2004 WRX STi

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 09/05/2003 (8241 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

‘That’s freakin’ sic, man.’

SO quoth the Jeff Spicoli look-alike looking like he just escaped from the Ridgemont High movie. For those not familiar with California idiom, “freakin’ sic, man” is a major compliment, right up there with “way cool, dude” and “that’s dope, bro.”

The object of his lust was the new Subaru WRX we were driving, the company’s ultra-sporty Impreza sedan that forms the basis of the company’s quite successful World Rally Championship racer.

Obviously well versed in WRX technology, our aspiring Sean Penn asked us where he could get our car’s protruding hoodscoop and pronounced rear wing for his bud’s ’02 WRX. “Does it have a chip in it?” asked the well-informed surfer dude, alluding to the fact that the North American version of Subaru’s pugnacious little boy racer had its boost turned down and its 227 horsepower is well down on the WRXs the Brits, Aussies and Japanese (all hovering around the 280 hp mark) enjoy.

No need, said we, since we were behind the wheel of Subaru Tecnica International’s STi, the full-zoot, high-powered version of the WRX. That means it’s the full enchilada, boasting 300 horsepower, 300 foot-pounds and a new slick-shifting six-speed transmission not to mention a new high-zoot, adjustable all-wheel drive system.

In fact, those numbers now makes our version of the STi the most powerful Subaru in the world despite the fact it has a lesser single scroll turbocharger rather than the twin scroll, higher boost item those aforementioned foreigners enjoy. But as the old hot-rodding adage goes, there’s no substitute for cubic inches and our STi’s horizontally-opposed four gets a bump in displacement from the regular WRX’s 2.0 litres to a much more healthy 2.5 litres. The new engine is also fortified with a continuously variable valve timing system, the first such for a Subaru double overhead camshaft engine sold in North America.

Techno gobbledygook you might well say, but the end result is that the new STi is every bit worthy of being the public face of Subaru’s current World Rally Championship effort. Only at idle is the little four-cylinder engine anything less than stonkingly powerful. By 2,000 rpm, the blown 2.5-litre four is acting like a mid-displacement V6. Put your foot into it at 3,500 rpm and you’ll swear that there’s a healthy V8 under the hood.

Except, of course, for the distinctive howl from the turbocharger, sort of a metallic swoosh as air is rushing via the monstro intercooler (which is essentially a radiator which cools the air coming into the engine) at 14.7 pounds per square inch into each cylinder. Much larger than the intercooler on the base WRX, the larger STi serves a very important purpose on the STi. Turbocharging, especially at such a high boost pressure, heats up the incoming air/fuel mixture considerably; enough to cause “pinging” and also reduce performance. The gargantuan STi unit (you can catch a glimpse of its expanse through the now larger hood scoop) cools the air significantly letting the 2.5-litre produce all its 300 horsepower without ill effects. Subaru says it works so efficiently that in our typically cool winter months, the STi produces even more than the advertised 300 ponies. Reinforcing the importance of cooling the incoming intake charge Subaru even added a nozzle that sprays water right onto the intercooler for extra cooling.

Only those few talented (and brave) enough to keep their foot on the floor for extended periods of time will need this added cooling measure, however. The STi gets to 100 kilometres per hour in just 4.8 seconds (compared with the 5.4 seconds needed by the regular WRX and the 5.5 seconds Porsche 911 Carrera requires). With 300 foot-pounds moving only 1484 kilograms (3,265 pounds) acceleration is Corvette quick. Drivers of normally aspirated Porsches and more than a few hyper BMWs are likely to get their pedigrees dusted by the social-climbing Subaru.

They’re not likely to lose it in the corners either. Subaru claims that the STi can generate a stupendous 0.93 g on the skidpad, a number that puts it in the upper echelon of sports cars and just short of the class-leading Porsche 911 Turbo and Corvette Z06.

Much of the credit for this stomach-wrenching level of grip goes to the new 225/45R17 Bridgestone Potenza RE070 unidirectional performance radials. They may not be the widest tires on a sports car, but they sure are grippy thanks to a minimalistic tread pattern and super soft rubber. Just don’t expect much tire life or icy road traction.

The other part of the handling equation is the STi’s variable centre differential, something Subaru calls its Driver Controlled Centre Differential (DCCD). In its default automatic mode, the DCCD automatically switches between a 35/65 front/rear torque distribution and 50/50. Subaru claims that by connecting the system to braking and lateral acceleration sensors, DCCD can more rearward bias when the STi is cornering (therefore allowing the driver to control rear wheel drift) and then revert to a 50/50 split for maximum acceleration out of the corner. The driver can also select from six manually-selected settings that maintain the split fixed somewhere between the 50/50 and 35/65 positions.

What it all means is that the STi snakes around a twisty road like a slot car on a Mattel test track. Grip seems endless, roll all but non-existent and the brakes (thanks to powerful Brembo four-piston calipers in the front and discs seemingly the size of manhole covers) supremely powerful. The closest thing to a complaint I can come up with is that because the STi’s cornering potential is so high, it’s hard to get it really sideways like a true hooligan. The standard WRX excels at this kind of silly behaviour. Yes, the new STi is much faster than the standard WRX, but in some situations the base car is actually more fun to fling around.

On a more practical note, the STi has also been improved inside. The centre console has been cleaned up and doesn’t look as cheap as the original. Front buckets with superior side bolstering as well as Blue Escaine seat inserts are standard and the gauge set has been much revised with red luminescent faces. Aluminum pedals are standard on the STi and a full complement of air bags including side bags providing head and chest protection are original equipment.

Practicality is, after all, the centrepiece of the WRX’s allure. Yes, the STi might go like a Porsche 911, but what makes it truly special is that it’s every bit as practical as a regular Subaru Impreza. That means four doors (if not quite generous rear legroom), a trunk that can accommodate a couple of full-sized golf bags and the AWD system, though performance oriented, offers commendable assurance on slippery roads.

It’s hard to imagine any even remotely practical car offering more performance bang for the buck. The STi’s closet rival, Audi’s competent S4, is likely to come to Canada with a price tag around $75,000; an M3 starts at $73,000 and a Corvette at just under 70 large. Subaru Canada says that the new STi will cost between 46 and 48 thousand dollars. A steep price for a Subaru to be sure, but considering the premium tires, wheels, Brembo brakes, more powerful engine and adjustable AWD system, a value-packed deal compared with the $10,000 cheaper base WRX. Besides, that’s still less expensive than the 330xi, BMW’s all-wheel drive version of its best selling 3 Series that would likely get sucked into STi’s humongous hood scoop should one foolishly try to challenge the Subaru.

Older hooligans fitting the boomer profile might want for a less conspicuous rear spoiler (Subaru should make this a delectable option) and may gripe about the front seats not quite wide enough for their girth. Neither complaint, however, diminishes the fact that the STi is the best performance bargain on the market.