It's had controversial facelifts before - now, the Subaru Impreza is at it again! Exclusive pictures in the current issue of Auto Express magazine (issue 838 readers the world's first glimpse of the future of the high-performance legend. This is the Japanese company's top-secret revamped Impreza, which will take the fight to the Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VIII when it appears in showrooms late in 2005.

Seen in the mag in top-of-the-range WRX STi guise, the heavily revised machine is more striking than ever. Not since the much-criticised bug-eye model of 2000 has Subaru chosen such a radical face for its rally-bred thriller. There's no doubt that the latest Scooby will divide opinion among performance car enthusiasts across the globe.

The newcomer takes its styling inspiration from the B11S and B9 Scrambler concepts, revealed at the 2003 Geneva and Tokyo Motor Shows respectively. Its key feature is a distinctive oval-shaped grille. Complete with Legacy-style headlamps, the fresh nose gives the Impreza a more imposing front aspect, and is intended to provide buyers with a characterful alternative to the Mitsubishi.

While the B11S had a coupé body and the B9 was a roadster, the Impreza will keep its familiar four-door bodyshell, with only a mild restyle in profile. At the rear, the light clusters have been revamped, while new bumpers emphasise the sports exhaust and give the car a muscular finish.

But don't be fooled into thinking the revisions go no further than just another new look. Engineers are also working on a number of modifications in a bid to enhance the Impreza's already impressive driving experience. The most obvious change will come under the bonnet, where a new turbocharger will be fitted to produce more power.

Recent amendments to the law in Japan mean Imprezas sold in their home market will no longer have to be limited to 280bhp. That has enabled the firm to give the facelifted STi variant around 320bhp in basic trim. As with the current model, once the fresh Impreza is imported into the UK, the 2.0-litre flat four-cylinder powerplant can be tuned to deliver an even higher output.

Following the recent launch of Mitsubishi's 405bhp Lancer Evo VIII FQ-400, the Impreza has fallen behind in the all-wheel-drive power struggle. Once the new model arrives, expect engineering firm Prodrive to come up with a tuning pack to boost the Impreza to at least 400bhp. Chassis modifications are also likely to allow owners to make full use of the Driver's Control Centre Differential (DCCD), which is fitted as standard to the current Impreza STi. Expect minor changes to the suspension and steering to keep the Subaru competitive with its newest rivals in the performance class.

Despite the improvements, prices are tipped to be similar to those of the existing version, as Subaru ensures the model remains only a small step above the new breed of flagship hot hatches, led by Volkswagen's £20,495 Golf GTI. The facelifted Impreza is likely to weigh in at around the same price as the VW, with the storming STi variant expected to cost about £4,500 more.

Official launch details and schedules are still under wraps, but our sources in Japan say the facelifted model will go on sale in Japan late in 2005. UK-spec cars are set to arrive early in 2006.
Chris Thorp