RB5 vs FQ340

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RB5 419

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Having announced my recent defection to Evoland in a vain effort to sell my RB5, Nially Boy asked that I post up on how the FQ 340 fares vsv the RB5. Well here goes.

First off, the Evo was a bit of a disappointment to be honest. I was expecting it to feel a lot quicker than the Impreza but it just didn't. I had been driving it out in Sandyford on wide open and clear roads so I was able to give it a bit of straight line stick. The power delivery is totally different, boost starts a lot earlier than I expected, much earlier than the IVs, V's and VI's I have driven and earlier than in the RB5 running the VF 28 turbo. Boost is sustained all the way to 7000 RPM and is effortless but the shove was not as dramatic as I had expected given the extra torque and the shorter gearing. Immediately I decided not to buy the Evo, considering myself better off where I was, and for a lot less wedge.

This view was confirmed when I took the lad sellling the Evo (actually it was the vendor's brother but the vendor was away) for a spin in the RB5. Immediately the controls felt heavy, especially the clutch, and the steering wheel felt like it was out of a bus, but it sounded and went beautifully. Within a minute I was at home and on full tilt the induction kit and prodrive back box more than made up for any loss in pace.

Really and truly, if I wanted to impress a passenger in straight line, the Impreza wins hands down. The sound alone creates a drama and a sense of occasion that the Evo can only dream about. As I said in an earlier post, just idling in the RB5 is an occasion, at tick over she warbles like a track car and at full tilt she roars like a full WRC machine. The real beauty of the set up I have in the RB5 is that it is only there when you want it. The induction kit is silent except on full welly, as is the Prodrive back box. Honestly, I have had Mongoose and HKS decat exhausts on Imprezas before and really, I would only have a Prodrive again, unbeatable, quiet on a cruise and beautifully sonorous when you open the taps.

Anyway, I digress, after two or three squirts down the dualer at Stillorgan, I handed over to the lad selling the Evo and even he was convinced that the Impreza was a serious car, not much in it between the cars subjectively in a straight line. The taller gearing of the RB5 gives a sense of sustained power through the gears, this is helped by the IHI turbo that runs to 7500 RPM with the Link, and then there's the noise. Objectively the RB5 isn't as quick as the Evo of course but it feels every bit as fast.

So, anyway, I went home happy not to buy the Evo, thinking of other things I could do with money. Mostly involving 2.5 conversions etc.

However, my peace was short lived. Slowly the Evo started nagging at me. Of all things, it was the way it looked and felt that got me the most.

It really does look mean, and the lightness and tightness of the controls really got me, the thing is a surgical instrument to drive. Also, I've had the RB5 a while and while I love it, and have spent a fortune getting it right, time was coming to try something else. I hadn't expected the time to come so soon but an FQ340 on Irish plates, no hassle, it was only going to go one way. The other contenders were M3, M5, 3200 GT, and Type 25.

The M3 was the first to go, has wa*ker written all over it. 3200 was next, small boot and big VRT, bye bye. M5, hmmm, but I have the rest of my life to drive M5's. Type 25 was my preferred option but 25K Stg plus VRT, really? You'll never see it again. That left the Evo, 19 odd Stg for a high miler 21/22 for clean examples, plus VRT(lots). Then along came this one with all the work done, full spec, 26000 miles, clean, Alpine DVD, carbon fibre splitter, 18 mths warranty, only one in the country, free Burberry Cap etc, 41K. Oh dear, here we go.

I always wanted to give the Evo thing a whirl, driven lots and always been impressed and the FQ340 has always got best of breed. So I parked my misgivings about it vs the RB5 and consoled myself with the knowledge that I could always sell it without too much risk.

Anyway, I bought it and oh my good God.

Half of my disappointment with it initially was clearly as a result of my being utterly spoilt. My RB5 is a very quick car, I have gone head to head with enough imports and won to know she's fast. As for a standard Turbo, it just would not stand a chance. While she has not been balls out modified, she's been very conservatively modded and mapped for 95, she is still damn quick.

The other half of my disappointment was as a result of going in a straight line.

Really and truly, the Evo absolutely terrifies me. I go down the west a fair bit and there is a road that I drive a lot in a place that I won't mention. This road is completely open, no trees, walls, houses, junctions, nothing for about three miles. It is narrow, twisty and bumpy and well known by Group N competitors. I have driven it in lots of different machinery in lots of different conditions but I have never been as scared as I was in the Evo.

The Impreza was very quick along it, but I could use all of the Impreza on it. On the limit, the Impreza is wonderfully predictable, you know exactly how it is going to go, front then middle then back, in that order and with a big announcement before each stage.

The Evo is just an animal.

I'm sorry but it is so fast it is incredible. The power and the gearing starts to make sense when you are really going at it. You always, always have the right ratio available to you for every situation. You may not always select it but it is always there. Heel and toe downshifts are almost optional so close are the ratios, you certainly don't end up thumping the throttle to make up for the gaps between ratios because there simply aren't any.

And then there is the grip. The thing only understeers under obscene provocation. Really, it will go around anything. Pitch it at a corner at a horrifing pace and, round it goes.

So you ask, why the fear?

Simple, you are going so fast that everything is different. The Billsten suspension does a great job but the power that never ends on these roads means that you are going so stupidly fast that when it does go, it really will be all over, and you won't get any warning.

The limits of the car are set so far ahead of my own it really isn't funny.

So, am I happy?

Oh yes. While I really miss the usability, personality and presence of the RB5. The balls out ability of the Evo is stunning. That coupled with its looks, tightness and practicality (I had three adults, two kids, luggage and full tank of fuel for 200 miles yesterday with no perceptible loss in pace) and it is a winner, albeit not by much and certainly not by nearly three times in terms of money. But what is?

If only it didn't sound like my mother's Ford Focus.
 
Excellent write up, not biased and very informative. Have a great time with your new motor and keep it between the ditches.

Alan
 
Jaysus you weren't wrong when you said you were posting a report - fair play to ya! Great write up....

Alan.
 
I'll put up a few pictures of both over the weekend. Have had numerous requests for pictures of the RB5 after putting it up in the for sale section. Don't think pictures do the Evo justice though, it's the Artic Silver that has that blue tinge in the right light, looks great but difficult to capture. The pictures on carzone when the previous owner was selling it really didn't do it justice.

Thanks for the feedback on the post, maybe I'll take up essay writing or something.
 
soom lovely words good luck with the evo but im sure youll be back :subaru:

ps.please dont sell the rb5 till i have the money for it :cry:
 
A few pictures of my RB5, Evo to follow.

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I really am going to have to learn how to compress these.

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[quote author=B4 Alan link=topic=239.msg1877#msg1877 date=1156938670]
Your REALLY tempting me now ;)

Alan.
[/quote]

What are you waiting for Alan, sell the B4 to your bro and get this fine piece of machinery. If I had a buyer for the Forester I would be very tempted.
 
Lovley looking car....come on the lotto  :lol:.

what are the lights above the speedo for  :ponder:
 
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