2009 Impreza WRX: Lancer Ralliart eat your heart out..

[Azuremen]

The 2005 spec Evo and STi had this details in regard to the AWD

The Subaru employs an electromagnetic clutch on the center differential. Under normal driving conditions, say you're just cruising down the interstate, the diff clutch is disengaged, and 65 percent of the engine power is routed to the rear wheels, with the remaining 35 to the front (a 35/65 front-to-rear split). The car's engine computer adjusts that center-diff clutch, based on information from the yaw-rate and throttle-position sensors, and can send as much as 50 percent of engine torque to the front wheels. So the Subaru varies the torque split between 50/50 and 35/65. The driver can also manually select the torque split via a center-console switch.

The Mitsubishi, on the other hand, never sends the majority of engine torque to the rear axle. Instead, it can send all the engine torque to the front wheels or 50 percent of it (using an electrohydraulic clutch on the center diff). So the Evo varies the front-to-rear torque split between 100/0 and 50/50. In addition to the yaw-rate and throttle-position sensors, the Evo has a steering-wheel-angle sensor that also provides the computer with information.

Article on them here

As I recall, the Ralliart pulls its drivetrain from the previous Evo, so it kind of misses out on that bit and gets the more ghetto setup.

 

[Tornado]

Was that the early USDM Evo that had the Viscous Coupling diff or the later one with ACD? What it is described as isn't much to go on.

 

[YSSMAN]

As I recall, the Ralliart pulls its drivetrain from the previous Evo, so it kind of misses out on that bit and gets the more ghetto setup.

Its getting the Evo IX drive bits with a bit of the Evo X tech (I belive the tarmac, snow, gravel variable settings are still there). Key, of course, is the $26K price-tag.

 

[Azuremen]

Its getting the Evo IX drive bits with a bit of the Evo X tech (I belive the tarmac, snow, gravel variable settings are still there). Key, of course, is the $26K price-tag.

And key, of course, is it does not have the S-AWC. So it is still only going to be able to send 50% max to the rear on that old Evo IX drivetrain.

 

[Tornado]

The Evo IX had VCD. The USDM Evo VIII did not (until the MR debuted). What you linked to seems to be a pre-VCD USDM Evo. So we don't know either way unless we can find out if the torque split that the JDM Evo had transferred to America. Or, for that matter, what version of the Evo IX drivetrain they are using in the Ralliart.
The S-AWC isn't actually that different from the old system the JDM Evo used except that everything is integrated into each other rather than treated separately.

 

[YSSMAN]

Its the later version of the Evo IX AWD system, minus the Active Yaw Control. I think...

 

[Tornado]

So it is different from the car talked about in Azureman's link. That car had neither the Yaw system or ACD.

 

[YSSMAN]

Ah ha!

instead of the computer controlled “super all-wheel control” on the evo, which includes the “active yaw control” rear differential, the ralliart has “all wheel control,” a hand-me-down from the 2005–07 evolution ix with a computer-operated center clutch pack and mechanical limited-slip differentials front and rear.

 

[Tornado]

Strictly speaking, this could end up being a more popular model than the Evo itself for return buyers if it manages to handle with the raw nature of the old Evo.

 

[Azuremen]

Ah ha!

And what you linked is the same as what I linked - they were reviewing an 05 EVO IX in that.

 

[YSSMAN]

So, despite a significant power disadvantage to the Subaru, is it safe to say that the Lancer Ralliart has a superior AWD system? I suppose its a trade-off with both of them...

 

[Azuremen]

So, despite a significant power disadvantage to the Subaru, is it safe to say that the Lancer Ralliart has a superior AWD system? I suppose its a trade-off with both of them...

If you think 100:0 to 50:50 is superior, then yes

 

[Aldo]

oh thank god they got back to the old style rather than that hatchback thing

 

[Alex.]

I spy a distinct lack of a very large rear wing.

 

[Tornado]

It isn't an STI.

 

[Azuremen]

oh thank god they got back to the old style rather than that hatchback thing

The hatchback is still the only choice for the STi. The WRX had sedan or hatch trims before this announcement...