Subaru has put WRX STI on ice – or, to be more precise, it has iced out the ICE version of its little performance model.
Just a few months ago, after revealing the latest version of the somewhat more mundane WRX model, company officials offered vague answers when asked about the STI model – and now, the company has officially explained why.
“Subaru is focused on how our future sports and performance cars should evolve to meet the needs of the changing marketplace and the regulations and requirements for greenhouse gasses,” it said in a statement out of Japan. “As part of that effort, Subaru Corporation is exploring opportunities for the next generation Subaru WRX STI, including electrification. In the meantime, a next generation internal combustion engine WRX STI will not be produced based upon the new WRX platform.”
The news doesn’t come as a complete surprise. Subaru has been slow to enter the world of electrification, initially with hybrids and now with pure battery-electric vehicles. In fact, it’s only just getting ready to bring its first BEV to market – with TheDetroitBureau.com scheduled to get a test drive next month.
Subaru goes electric – cautiously
That model, the Solterra, is part of a joint venture pairing up Subaru with Toyota. The Japanese giant will introduce its own version, dubbed the bZ4X. Toyota has promised to follow with an assortment of “Beyond Zero” models and it remains to be seen if Subaru will share of those other models, as well. But the two companies have been developing a solid relationship in recent years. They last year unveiled the fruits of another joint venture, second-generation versions of the Subaru BRZ and Toyota 86 sports cars.
There has been speculation that both the BRZ and 86 models eventually will be electrified, though whether that would mean hybrid or pure electric power is uncertain.
Going forward, Subaru could opt to replace the internal combustion engine in the WRX STI with some form of electrified alternative. It very well could take a different path and bring the sport model back in a completely different form, opting for a skateboard-style architecture that would mount a battery pack and motors below the load floor. That would offer several advantages, including a lower center of gravity, a near 50/50 weight distribution, and more interior space.
That would, of course, mark the most dramatic shift in direction for the STI line since the first model, known to aficionados as the 22B, made its debut three decades ago.
Holding out hope
There appear to be plenty of fans hoping that Subaru will bring back the STI badge – and that includes folks inside the Japanese automaker who have long seen the nameplate as the pinnacle of what the brand can deliver.
While there clearly would be those disappointed to see an STI without a boxer engine, others are likely to celebrate the other advantages electric propulsion can bring, starting with instant, neck-snapping torque and gobs of horsepower.
That’s beginning to make believers out of performance fans – and performance brands like Aston Martin, Lamborghini and even Ferrari, all of whom are planning to introduce plug-based models in the coming years.
While it might be small comfort for those who’d been hoping for a new STI, at least there’s a new version of the WRX to “settle” for. It’s a significant upgrade in a number of ways, with improved ride dynamics and a peppy 2.4-liter boxer-four making 271 horsepower and 259 pound-feet of torque. You can check out our review of the 2022 Subaru WRX.
