Subaru Impreza WRX STI

We continue our top 100 coolest car with Subaru Impreza WRX STI.

The Subaru Impreza STI, (formerly WRX STi, officially changed in 2007 to STI) ^[1] is the highest standard-edition trim in the Subaru Impreza compact car line, produced by Japanese automaker Subaru.
In the late 1980s, Subaru created the Subaru Tecnica International (STI) division to coordinate development for the FIA World Rally Championship and other motorsports activities. After the company had grown, the division was used to create high-performance consumer versions of the Subaru Impreza WRX, an all-wheel drive car with a turbocharged boxer engine, leading to the development of the Impreza WRX STi. The Subaru World Rally Team has used a race-prepared version of the WRX STI as its rally platform since the model trim's creation.
The Impreza WRX STi was originally sold only in Japan. It was later made officially available in Oceania (Australia had it in 1999 with the STi Version V). In 2001, Europe received the STi with the change of the chassis. Subaru began selling the STI in North America in the spring-summer of 2003 as a 2004 model.
Oceania and Europe had WRX STis in the region before the official versions via grey-market importing.^{[citation needed]}

Five (5) WRX STI S204 were made available to Subaru enthusiasts in New Zealand. However, unlike other S204s sent to other nations these five did not display either the in-cabin or in-enginebay badging that uniquely identifies each of the reported 600 vehicles manufactured.^[2] The lack of individual badging for these five cars brings into question the real number of S204s manufactured.

Thirty (30) WRX STI S204s' were made available to Singapore through the main distributor - Motor Image Enterprises.Echoing the RB5 a limited edition of 320 2007MY cars in Obsidian Black Pearl were released "in memory of Richard Burns", the 2001 WRC World Champion who died in 2005 due to a brain tumor. The car produces 320 PS (235 kW; 316 hp) of horsepower and 450 N·m (332 lb·ft) of torque due to tuning by Prodrive. The suspension has been upgraded with Eibach springs, an Eibach rear stabilizer bar and Bilstein struts. It rides on 18" anthracite alloys. A £1500 option on the car was to have the interior changed to a black leather/alcantara with RB320 stitching on the seat and a new gear (shift) knob. The car has special silver mesh grilles. New retail price was £29,995.

Litchfield Type 25 (2004)

Litchfield Imports^[9] initially imported Japanese specification Subarus, including the Spec C, into the UK. The motivation for them to create a new version of the Impreza came when Subaru removed creature comforts like air conditioning and electric windows from the Spec C at the end of 2003. Iain Litchfield wanted to continue to offer an 'everyday' Impreza as fast as the Spec C. Litchfield saw the potential of the newly released USDM EJ257 and imported it, He modified the heads, tuned it to produce 350 bhp (261 kW). The engines were installed into a Japanese specification STI and upgraded the suspension with rebound adjustable AST Sportline I coilovers, Whiteline anti-roll (stabiliser) bars and an anti-lift kit. The May 2004 edition of EVO magazine.^[10] called it the 'Best Impreza Ever' when tested against the WR1, Spec C and P1.

Litchfield Type 25 (2007)

The new Type 25, like the previous Type-25, used a modified EJ257 block but it was built by the US arm of Cosworth. They used Cosworth's own forged pistons and connecting rods balanced to within 0.5 grams. A modified STI crankshaft and STI engine casing were used and the 'short' engine was assembled by hand. This ‘short’ engine was sent to Litchfield to be finished . Cosworth honed, big-valve, ported cylinder heads and cams were used and the engine was installed into a 2007 Japanese specification Spec C. The engine produces over 415 bhp (309 kW) and 420 lb·ft (569 N·m), for a power/weight ratio 1 hp higher than a Porsche 997 Turbo.It costs $10,000 more than the normal 2006 Subaru Impreza WRX STI.

US-spec

Rev. D (2004)

In 2004, Subaru of America announced it would sell the WRX STi. Subaru Tecnica International's president said in an interview with Road & Track magazine that he wished to beat the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution in the US. Thus, each iteration of the US-spec WRX STi is essentially the same as the respective J-spec STi Spec C. All part numbers matched up, including the part-numbers for the glass windows and dampers. However, instead of the EJ207, the USA receives the first EJ257, a 2.5 liter version of the EJ207. Unlike the EJ207, it features hypereutectic cast pistons as opposed to the forged pistons in the EJ207. The steering rack is the standard STi's 15.2:1 instead of the Spec C's 13:1