NOW, more than ever before, key employees are demanding a bigger say in the choice of company cars they drive.

They are no longer happy to accept a higher specification mainstream car - instead they want a car to either match their lifestyle or make a statement about them.

Among these people, there is another group who demand driving pleasure and Subaru's Impreza WRX is a road-going rally car which allows drivers to believe they are rally star Richard Burns tearing down a gravel track sideways at more than 100mph.

At a fraction over £21,000, the all-wheel drive Impreza is a relatively cheap gateway to serious performance motoring and brings Subaru into competition with some pretty desirable names.