The new Subaru rally website, www.rally.subaru.com.au will provide fans with world class access to the Australian Rally Championship in season 2003.

The totally revamped website will result in stage and overall times being available within a minute of each car crossing the flying finish.

In a first for Australia, rally supporters will be able to follow the progress of their favourite cars through each and every stage of the six rounds of the ARC Super Series as well as the Subaru Rally of Canberra.

Subaru has backed the implementation of an active tracking system that transmits a car's location on a stage, as well as its split times, back to Rally Headquarters in near real time through the use of transenders in cars and transponders at the SOS points.

Just like on the www.wrc.com site used at rounds of the World Rally Championship, fans will have unprecedented access to the sport as it unfolds each stage.

The split time information will be available exclusively on the Subaru website.

"We think this will help take the sport to the next stage as people will be able to follow cars virtually live as they progress through each stage," said Subaru General Manager, Nick Senior.

"But a better results service and live action are only part of our new rally website.

"Our photo gallery has been significantly upgraded, with each photo available in three different sizes, and in a format that enables you to save it as wallpaper or email to a friend.

"We also have a 'breaking news' section. No matter where you are on the site, when something happens, you will be told about it. Our webmaster has been told that if something happens, we want people to know about it straight away."

Stage two of the new site, to be launched at the Subaru Rally of Canberra, will also see voice grabs added to the site.

"Our plan is that when Possum Bourne crosses the line, we will have his views and news on the stage on the web within minutes of him finishing the stage."

It is all designed to make the sport come to life. If you are watching on www.subaru.com.au you will know a whole lot more than those who have actually made it out into the forest, and probably more than most at Rally Headquarters.