2008 Subaru Impreza WRX STI
The 5-door hatchback looks muscular and fast, reminiscent of a sporty European car, like the Renault R5. The flared fenders, which coincidentally look like a toned-down version of those on the Nissan GT-R, give the WRX's exterior the look of a WRC car. The rear wing coming off the roof makes it instantly distinguishable from the base car.
Powering this particular car is a turbocharged 2.0-liter flat-4 that will deliver about 300 bhp and 315 lb.-ft. of torque to all four wheels. U.S.-spec models will get a 2.5-liter flat-4 that will produce a little more power and torque. Subaru engineers are hoping for about 330 bhp and 330 lb.-ft., but the final figures won't be available for a few months.
Whichever powerplant you get, it will be mated to a conventional 6-speed manual transmission. Unlike the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution, Subaru wanted to keep things simple and pure. You can bet the Subaru will be quicker in a straight line than the Evo, but will it be faster around a racetrack? That question will be answered in a future issue of Road & Track.
