The Subaru World Rally Team has announced that the new Impreza WRC2008 will make its debut on the Acropolis Rally at the end of this month, the seventh round in the World Rally Championship.

The new car, which has been billed as the most 'radically different Subaru World Rally Car in 15 years', will be officially launched on Wednesday May 29 - one day prior to the ceremonial start of the Greek event.

It is based on the latest road going Subaru Impreza, which was introduced back in June 2007 and while it features 'radically new styling' it retains the 'well proven Subaru horizontally-opposed turbocharged engine combined with Symmetrical All Wheel Drive'.

Furthermore the Impreza WRC2008 will also sport a 'dramatic new livery', 'created around the Subaru corporate identity but at the same time preserving the iconic blue identity familiar to rally fans worldwide'.

Subaru team boss David Richards meanwhile has revealed that the car is being rolled out earlier than planned.

"We are very excited to be able to launch the all-new Impreza WRC2008 ahead of schedule," he confirmed.

"It is testament to the dedication and commitment of the team behind the scenes in the UK and at STi in Japan. Just as the latest Impreza road car represents a new era for Subaru so the WRC2008 represents a new era for all of us at the Subaru World Rally Team and I am confident that we will arrive in Greece able to fight competitively."

Petter Solberg and Chris Atkinson both had their first familiarisations run aboard the all-new Impreza WRC2008 prior to last weekend's Rally d'Italia Sardegna and the results were obviously positive.

"The team's objective has always been to launch the WRC2008 as soon as the testing confirmed that good steps forward in overall performance had been made," added the team in a statement to the press.

"We are confident that introducing the car in Greece will enable the team to be highly competitive in the second half of the season and give Petter and Chris the best opportunity to win in 2008."