I am a freelancer, but I have shot an article for C&D and an online article for R&T and a host of other mags, but they were all rallying stories. I would like to be doing more of this kind of work but I live in the wrong city

 

Actually, on the rally cars the intercooler is in the front



The reason is more likely, to help reduce costs in a front end collision on the street cars as the insurance industry has set cost regulations on repairs from low speed accidents. also it is a packaging issue that works on the boxer motor and reduce the need for a large front spoiler

 

that's a beautiful picture

 

the version 1-6 cars had a top mount intercooler even on the WRC versions

 

I suspect you're right. Subies have longitudinally mounted engines (rather than transverse mounted engines like most other FWD cars) and the intake manifold is on top. Mounting the intercooler closer to the intake manifold would make the intercooler pipes shorter, reducing the volume of the intake tract and improving throttle response. Since WRX's use "old school" turbo engines (high boost, low compression) they already have considerable turbo lag and poor low-rpm throttle response, so using a front-mount intercooler would just make things worse.

That's my theory at least.

 

Thanks!!