Almost exactly four years ago we brought you a story about the
Subaru Impreza WRX STI S206
, latest in an occasional line of super exclusive, super focused, limited run Imprezas kicked off by the wild looking S201 of 2000. The S206 added a load of STI goodies, a power bump for the turbocharged 2.0-litre boxer motor and the option of a further enhanced and strictly limited NBR version with a fixed carbon wing to celebrate class-winning success in the Nurburgring 24-hour.
Yes, they're still at it!
How the times change. Four years down the line the S207 takes the current
NotAnImpreza WRX STI
as a basis, adds a load of STI goodies, a power bump for the turbocharged 2.0-litre boxer motor and the option of a further enhanced and strictly limited NBR version with a fixed carbon wing to celebrate class-winning success in the Nurburgring 24-hour. Oh, hang on.
Fashions come, fashions go but Subaru doesn't seem to take heed and this is a WRX STI for the geekiest of Subaru geeks. Thankfully it seems there are enough of those back home to satisfy the kind of limited edition STI special once gazed lovingly on from afar by a generation of Impreza fans. Revived WRX STI back in the UK market or not this new one is unlikely to inspire quite as much devotion but, for the die-hards, here are the details.
We enjoyed running the WRX STI as a long-termer but there's no escaping the 2.5-litre engine is a bit of a chugger. The JDM STI gets the much zingier 2.0-litre twinscroll turbo motor, uprated here to 328hp courtesy of undisclosed 'special engine tuning'. Studying the images on the global media site this would seem to include new pistons, rods and possibly a revised crank, plus a dedicated ECU and new exhaust system.
Multi-mode Bilstein dampers part of package
Experienced Subaru watchers could probably write the next bit about suspension upgrades themselves but, for the record, you get various STI-branded reinforcements, beefed up subframes, pillow-ball mountings where they attach to the body and Bilstein variable mode DampMatic II dampers. Six-/four-piston Brembo brakes also feature, likewise front to rear torque vectoring to further enhance the adjustable centre diff. Given our UK WRX STI wasn't exactly lacking in pointiness this should all add up to a seriously aggressive set-up, topped off with an even quicker 11:1 steering ratio from the already pretty feisty 12.7:1. You'll be needing those STI-branded Recaros to hold you in place then. Bless 'em, Subaru seems sufficiently excited by the dedicated floor mats and boot lining to include pictures of them too.
As standard the S207 adopts a reasonably low-key, wingless presence and will be available in white, black or the inevitable WR Blue Pearl. If that's too demure up to 200 of the 400-car production run will be available with the NBR Challenge Package of fixed rear wing with up to 100 of those in the eye-catching Sunrise Yellow pictured.