Subaru should fire the people who came up with the aforementioned Impreza Shakedown online video game and hire a group of people who think more like the creators of the WRX TR. The TR (Tuner Ready) version of the WRX enjoys all of the car's upgrades for 2006, including the new, more powerful 230-hp 2.5L engine, but comes with the more basic interior content and exterior trim of Impreza 2.5i Sedan in order to lower the price of entry. Subaru will be pimping one out on the spot at the SEMA show this week, but we'd rather keep ours a sleeper. Unfortunately the actual price wasn't mentioned in the press release, but it will be considerably less than the new range-topping WRX Limited model that's also been added to the line-up.

UPDATE: The TR is already up on Subaru's website and it goes for $23,995, a mere $500 less than the standard WRX. From what we can tell that extra half-grand will get you automatic climate control, a 140-watt 6-speaker stereo with 6-disc in-dash CD changer and a rear wing. We were all ready to endorse the TR until we saw the price. If it had come in under $20K we would be heralding the TR as the new King of the Hill, but alas, our trumpets remain silent. And what exactly makes the TR so tuner friendly, the lack of a rear wing???

[Source: Subaru]