Click above for a high-res gallery of the 2009 Subaru Impreza WRX.

It's official folks. Those of you that picked up a 2008 Subaru Impreza WRX have been had. The road-going rally rocket gets an update for 2009 and with it comes a retuned 2.5-liter boxer four-pot producing 265 hp and 244 lb.-ft. of torque - a 41 hp and 18 lb.-ft. increase over the outgoing model. Power will be sent to all four wheels through a five-speed manual - the only transmission available -- with low-profile 225/45R17 summer tires replacing the 205/50R17 rubber of the 2008 model.

Click above for a high-res gallery of the 2008 Subaru Impreza.

A forum member at NASIOC has posted a corporate communiqué supposedly sent to North American Subaru dealers announcing the forthcoming arrival of the 2009 Impreza WRX. Two models are outlined in the release, the first, a new model dubbed the Impreza GT, will only be available with an automatic transmission and the 224 hp engine from the WRX. But that's not the real news...