Anyone who has followed the world of car rallying from near or far remembers the stunning feats of Colin McRae, Richard Burns and Petter Solberg at the wheel of azure blue Subaru Imprezas negotiating grueling courses. This is where the fame of Subaru Tecnica International (STI), the high-performance subsidiary of the star brand, was largely cultivated. The Japanese brand announced last week its intention to abandon, at least in its current form, its WRX STI by opening the door to a possible electrification of this iconic creation.
Posted at 8:45 a.m.
The short press release published by the American subsidiary of Subaru thus announces the end of a close relationship between the model marketed here since 2004 and the rally cars which still run in certain championships. Raw and uncompromising, the latest generation offered a driving experience whose characteristics go back to another era with the undeniable roughness and gluttony of its EJ25-coded 2.5L turbo (310 hp) flat-four. However, it is difficult to take to task the efficiency of its all-wheel drive and the inclusion of the driver in the driving exercise.
It will therefore not have a sequel, as was expected following the marketing of the new WRX based on a latest-generation platform. Rather, Subaru says it is exploring the possibility of electrifying it and “incorporating the essence of STI into the next generation of models”. We can probably see there a risk of watering down the subsidiary so cherished by many amateurs. On the other hand, we detect a desire to modernize Subaru, compelled by increasingly strict anti-pollution standards and the disaffection of the car in its traditional formula.
Whatever the outcome of this important chapter in Japanese automotive history, the WRX STI will have left its mark, leaving no one indifferent to its ostentatious dress and its ability to captivate an audience of enthusiasts by involving it in the act of driving, precisely.