Subaru Impreza WRX STI

Motor Image is looking to reignite the Subaru brand in Malaysia with
the introduction of the new Forester and Impreza hatchback between June
to August. This includes the highest factory spec Impreza possible, the
2.5-litre, 16 valve, turbocharged WRX STI.

Shannon Teoh was in Singapore to get an introductory feel of the two new Imprezas that will appear on our shores this year.

Read more after the jump.



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The problem with a launch in Singapore is the lack of any feasible
area to test a car outside of everyday driving situations. While this
might be fine for any normal family car – which the plebeian versions
of the Impreza definitely are with its sedate new styling – the 247hp
2.0 S-GT, let alone the 296 in the STI, demand a more clinical
challenge.

Motor Image did locate a short slip road with a couple of switchbacks
but due to the fact that there were only two STI testers and media from
the entire region were here for the one-day only event, we were each
limited to one pass each way, hardly allowing us to build towards the
limits of the STI’s adhesion.

In under eight minutes with either car, a few snap judgments had to
be made. If motoring journos in Malaysia are fortunate enough to get
their hands on a test unit when it finally arrives here –
prospectively in August – then you’ll probably hear more about the
STI’s performance on Malaysia’s more “liberal” roads.



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What I can tell you is that the two cars are worlds apart. The S-GT
is basically a WRX spec car and a twin-scroll turbo results in it
producing 247hp at 6,000rpm and 333Nm at 2,400rpm. Despite these figures
actually trumping the 2.5-litre WRX (224hp and 306Nm), it certainly
doesn’t feel that way. It doesn’t even feel like it could outrun, say, a
Volkswagen Golf GTI.

Although this might be due to some sort of transmission lag with the
rather unsatisfying four-speed auto ‘box. Certainly, it didn’t seem like
peak torque was coming at 2,400rpm and in fact, was closer to 4,000rpm
before the car seemed to make haste.

If there is a manual version, it’s not coming here, which is a shame
since apparently, the manual 2.5 WRX beats the 2.0 S-GT in the 0-100km/h
sprint by two seconds with the S-GT coming in rather unimpressively,
just under 8 seconds.



There was no real opportunity to test the symmetrical all-wheel drive
– where weight distribution of the drive system is evenly balanced
between left and right thanks to the four-pot boxer engine – although
the ride seemed decent enough.


Motor Image will be bringing this car in as the ‘warm’ family car,
with the auto ‘box making it simple enough for non-enthusiasts while the
Sportshift would allow some scrolling through of the four ratios for a
more involved drive. Early indications are that it will be priced at 170
grand plus change, making it a cheaper and more sedate alternative to
the Golf GTI or Honda Civic Type-R.



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But if cheap and sedate are not words in your dictionary, it looks like the acronyms WRX STI will be in the next few months.

With 296 ponies charging in at 6,000rpm and 407Nm coming through at
4,000rpm, the UK spec STI will be a real steal if it does come at the
RM300,000 mark that Motor Image Sdn Bhd general manager John Lim is
trying to price it at. Reported to do the 100km/h sprint in under 5
seconds, it’s about half a second quicker to the ton than its
longstanding rival, the new Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X (the Evo IX
was priced at RM284,872 without warranty).

It’s interesting to note that the UK-spec STI is different from the
Japanese-spec STI. The JDM car uses a 2.0 liter boxer-4 engine with a
twin scroll turbo good for 304 horsepower, while the UK-spec one we are
getting uses a 2.5 liter engine with a single scroll turbocharger.



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The thing that’ll strike you first when you climb in is how the
interior doesn’t look or feel like the traditional rally-derived
performance car. Subaru have tried to make this feel like a car that’s
priced in its range.

With the as-confusing-as-an-M5 electronic dials and switches to
adjust your Driver’s Control Centre Differential and Subaru Intelligent
Drive, it definitely lends itself to the idea of state-of-the-art.



There is in fact a tangible difference between the three SI-Drive
modes – Intelligent, Sport and Sport Sharp – each getting
progressively happier to give you all the power you want. There was no
time to fiddle with the DCCD though, which will decide the locking
behaviour of the differential, giving you either more traction or more
turning capability with its rate of response in re-channeling torque.

What I do know is that the AWD works in Auto well enough. Variations
of throttle input in corners translated to minimal under- and oversteers
in the cornering line which was held to firmly otherwise.

The only dodgy bits are the slightly under-communicative steering and
the styling. If the non-STI versions are just plain boring, the STI
tries to counter this with some adjustments to the front and rear end
and most tellingly, bloody huge fender flares.



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The wheel arches are so huge now that you certainly can’t call them
boring – it’s more love it or hate it. Whatever the case, you can’t
ignore it when it’s there in the flesh.

With the rather short drive time, perhaps the thing that was most
impressive was the damping of the ride and low noise levels. Unlike the
Evo, which usually tells you it’s a fearsome car by rattling your bones
and booming out a loud four-pot harmony, the new STI is nearly
disappointing in how well it reduces its 2,500cc engine to a drone
rather than a roar and the way it handles bumps, holes and
inconsistencies in road surfacing.

In any other RM300,000 car it’d be applauded. In an STI, well, I’m
happy that my bum is comfortable in its bucket seat, but I’d have liked a
bit more music.

VIDEO: New Subaru Impreza WRX STI TV Commercial


VIDEO: Unveiling of the new Subaru Impreza WRX STI


VIDEO: The new Subaru Impreza WRX STi doing donuts


VIDEO: Subaru Impreza Rally Car


VIDEO: Two Subaru Impreza Rally Cars doing donuts


VIDEO: Subaru Impreza WRX STI – 001


VIDEO: Subaru Impreza WRX STI – 002


VIDEO: Subaru Impreza WRX STI – 003
































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