Rising from last month's highly anticipated comparison test with the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution in which it lost by a hair, the Subaru WRX STi is seeking redemption.
This month, the 300-hp factory hot rod takes on three WRXs tuned by three different WRX tuners.
We gathered all four cars in Southern California and put them through two days of torture.
First, we hit the chassis dyno at HKS in Gardena, Calif. Then we headed 100 miles northeast to Rosamond, home to the tight 12-turn Streets of Willow road course, where we tested the cars' handling. The next morning, after a round of Grand Slam breakfasts at the local Denny's, we convened at California Speedway, radar gun in hand, for acceleration, braking and handling tests.
Why? Because Subaru redefined the playing field in the compact performance market with the introduction of the STi. Its specs leave enthusiasts slack-jawed. Three hundred horsepower? Three hundred lb-ft of torque? Can anyone--tuner or manufacturer--match those numbers for similar green? Given a stock WRX and some extra cash, or lots of extra cash, is it possible to match or, dare we say it, better the performance of the STi? We decided to find out. For the answer, read on.
STi
The STi brings three limited-slip differentials to the table with its massive power, so putting it down shouldn't be a problem. Neither should stopping with 12.7-inch Brembo front rotors, four-piston calipers and aggressive 225/45ZR-17 Bridgestone Potenza RE070s. Its cycloptic hood scoop, massive rear wing, gold wheels and rally blue paint make it stand out, even in this company. The STi looks pissed. Pissed enough to make any conventional WRX afraid. Pissed enough to swallow an EVO in a single snort. Maybe even pissed enough to blast some very well-prepared tuner cars straight off our test track.
The Challengers
Digging up tuner cars capable of challenging the STi's rare combination of performance and price wasn't easy. The three cars taking on the STi represent significant diversity in the world of WRX tuning. All three employ very different hardware strategies for going quickly. All three also make significantly different cost compromises along the way. In other words, the results surprised us a bit.
First up, our friends at Rally Performance, a Pennsylvania-based WRX and Lancer Evolution tuner, drove their appropriately named STi Hunter all the way from the East Coast for our contest of speed. Did you catch that? That's more than 3,000-miles round trip to show us what their car could do. Impressive confidence.
The STi Hunter is actually the mildest car of the group in terms of mods and cost. Rally Performance's tuning strategy is to accomplish as much performance as possible, using a minimal number of well-developed parts. It's the only tuner car in the group to rely on a stock turbo. Still, significant improvements in exhaust plumbing efficiency have been made through the use of ScoobySport parts, but the stock under-car catalyst is retained. An STi intercooler resides in place of the stock piece. Completing the list of engine mods is a Rally Performance remapped ECU. That's it. Simple, relatively inexpensive and effective.
The suspension is upgraded with Leda coil-overs, but in keeping with the simple and effective theme, the car retains stock anti-roll bars and control arms all around. Oversize 13-inch AP rotors, six-piston calipers and Pagid pads are in place up front. Larger 225/45-17 Kumho Ecsta MX rubber over 17-inch Prodrive wheels improve grip. Ken Cole, Rally Performance proprietor, estimates the cost to duplicate the STi Hunter is a reasonable $30,000 without the Scooby Sport wing or Morette headlights. That price, naturally, includes the car.
The SPI Motorsports WRX is on the opposite end of the scale. Over the top in virtually every way, this car is as much showpiece as it is performance machine. We can only assume the tuning strategy with this WRX was simple: "If it makes it go fast or look good, then we want it." Fair enough.
SPI used an upgraded Garrett turbo from AVO in Australia, which feeds an MRT front- mount intercooler. A Cusco header, PDE up-pipe and 3-inch turbo-back exhaust improve breathing. A Link ECU controls all engine vitals.
Underneath, TEIN Flex coil-overs with the company's cockpit-adjustable Electronic Damping Force Controller are in place. Cusco anti-roll bars and MRT alloy end links complete the suspension mods. Brakes are Stoptech 12.9-inch rotors and four-piston calipers in front. Surrounding the massive stoppers are 18-inch Prodrive wheels with 225/40-18 Toyo T1S tires. SPI estimates this car's cost at a hefty $50,000 when all is said and done.
Finally, Vishnu Performance dropped in with a WRX wearing its full Stage 2 kit. Vishnu's tuning strategy centers around driveability without ignoring blinding speed or reliability--often contradicting goals, which Vishnu combines remarkably well.
Vishnu's Stage 2 WRX uses the IHI VF30 turbocharger, Vishnu intercooler and plumbing as well as a Vishnu up-pipe and turbo-back exhaust. A Vishnu remapped ECU maintains engine parameters.
Suspension upgrades include Vishnu-specified JIC coil-overs with JIC trailing arms and toe links in the rear. This Stage 2 car is fitted with Stoptech's 12.9-inch rotors and four-piston calipers up front. Seventeen-inch Rota Tarmac Rally wheels and super sticky 235/45-17 Toyo Proxes RA1 R-compound tires are responsible for this car's ridiculous grip on the road.