BANBURY'S Subaru World Rally Team are replacing the Impreza saloon with the redesigned hatchback Subaru Impreza WRC2008 for the classic Acropolis Rally.

David Richards, Subaru World Rally Team Principal, said the car's arrival meant the team was returning to full strength.

He said: "Whilst a very different look and direction for us, the WRC2008 is instantly recognisable as a Subaru and I am sure will continue the marque's iconic heritage.

"I am confident of a very positive step forward in our pace in Greece, despite it being the toughest event of the year, and moreover its debut heralds a new chapter in the team's illustrious history."

Just one week after Rally Sardinia, in which the team has been working feverishly to ready the two Impreza WRC2008s for action, crews arrive in Greece for the seventh round of the World Rally Championship.

One of the longest-standing events on the calendar, the four-day Acropolis Rally has long been regarded as the season's toughest event, run on gravel routes surrounding the ancient city of Athens, starting with a superspecial stage on Thursday, May 29.

With temperatures climbing towards 40C, the roads are some of the dustiest and roughest that competitors will see.

Underfloor protection is essential on this event to prevent damage to vulnerable components beneath the cars such as gearboxes and differentials. Although the hard compound Pirelli Scorpion gravel tyres that teams have used for the last four events have excelled themselves, the risk of punctures will be high and crews may find themselves having to consciously avoid some of the larger obstacles in their path.

Paul Howarth, Subaru World Rally Team operations director, said: "Everyone who's been in rallying for a long time likes going to Greece as it's one of the great historic rallies.

"Using some of the old classic stages of the championship, it's very, very challenging; the most challenging of the season for us. They've had a bad winter in Greece so the stages will be quite deteriorated already, and large rocks in the road always make the second passes harder. You get a good result from pushing as hard as possible without taking risks - it's more of an endurance event.

"We've done a considerable amount of endurance mileage with the new car which of course we're using for the first time in Greece, so this should stand us in good stead. The rally is bound to throw up new challenges to those we've faced in testing however and it's an event likely to throw up surprises, but it's a good tough weekend to quickly highlight areas in which we can fine-tune and continue to improve."

Subaru driver Petter Solberg and co-driver Phil Mills finished third on the event last year. His team-mate Chris Atkinson's highest finish was sixth last year.