It Will Make You a Believer
By Peter Lyon
When the first Japan-spec Subaru STI hit the scene back in 1994, it was all about all-wheel drive, rally heritage and dirt under the tires. Now we're in the Japanese-spec 2008 Subaru Impreza WRX STI, there's fresh pavement under the high-performance tires and the end of the straightaway at this road-racing track is a distant speck in the windshield.
And between here and there we have 304 horsepower and 8,000 rpm to play with.
This is an all-new STI, and we don't mean just its provocative hatchback shape. There's still rally-style hardware built in, but this STI is being shown to us at Fuji International Speedway, Japan's newly refurbished Formula 1 track.
The 2008 Subaru Impreza WRX STI is an all-new deal.
Welcome Back, Surface Excitement
After months of squabbling by Subie fanatics about the look of the new Impreza WRX, the STI should finally shut everybody up.
With new five-door hatchback packaging and nondescript styling, the Impreza targets a whole new customer base — drivers more interested in 4WD safety and interior roominess than rallying heritage. But you'd never believe the STI is essentially the same car.
Subaru designers have penned a hatchback that looks like it's on steroids. It's not beautiful, but it does have generous servings of visual drama, and, well, that's really what this car is all about. Pure kinetic drama. The well-defined edges look menacing, although we can't help feeling that Subaru's designers could have extended themselves more to improve the generic grille and headlights.
Boasting specially designed body panels (including a front spoiler and chunky blistered fenders), a roof-mounted spoiler and a rear underbody aero diffuser, the STI is more muscular and edgy than the WRX. In fact, it is a completely different car. The only body panels it shares with the WRX are the hood, front doors, roof and rear liftgate.
Seeking Balance
As it turns out, the STI's hatchback configuration has been no accident. We know because Petter Solberg, 2003 WRC driving champion and Subaru factory driver, tells us.
"I had something to do with Subaru settling on a hatchback design for the new Impreza," the Norwegian rally ace blurts out. Then he laughs, "Don't tell Subaru, but I drive lots of different cars, and my experience tells me that hatchbacks have the best aero balance and handling performance at the limit. Because it's all about balance, you see. And a wider track and shorter overhangs complete the package."
Compared to the previous-generation WRX STI, the new car's front overhang has shrunk by 3.1 inches, while the rear overhang has dropped by 4.7 inches. The wheelbase has been stretched stretched by 3.3 inches. And compared to the new WRX, the STI gains three-quarters of an inch in the front track and seven-eighths of an inch on the rear track. It all adds up to the balance Solberg is talking about.
Hiroshi Mori, Subaru's project general manager for the STI, says, "The main difference between the WRX and the STI is the wider track. For the front suspension the lower arm has changed from steel to aluminum to make it lighter for better handling. Also we switched to inverted dampers for a more rigid suspension layout."
Nailed to Your Seat
The STI's turbocharged 2.0-liter horizontally opposed four-cylinder is the first Subaru engine to break the unofficial 300-hp limit that has been observed by Japanese car manufacturers since 1989. With 304 hp available at 6,400 rpm and 311 pound-feet of torque at 4,400 rpm, this engine is more powerful than we expected a year ago.
The major modifications over its predecessor are the addition of a twin-scroll turbocharger, a bigger intercooler and the variable valve timing now on both inlet and exhaust sides. There are minor changes to the block for improved strength and cooling.
This boxer unit is a superb piece of hardware, producing prodigious pace much lower in the rev range than the outgoing model. At low rpm, power delivery is smooth if not restrained, but once the tachometer needle passes through 2,800 rpm, a mighty punch of torque lunges forth, nailing you to the back of your seat.
Keep your foot buried and that torrent of torque begins to taper off as you shoot through 4,500 rpm, but there's still plenty on tap to maintain progress all the way up to the 8,000 redline. At the same time, a throatier engine note fills the cabin with a retuned but characteristic flat-4 burble thanks to Subaru's redesigned dual equal-length exhaust system.
For Speed, Stir This
Matched to the engine is a more refined six-speed manual gearbox. Boasting newly fitted triple-cone synchros for 1st gear and double-cone synchros for the rest, the gearbox is most notable for slipperier sleeves in the gates. The new gearbox feels notchier than before, but the positive gear engagement makes the shift action seem more precise.
Subaru tells us the 3,263-pound 2.0-liter STI will reach 60 mph in 4.9 seconds. This is just as quick as the current Japan-spec STI Spec C — not bad considering the new STI is 23 pounds heavier and the engine delivers both better fuel economy and cleaner air emissions.
In the U.S., however, we will get a turbocharged 2.5-liter boxer engine with a single-scroll turbo. We hear that its peak power will be similar to the Japanese 2.0-liter at around 300 hp, while more torque in the midrange should produce a more linear and progressive throttle response. The U.S.-spec model is expected to sprint to 60 mph in the low 5s.
Hiroshi Mori says, "In the Japanese market, people love the rev-happy type engine, so we have the 2.0-liter. Also it is the WRC homologation. For the export model, low-end torque is the priority, so there is the 2.5-liter."
Techno Tour de Force
Behind the gearbox is Subaru's DCCD (Driver Controlled Center Differential), which now gets three automatic modes controlled by a switch on the center console.
Automatic is the standard setting, with 59 percent of engine power sent to the rear wheels and the rear differential set neutrally. Auto-plus tightens the rear diff for more traction in slippery conditions. Auto-minus loosens the rear diff for navigating challenging, twisty roads where you need sharper turn-in and less traction at the rear.
The manual mode is still there, with six settings allowing the torque going to the rear wheels to be varied between 50 and 59 percent. The helical front differential helps the front tires carve through the corners, while the Torsen rear differential adapts to conditions.
Borrowed from the Legacy, the other big news is called SI-Drive (Subaru Intelligent Drive). This system alters the engine and throttle mapping to three settings: basically Icy, Sport and Sport Sharp. It tailors the action of the throttle-by-wire system and the turbo boost to driving conditions, offering better traction when you need it and more aggressive torque when you want it.
Also inherited from the current Legacy is VDC (Vehicle Dynamics Control), Subaru's own stability control. It can be switched off in two stages. The first stops the engine intervention and relies solely on the brakes, allowing some sideways action. Switch it off completely and you let the STI strut its stuff without electronic interference.
Strutting for Wishbones
Focus on these high-tech gizmos and you can easily forget one other critical aspect of the new STI that contributes to both razor-sharp handling and improved ride quality. The switch from rear strut-type independent suspension to double wishbones helps deliver better camber control of the rear tires, while the inverted Kayaba dampers also improve wheel location.
The more you play around with the traction control systems and engine mapping, the more you will appreciate what Subaru has done with the car's handling. It's simply superb. Turn in and the STI stays flatter in the corners with less body roll than ever before, as all four 245/40R18 Bridgestone Potenza RE050A tires work hard to retain maximum grip. Chief engineer Mori reminds us that new double wishbones up the back suppress roll when compared to the ousted struts.
After a few hot laps around Fuji, we know exactly what he means. The car corners sharper, understeers less at the limit, and feels more planted going into and coming out of corners.
Jump on the skids and there's plenty of stopping power at hand as the brakes offer loads of feel and progression and show little fade under heavy use. Though the calipers wear STI badging, Brembo provides the braking, with four-piston calipers up front, two-pots at the rear. The brake lines are reinforced for firmer pedal feel and the brake booster has been more firmly located in place for the same reason.
A Good Place To Be a Driver
Recaro seats are an option for the STI 2.0, but until they can be adapted to airbag sensors, they will be only for Japan. Fortunately the driving position is great thanks to a new power-operated tilt and telescoping steering wheel. Taking the 2.0-liter STI toward the prestige part of the market is a selection of premium features, including a starter button, keyless entry and a hard-drive-based satellite navigation system.
At the end of the day, the new 2008 Subaru Impreza WRX STI 2.0 is a brilliant piece of kit. This STI is a direct descendant of the STI bloodline. It's still blindingly quick and has the footwork to match, but now it's less raw around the edges and has some more road manners.
When secrets started leaking out about the new STI and the Evo X a year ago, public opinion was swayed by the Mitsubishi's sharp styling, new dual-clutch automated manual transmission and upgraded all-wheel drive. But now that we've driven both cars, we can safely say that the perceived gap between the two doesn't exist, as both cars offer superior levels of handling and performance. The levels of technology in both are outstanding and the driving experience is second to none.
And there should be more to come for the STI. Project Engineer Hiroshi Mori tells us that while his team is looking into a dual-clutch gearbox, Subaru is not happy that such systems still do not deliver a rewarding experience. We think you can expect to see Subaru's own interpretation of a dual-clutch gearbox in late 2009 when the Impreza comes in for its two-year face-lift.
By Peter Lyon
When the first Japan-spec Subaru STI hit the scene back in 1994, it was all about all-wheel drive, rally heritage and dirt under the tires. Now we're in the Japanese-spec 2008 Subaru Impreza WRX STI, there's fresh pavement under the high-performance tires and the end of the straightaway at this road-racing track is a distant speck in the windshield.
And between here and there we have 304 horsepower and 8,000 rpm to play with.
This is an all-new STI, and we don't mean just its provocative hatchback shape. There's still rally-style hardware built in, but this STI is being shown to us at Fuji International Speedway, Japan's newly refurbished Formula 1 track.
The 2008 Subaru Impreza WRX STI is an all-new deal.
Welcome Back, Surface Excitement
After months of squabbling by Subie fanatics about the look of the new Impreza WRX, the STI should finally shut everybody up.
With new five-door hatchback packaging and nondescript styling, the Impreza targets a whole new customer base — drivers more interested in 4WD safety and interior roominess than rallying heritage. But you'd never believe the STI is essentially the same car.
Subaru designers have penned a hatchback that looks like it's on steroids. It's not beautiful, but it does have generous servings of visual drama, and, well, that's really what this car is all about. Pure kinetic drama. The well-defined edges look menacing, although we can't help feeling that Subaru's designers could have extended themselves more to improve the generic grille and headlights.
Boasting specially designed body panels (including a front spoiler and chunky blistered fenders), a roof-mounted spoiler and a rear underbody aero diffuser, the STI is more muscular and edgy than the WRX. In fact, it is a completely different car. The only body panels it shares with the WRX are the hood, front doors, roof and rear liftgate.
Seeking Balance
As it turns out, the STI's hatchback configuration has been no accident. We know because Petter Solberg, 2003 WRC driving champion and Subaru factory driver, tells us.
"I had something to do with Subaru settling on a hatchback design for the new Impreza," the Norwegian rally ace blurts out. Then he laughs, "Don't tell Subaru, but I drive lots of different cars, and my experience tells me that hatchbacks have the best aero balance and handling performance at the limit. Because it's all about balance, you see. And a wider track and shorter overhangs complete the package."
Compared to the previous-generation WRX STI, the new car's front overhang has shrunk by 3.1 inches, while the rear overhang has dropped by 4.7 inches. The wheelbase has been stretched stretched by 3.3 inches. And compared to the new WRX, the STI gains three-quarters of an inch in the front track and seven-eighths of an inch on the rear track. It all adds up to the balance Solberg is talking about.
Hiroshi Mori, Subaru's project general manager for the STI, says, "The main difference between the WRX and the STI is the wider track. For the front suspension the lower arm has changed from steel to aluminum to make it lighter for better handling. Also we switched to inverted dampers for a more rigid suspension layout."
Nailed to Your Seat
The STI's turbocharged 2.0-liter horizontally opposed four-cylinder is the first Subaru engine to break the unofficial 300-hp limit that has been observed by Japanese car manufacturers since 1989. With 304 hp available at 6,400 rpm and 311 pound-feet of torque at 4,400 rpm, this engine is more powerful than we expected a year ago.
The major modifications over its predecessor are the addition of a twin-scroll turbocharger, a bigger intercooler and the variable valve timing now on both inlet and exhaust sides. There are minor changes to the block for improved strength and cooling.
This boxer unit is a superb piece of hardware, producing prodigious pace much lower in the rev range than the outgoing model. At low rpm, power delivery is smooth if not restrained, but once the tachometer needle passes through 2,800 rpm, a mighty punch of torque lunges forth, nailing you to the back of your seat.
Keep your foot buried and that torrent of torque begins to taper off as you shoot through 4,500 rpm, but there's still plenty on tap to maintain progress all the way up to the 8,000 redline. At the same time, a throatier engine note fills the cabin with a retuned but characteristic flat-4 burble thanks to Subaru's redesigned dual equal-length exhaust system.
For Speed, Stir This
Matched to the engine is a more refined six-speed manual gearbox. Boasting newly fitted triple-cone synchros for 1st gear and double-cone synchros for the rest, the gearbox is most notable for slipperier sleeves in the gates. The new gearbox feels notchier than before, but the positive gear engagement makes the shift action seem more precise.
Subaru tells us the 3,263-pound 2.0-liter STI will reach 60 mph in 4.9 seconds. This is just as quick as the current Japan-spec STI Spec C — not bad considering the new STI is 23 pounds heavier and the engine delivers both better fuel economy and cleaner air emissions.
In the U.S., however, we will get a turbocharged 2.5-liter boxer engine with a single-scroll turbo. We hear that its peak power will be similar to the Japanese 2.0-liter at around 300 hp, while more torque in the midrange should produce a more linear and progressive throttle response. The U.S.-spec model is expected to sprint to 60 mph in the low 5s.
Hiroshi Mori says, "In the Japanese market, people love the rev-happy type engine, so we have the 2.0-liter. Also it is the WRC homologation. For the export model, low-end torque is the priority, so there is the 2.5-liter."
Techno Tour de Force
Behind the gearbox is Subaru's DCCD (Driver Controlled Center Differential), which now gets three automatic modes controlled by a switch on the center console.
Automatic is the standard setting, with 59 percent of engine power sent to the rear wheels and the rear differential set neutrally. Auto-plus tightens the rear diff for more traction in slippery conditions. Auto-minus loosens the rear diff for navigating challenging, twisty roads where you need sharper turn-in and less traction at the rear.
The manual mode is still there, with six settings allowing the torque going to the rear wheels to be varied between 50 and 59 percent. The helical front differential helps the front tires carve through the corners, while the Torsen rear differential adapts to conditions.
Borrowed from the Legacy, the other big news is called SI-Drive (Subaru Intelligent Drive). This system alters the engine and throttle mapping to three settings: basically Icy, Sport and Sport Sharp. It tailors the action of the throttle-by-wire system and the turbo boost to driving conditions, offering better traction when you need it and more aggressive torque when you want it.
Also inherited from the current Legacy is VDC (Vehicle Dynamics Control), Subaru's own stability control. It can be switched off in two stages. The first stops the engine intervention and relies solely on the brakes, allowing some sideways action. Switch it off completely and you let the STI strut its stuff without electronic interference.
Strutting for Wishbones
Focus on these high-tech gizmos and you can easily forget one other critical aspect of the new STI that contributes to both razor-sharp handling and improved ride quality. The switch from rear strut-type independent suspension to double wishbones helps deliver better camber control of the rear tires, while the inverted Kayaba dampers also improve wheel location.
The more you play around with the traction control systems and engine mapping, the more you will appreciate what Subaru has done with the car's handling. It's simply superb. Turn in and the STI stays flatter in the corners with less body roll than ever before, as all four 245/40R18 Bridgestone Potenza RE050A tires work hard to retain maximum grip. Chief engineer Mori reminds us that new double wishbones up the back suppress roll when compared to the ousted struts.
After a few hot laps around Fuji, we know exactly what he means. The car corners sharper, understeers less at the limit, and feels more planted going into and coming out of corners.
Jump on the skids and there's plenty of stopping power at hand as the brakes offer loads of feel and progression and show little fade under heavy use. Though the calipers wear STI badging, Brembo provides the braking, with four-piston calipers up front, two-pots at the rear. The brake lines are reinforced for firmer pedal feel and the brake booster has been more firmly located in place for the same reason.
A Good Place To Be a Driver
Recaro seats are an option for the STI 2.0, but until they can be adapted to airbag sensors, they will be only for Japan. Fortunately the driving position is great thanks to a new power-operated tilt and telescoping steering wheel. Taking the 2.0-liter STI toward the prestige part of the market is a selection of premium features, including a starter button, keyless entry and a hard-drive-based satellite navigation system.
At the end of the day, the new 2008 Subaru Impreza WRX STI 2.0 is a brilliant piece of kit. This STI is a direct descendant of the STI bloodline. It's still blindingly quick and has the footwork to match, but now it's less raw around the edges and has some more road manners.
When secrets started leaking out about the new STI and the Evo X a year ago, public opinion was swayed by the Mitsubishi's sharp styling, new dual-clutch automated manual transmission and upgraded all-wheel drive. But now that we've driven both cars, we can safely say that the perceived gap between the two doesn't exist, as both cars offer superior levels of handling and performance. The levels of technology in both are outstanding and the driving experience is second to none.
And there should be more to come for the STI. Project Engineer Hiroshi Mori tells us that while his team is looking into a dual-clutch gearbox, Subaru is not happy that such systems still do not deliver a rewarding experience. We think you can expect to see Subaru's own interpretation of a dual-clutch gearbox in late 2009 when the Impreza comes in for its two-year face-lift.
