34 am

    Mazda 3 MPS said,

    December 8, 2009 @ 10:02 pm

    Jacob said,

    December 8, 2009 @ 8:08 pm

    Mazda 3 MPS:

    Dude, where is your beloved Mazda?Does she enter the race?LOL

    ————————————-

    er….they do not enter rallying? does it take an idiot to go and search the irc website and know the carmakers that enter there? ass.

    >>> http://www.ircseries.com/html/Manufacturers.asp

    Mana ada? Sapa yg bodoh sekarang?

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  • wish toyota would do the same. still love celica gt-four after all these years.

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  • rally_fan on Dec 09, 2009 at 9:49 pm

    "Mazda 3 MPS said,

    December 9, 2009 @ 11:38 am

    u proton pergi mampos la. nak bertanding dengan abarth, ralliart, skoda, volkswagen dan peugeot. tak tau mati."

    proton have already been up against all those people you mentioned in the IRC, and with only one car. results were decent enough for a tiny team with a small budget. 4th in russia, 2nd in scotland, and usually running in the top ten.

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  • Annihilated on Dec 09, 2009 at 10:10 pm

    guys, no insults and heated arguements please..

    just enjoy the news and the race. ;)

    to subaru, welcome to the series. let see whether or not you can score some high points. chill..

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  • JACK HAMMER on Dec 10, 2009 at 2:20 am

    mazda 3 MPS – totally dumbass..

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