Subaru is debuting two new STI concepts at the Tokyo Auto Salon that certainly look sporty, but not have the power to back the look.
For the longest time, the only car to bear the STI badge in Subaru’s lineup was the WRX. What used to be the Impreza WRX STI became the WRX STI when the WRX was spun off from the Impreza to be its own car in 2014. Now the Impreza is just a well-made Japanese hatchback (or compact sedan) that will get you from point A to point B with a minimum of fuss and a maximum of storage capacity.
The WRX, meanwhile, stayed on as Subaru’s performance sedan in a market that hates sedans. Kudos to Subaru for staying true to their history, but one wonders about their business acumen.
That said, if you were hoping that Subaru Tecnica International (STI) would one day get their hands on something that’s not called the WRX, then you’re in luck. Subaru will debut two new concept vehicles at the Tokyo Auto Salon next month, and neither is a WRX sedan.
We have very few details to go on, but we know one will be an Impreza hatchback and the other a Forester. STI has typically indicated a performance boost, so maybe we’ll see both of these vehicles sport big turbocharged engines for some real performance.
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Both concepts certainly look sporty, with their new front splitters, canards, and side sills. The Impreza gets a black-painted roof (reminiscent of modern Toyotas), and both get red STI badges on the grille and rear quarter.
The Forester is said to be based on the eBoxer Hybrid and come equipped with a 2.0-L boxer and a single electric motor for a combined 155 hp and 183 lb-ft torque. That’s not a lot, and definitely not something you’d consider racing in. We don’t have info for the Impreza, but here’s hoping it’s got a little more “go” to come with all that show.
We’ll find out more next month. Cross your fingers, Subie fans.