Subaru is an extraordinary car company. While some manufacturers will spend millions of dollars extolling the virtues of a new door handle, Subaru manages to re-engineer an entire car without so much as a whimper. As an enthusiast, it's impossible not to admire the triumph of engineering will over marketing dictate, but it's commercial madness.
The new Subaru Impreza WRX STi Type U.K. is a prime example of this insanity. The 2005 model year car slid quietly onto the price lists at the beginning of the year. It looked the same, cost roughly the same and did the same job, so it was greeted with no more than passing interest-until Subaru released its specifications.
Peer closely at the dimensions and you'll notice this car has a longer wheelbase and a wider track than its predecessor. There are major changes to the suspension, differentials, steering and wheels. Study the spec sheet intently and you'll realize this car has undergone the antithesis of a facelift. It's a new car hiding under the same shell.
The car you see on these pages also benefits from a new Performance Pack developed by Prodrive, the British company responsible for Subaru's World Rally car. The PPP, or Prodrive Performance Pack, adds $3,779 to the $49,245 cost of a standard Type U.K. STi and comprises a revised ECU, a high-flow catalyst and a sports silencer. It increases the power output from 262 to 300 hp at 6000 rpm, while torque grows from 253 lb-ft to 299 lb-ft at 4000 rpm.
In the best Subaru tradition, the main exterior changes are hidden from sight. Only on a lift will you discover that engine and floorpan covers have been fitted to smooth the flow of air under the body. The only visible clues to this car's identity are the front bumper and hood lid, which have been subtly altered to offer greater pedestrian protection, and a slight increase in the rear wheel arch extensions, made necessary by the increase in track.
Slide a buttock into one of the aggressive STi seats and you'll be confronted by a fascia that, Subaru claims, has been subject to a quality upgrade. There are new air-conditioning controls and a couple of cupholders, but the overall effect still has more in common with a down-market hi-fi than a European sedan. It's a pity Subaru has replaced the old Nardi wheel with a second-rate substitute; the MOMO wheel found in a Mitsubishi EVO is far superior.
Other interior details give more of a clue to this car's redefined character. A discreet plastic switch controls the water spray for the intercooler, for example. This helps optimize the engine's performance in hot, high-altitude conditions-which is really useful in the cold, low-lying U.K.
Another knob situated next to the handbrake instructs the new Driver Controlled Center Differential (DCCD) as installed on the U.S.-spec STi. From the driver's seat, it's now possible to control the extent to which the center differential locks. It's an oversteer-on-demand switch-sort of.
Complementing the DCCD system, which reverts to auto mode every time the car is switched off, is a new front helical limited-slip diff and a yaw sensor. Subaru claims the new diff is faster acting and is designed to improve the Impreza's stability when cornering at the limit and to help minimize torque steer when accelerating on low-grip surfaces. The yaw rate sensor has been developed to achieve a better balance between turn-in and straight-line stability.
The suspension changes are a tribute to the attention to detail of the STi engineers and the competitive demands of the World Rally Championship. The Scooby's wheelbase has been increased by 10mm, the rear track has grown by 15mm and the caster angle has been raised by 1.5 degrees. Larger anti-roll bars, revised spring and damper rates and aluminum lateral links in the rear suspension are also among the revisions.
The steering has also been reconfigured in a bid to improve driver feedback and a damper valve has been introduced to reduce kick-back during hard cornering.
Our drive starts in London's Notting Hill, the pretentious London district made famous by the Hugh Grant/Julia Roberts chick flick of the same name. Around here, Porsches are as common as Fords and the STi looks wonderfully out of place. The rally blue war paint, outrageous spoiler and gold wheels present a constant challenge to other drivers. Nobody gives way.
The modest pace of our travel gives us time to consider our first impressions. Compared to the Mitsubishi EVO, the Scooby feels remarkably civilized. The ride is firm but it never jars, and if anything, the recent suspension changes have made it even more compliant. Only the brakes require familiarization if you're to make smooth progress, and although their ultimate performance is not in doubt, the brakes lack the reassuring firmness of the Mitsubishi's.
It's also immediately apparent the Prodrive kit has done little to compromise the engine's flexibility. The power and torque peaks occur in exactly the same place as they do in the standard car and the PPP version develops 30 percent more torque at 2500 rpm than stock. And when the opportunity arises to extend the horses, they respond with a newfound ferocity.
Subaru claims a 0-62 mph sprint of 4.6 seconds for the Prodrive car compared with 5.2 seconds for a standard STi, and 100 mph arrives in 12.2 seconds. Prodrive's tester also managed a claimed 13.4-second quarter mile at 104.7 mph. We weren't able to verify these numbers but subjective impressions suggest a sub-5-second run to 62 mph would be achievable if you're prepared to abuse the transmission and the clutch. This is, without doubt, an exceptionally rapid car.
It's also one with newfound composure. Early STi's, including the much-vaunted 22B, were so stiff they wanted to jump off the road at the first sign of pot-marked British blacktop. The latest models, though, are much better and the new STi is the best yet. With the shoot done, we head to a favored back road to test body control.
On this road, an EVO feels manic enough to be a real handful, but the Subaru feels more supple, planted and controlled. The changes to the steering really have made a difference and they contribute to a terrific sense of fluidity. This is a car in which it's easy to build a rhythm and to connect the dots between corners in the same way you would in a Porsche 911. The STi no longer needs to be manhandled to deliver its best.
Criticisms are few. If you push hard, the Subaru will understeer more than the Mitsubishi and this is only partially alleviated by adjusting the center differential. Some drivers may also miss the over-the-top lunacy of the EVO, but this is a matter of personal preference-ultimately, the Mitsu feels like a racecar on the road, whereas the Scooby is a highly tuned road car.
Despite Subaru's reticence, it's clear this STi is a major step forward. For everyday driving, this is the best of the rally-based supercars and a testament to the focus and drive of the STi engineers. All they need to do now is tell someone about it.
2005 Subaru Impreza Sti Type U.K. W/Prodrive-Developed Performance PackEstimated Price: $53,024 In The U.K.EngineType: Inline four, aluminum block and head, turbocharged and intercooled Valvetrain: DOHC, four valves per cylinder, AVCS variable valve timingDisplacement: 1994ccBore x Stroke: 92mm x 75mmCompression Ratio: 8.0:1Claimed Crank Hp: 300 hp @ 6000 rpmClaimed Crank Torque: 299 lb-ft @ 4000 rpmRedline: 7500 rpm
DrivetrainLayout: Transverse front engine, four-wheel driveTransmissionGear Ratios1st: 3.636:12nd: 2.375:13rd: 1.761:14th: 1.346:15th: 0.971:16th: 0.756:1Final drive: 3.9:1DifferentialsFront: Helical limited-slip Center: Active electronically controlled, clutch-type limited slipRear: Mechanical rear limited-slip
ChassisChassis Code: GDBExterior DimensionsCurb Weight: 3252 lbsOverall Length: 173.8 in.Wheelbase: 100.0 in.Overall Width: 68.5 in.Track F/R: 58.9 in./58.9 in.Height: 56.7 in.
Suspension Front: Inverted MacPherson strut, anti-roll barRear: Struts with two lateral links and one trailing link, anti-roll bar
BrakesFront: 13.0-in. vented discs, Brembo 4-piston calipersRear: 12.0-in. vented discs, Brembo 2-piston calipers
ExteriorWheels: 17x8-in. aluminumTires: 225/45-17 Bridgestone Potenza REO7