RALLYING TO THE CAUSE (some text hidden) --NONE--

BY ANDY ENRIGHT

Introductionword count: 99

The letter STi hold a special sort of appeal for many Subaru Impreza enthusiasts. Think of Subaru Technica International as the go faster wing of Subaru much as M is to BMW, AMG is to Mercedes or, more accurately, Ralliart is to Mitsubishi. STi badged Imprezas command serious respect and the officially imported UK cars are always in big demand as specialist used cars. There are plenty of early imports around, but we'll concentrate here on the post 2002 models rather than the legions of grey import cars that made their way to these shores in the late nineties.

Modelsword count: 12

Models Covered: 4 DOOR SALOON 2.0, 2.0 TURBO [WRX STI, STI TYPE-UK])

Historyword count: 397

It's fair to say that October 2000 was a significant month for Impreza owners. Out went the much-loved 'original' shape car and in came the revised 'bug-eyed' edition. The reception was frosty to say the least and the last of the old Imprezas is still worth a good deal more on the used market than the first of the bug-eye cars. Subaru realised that the styling wasn't to the taste of hardcore fans and moved quickly with the launch of the Impreza UK300 which offered compound headlamps, bigger spoilers and the option of a Prodrive WR kit that boosted power to 245bhp. The UK300 was an instant hit and Subaru UK subsequently introduced the Impreza STi at the 2001 Frankfurt show. Debuting in British showrooms in January 2002, the STi, a car that was launched with 261bhp and the option of a standard car or one with bigger Prodrive-designed spoilers, grille and front bumper. Both were badged 'Type-UK' to differentiate them from parallel imported models. The 2002 Paris motor show saw the release of the facelifted Impreza with much of the credit going to Prodrive and the designer of the McLaren F1, Peter Stevens. With revised front wings, shapelier headlights, a more aggressive bumper and front grille, a resculpted bonnet and revised rear light clusters it was a far more cohesive design than its predecessor and sales soon picked up again, especially as its key rival, the Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VII, had just been toned down from its Evo VI heyday. Almost immediately Prodrive announced a performance pack for the STi offering a full 300bhp. A 2003 facelift saw the controversial bug-eye headlamps replaced and a raft of other changes brought in. Then, towards the end of 2004 a 300bhp STi Type-UK model was introduced to top the range. The 2006 model year facelift brought dramatic changes to the look of the car. The tri-sectioned grille with central 'nostril' raised some eyebrows as did the stretched headlamps that wrap around into the car's front wings. More important, however, was the dropping of the old faithful 2.0-litre turbo engine in favour of a 2.5-litre turbo unit. A 277bhp STI model followed some months later and then came the interesting STI spec D with its more 'discreet' styling and STI underpinnings beneath. An all new Impreza arrived in Autumn 2007, eventually replacing this model with a new STi derivative.

What You Getword count: 385

Introduced at the 2001 Frankfurt Show, the STi is powered by a 265bhp 2.0-litre flat four engine, but don't be fooled into thinking that it's merely a case of plugging in a more aggressive engine management chip or a bucket-sized turbocharger. Nearly 80% of the STi's all-alloy powerplant is unique. Two versions are offered for the UK market - the standard STi and the special edition STi Prodrive Style. Differences to the regular WRX include special gold-coloured spoked alloy wheels, colour-keyed sill spoilers and an interior featuring blue suede-effect seats with STi logos and red stitching for the steering wheel, gear knob and handbrake lever. Also inside - and sure to please enthusiasts - is a switch to spray the intercooler with water. Another device allows the driver to preset a warning buzzer and light to guard against over-revving the engine. On opening the bonnet, the engine compartment greets owners with a dramatic mixture of colours and detailing. The intake manifold, for example, is painted in red and the enlarged aluminium intercooler emblazoned with 'STi' lettering. In addition, the STi Prodrive Style features a massive high-riding boot spoiler, newly designed sill spoilers and a deeper, squarer front bumper. The grille and badging resemble the WRC rally car. Interior enhancements over the standard STI include dark blue-coloured instruments with red needles. Four colours were available: WR Blue Mica, Blue Black Mica, Premium Silver Metallic and Pure White, the latter two being available to special order only. The facelifted car followed the same theme with revised suspension and a few engine tweaks. Don't be fooled into thinking that the power increase over the WRX has been achieved by merely plugging in a more aggressive engine management chip or a bucket-sized turbocharger. Nearly 80% of the STi's all-alloy powerplant is unique. The piston head was reshaped to form tougher semi-closed-deck cylinder blocks. Screw-in conrods and forged pistons combine with shimless valve lifters, sodium-filled exhaust valves and hollow valve intakes. Every moving part is either stronger, lighter or both. This reduces inertia and gives the engine a manic free-revving feel that's missing from the standard WRX. A larger intercooler and air intake help keep things from meltdown, and a water spray has been fitted to the intercooler that is operated by the driver via a dash-mounted button. Serious stuff.

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