Report: Next Subaru WRX and STI to go sedan only; reveal headed for LA

Filed under: LA Auto Show, New York Auto Show, Spy Photos, Sedan, Performance, Subaru, Rumormill, Off-Road

Subaru WRX Sedan Spy Shots

After a serious bit of teasing at the 2013 New York Auto Show, Subaru might be finally preparing to pull the sheets off of the production versions of the new WRX and STI. The venue, according to Automotive News, will be the 2013 Los Angeles Auto Show in November. Besides that tasty bit of info, AN has a number of other interesting ideas about the 2015 WRX.

If you’ve been a fan of the five-door bodystyle, don’t read this – the next WRX and STI will reportedly go four-door only. We’ve already seen the latter’s whopping great wing, a tradition we’re happy to see soldering on for next-gen car. According to the AN report, power figures to be around 265 horsepower from a 2.5-liter, turbocharged, flat-four engine.

Los Angeles is still quite far off, so expect to hear more rumblings about a production WRX or STI in the coming weeks. Take a look above for our most recent batch of spy photos, and then hop down below for some images of the stunning WRX Concept that was shown at New York.

Next Subaru WRX and STI to go sedan only; reveal headed for LA originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 26 Aug 2013 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Official: 2014 Subaru WRX and STI pricing announced

Filed under: Car Buying, Sedan, Performance, Hatchback, Subaru

As the sun prepares to set on the third-generation Subaru WRX, Subaru has released the pricing for the 2014 WRX and WRX STI. With redesigned versions of both cars due out next year, prices for the current car have risen by just $200 across the entire 2014 lineup resulting in new starting MSRPs of $25,995 for the WRX and $34,495 for the more powerful WRX STI (*not including destination).

The destination charge has also crept up for the 2014 WRX and WRX STI models climbing slightly from $770 to $795. A final pricing adjustment for this bodystyle’s send-off year is that the optional navigation system went from $1,000 in 2013 up to $1,100 for 2014. Scroll down for the full model pricing breakdown, and keep a lookout for the all-new 2015 WRX and WRX STI, which we’d expect to see in production form in the coming months.

*Note: WRX STI (above) and WRX (below) are pictured here in the 2013 Special Edition trim.

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2014 Subaru WRX and STI pricing announced originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 07 Aug 2013 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: EVO pits Audi RS3 vs. Subaru WRX STI Spec C vs. Ford Focus RS vs… Ferrari Enzo?!

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Europe, Videos, Hatchback, Audi, Ford, Subaru, Ferrari

Evo Magazine hot hatch comparison

Evo Magazine hot hatch comparison – Click above to watch video after the jump

Occasionally, we can’t help but think we were born in the wrong corner of the globe. With our penchant for diesel fuel, wagons, hatchbacks and forced-induction four-cylinders, something tells us we would have been right at home growing up on the old continent.

Why all this musing on our misplaced youth? The goons at Evo Magazine have just released a new teaser video for the rag’s upcoming issue, and the cover story is rife with all sorts of metal we don’t get to play with here in the Land of the Free. The editors lined up three of the meanest hatchback bruisers available in the EU and matched them up against a mighty Ferrari Enzo. That’s right, an Enzo. Go big or go home, fellas.

The contenders include a Ford Focus RS, a Subaru WRX STI Spec C and the blistering new Audi RS 3 Sportback. For those of you who are keeping score, our chubby yank hands won’t even get close to touching any of that hardware in our neck of the woods. How’d the three musketeers stand up to the might Italian stallion? Your guess is as good as ours. We’ll have to pick up the next Evo Magazine to find out. In the meantime, check out the video after the jump. Thanks for the tip, Georgian!

[Source: YouTube]

Continue reading Video: EVO pits Audi RS3 vs. Subaru WRX STI Spec C vs. Ford Focus RS vs… Ferrari Enzo?!

Video: EVO pits Audi RS3 vs. Subaru WRX STI Spec C vs. Ford Focus RS vs… Ferrari Enzo?! originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 15 Apr 2011 19:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Subaru offering more powerful WRX STI for UK buyers

Filed under: Car Buying, Sedan, Performance, Hatchback, Subaru, UK

2011 Subaru WRX STI

2011 Subaru WRX STI – Click above for high-res image gallery

For a limited time, Subaru UK is offering customers a slightly more powerful version of its Evo-battling WRX STI. Between April 1st and June 30th, buyers can fit their four- or five-door STIs with a power package, good for an additional 20 horsepower and 32 pound-feet of torque.

This means the turbocharged 2.5-liter flat-four now puts out 320 hp and 332 lb-ft of twist. What’s more, the torque punch is now delivered at 3400 rpm – 600 rpm sooner than in the standard car. According to AutoExpress, these upgrades are enough to shave three-tenths of a second off of the STI’s 0-62 mile-per-hour time.

In addition to more power, Subaru will be fitting its STI with a standard Pioneer navigation system at no extra, complete with Bluetooth connectivity and iPod integration. Pricing for the upgraded STI starts at £32,995 (a whopping $53,572 based on current exchange rates).

Gallery: 2011 Subaru Impreza WRX STI: First Drive

Photos copyright (C)2011 Zach Bowman / AOL

[Source: AutoExpress]

Subaru offering more powerful WRX STI for UK buyers originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 05 Apr 2011 18:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Subaru WRX flips end-over-end at Global RallyCross Championship

Filed under: Motorsports, Videos

Jimmy Keeney's Subaru WRX crash at the Global RallyCross Championship

Jimmy Keeney’s crash at the Global RallyCross Championship – Click above for high-res image gallery

Marcus Grönholm put on an impressive display at the inaugural Global RallyCross Championship by winning both races, but one of the more talked about happenings of the weekend was a spectacular crash by Jimmy Keeney in his Subaru Impreza WRX STI.

Matched up with Hyundai driver Marcus Dodd in the Friday elimination rounds, Keeney had lost ground and was trying to make up time when he came up short for the 70-foot jump. The result was that the back end of the Subaru catapulted over the front, flipping end-over-end twice before finally landing on its side with smoke pouring from under the hood. Fortunately, Keeney climbed out of the wreckage unhurt, but the same couldn’t be said for the car.

With ESPN covering the event and plenty of photographers on hand, there was bound to be some good footage of the event. Sharp shooter John Rettie has been kind enough to let us publish his photos of the wreck, and we’ve also embedded a video of the crash after the jump.

Gallery: Subaru WRX crash at Global Rallycross Championship

Photos copyright (C)2011 John Rettie

[Source: Youtube]

Continue reading Video: Subaru WRX flips end-over-end at Global RallyCross Championship

Video: Subaru WRX flips end-over-end at Global RallyCross Championship originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 28 Mar 2011 16:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2011 Subaru Impreza WRX STI convertible: Worst idea ever?

Filed under: Aftermarket, Etc., Subaru

blue 2011 subaru sti convertible custom made by dealership parked in a showroom

2011 Subaru WRX STI convertible – click for high-res gallery

Car dealers do the strangest things to their vehicles. Just think about how many cars are out there with awful vinyl and fabric roof add-ons, a generation after manufacturers nearly swore them off entirely. Manchester Subaru in Manchester, New Hampshire isn’t content to create some sticker-and-tape fake trim level on a top-dog 2011 Subaru WRX STI. Instead, the dealer has gone all Chainsaw Massacre on the rally-bred performance sedan. The result is a picnic basket of automotive woe.

At least the “handle” left after all the chop-shopping maintains a fleeting semblance of rigidity. The rest? Awful. There’s an ill-fitting tonneau, chopped door pillars and the STI’s trademark enormous wing still hangs off the trunklid. The worst part? This poor Subaru’s price is purportedly $75,000. Not kidding. Sure, there’s an “exclusivity” factor, but 75 large buys an awful lot of real high performance convertible; the kind that won’t corner like an overcooked noodle. The dealership reportedly commissioned five of these abominations, which is likely five more than anyone wants. Thanks for the tip, Jason!

Gallery: Subaru Impreza WRX STI Convertible

[Source: Manchester Subaru]

2011 Subaru Impreza WRX STI convertible: Worst idea ever? originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 27 Feb 2011 11:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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You can design Factory Five’s new mid-engine, WRX-powered kit car

Filed under: Convertible, Performance, Etc., Subaru, Specialty, Design/Style

factory five logo 250Massachusetts-based Factory Five, the builder of some exceptional Shelby Cobra replicas and the GTM race car, has announced a new project vehicle. Starting with a Subaru WRX donor car, the Factory Five team says it will be able to produce a mid-engined two-seater for under $15,000… and you can help design it.

Factory Five is teaming up with Grassroots Motorsports Magazine to run a public design contest. The goal for the this as-yet unamed sports car will be to feature the WRX running car and weigh in at just 1,800 pounds. It will have a removable top, 95-inch wheelbase and the Subie engine will power the rear wheels.

Stay tuned for more details on this crowdsourced design contest as they emerge. Submissions will be accepted beginning March 1, so the official contest rules should be along shortly. Thanks to everyone for the tips!

[Source: Factory Five]

You can design Factory Five’s new mid-engine, WRX-powered kit car originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 18 Feb 2011 17:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Subaru adds WRX-powered Forester S-Edition for Australia

Filed under: Crossover, Subaru, Australia

2011 Subaru Forester S-Edition

2011 Subaru Forester S-Edition – Click above for high-res image gallery

Before your heart goes all aflutter at the thought of a factory Subaru Forester XTI, cool your jets a bit. It’s true that Subaru Australia has just pulled the sheets off of a more powerful Forester complete with nearly 260 horsepower and 256 pound-feet of torque, and yes, the high-rider packs a new five-speed automatic to replace the archaic four-speed slusher found on most Forester models. Drivers can even control shifts via a pair of paddles should the mood strike them. But this isn’t some slammed hardcore grocery getter. Instead, the Forester S-Edition, as it’s called, wears a slightly revised suspension cooked up from the minds at STI along with a few subtle aero tweaks outside.

Jump indoors and those from down under will enjoy a cabin trimmed in Alcantara bits, navigation and a rear view camera, all for a just a bit more than what you’d typically pay for a Forester XT in those parts.

Will we be getting anything similar? It certainly wouldn’t hurt our feelings, but we’d be surprised if Subaru suddenly decided to lay another model on top of its range-capping XT here in the land of the free. We’ve got our digits crossed for that five-speed transmission, though. Hit the jump for the press release.

Gallery: 2011 Subaru Forester S-Edition

2011 Subaru Forester S-Edition

[Source: Subaru Australia]

Continue reading Subaru adds WRX-powered Forester S-Edition for Australia

Subaru adds WRX-powered Forester S-Edition for Australia originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 01 Feb 2011 16:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Choose Your Own Cam with 2011 Subaru WRX STI rally car

Filed under: Motorsports, Performance, Videos, Subaru, Off-Road, Racing

Subaru WRX Rally Car in-car camera view

Subaru Canada’s version of Choose Your Own Adventure – Click above to watch video after the jump

Remember the Choose Your Own Adventure books? The series, which sold over 250 million copies between 1979 and 1998, allowed you to choose your path through the story, but not every path led to a happy ending. The rally team from Subaru Canada must have read a few of these books yet decided to make any and all choices lead down the same awesome path, just from a slightly different viewpoint.

Strapping a gaggle of HD cameras onto a 2011 Subaru Impreza WRX STI rally car, the team was able to load all the footage up to YouTube, where the viewer can select the viewing angle of his or her choice, be it the dash cam, bumper cam, clutch cam or side cam.

The driver is Pat Richard, the navigator is Alan Ockwell, and the quartet of camera angles is the Choose Your Own Adventure book we wish we could have read as a kid. Slide over the crest to view the clips.

[Source: YouTube]

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Video: Choose Your Own Cam with 2011 Subaru WRX STI rally car originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 12 Jan 2011 19:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Subaru WRX STI Spec C launched in Japan

Filed under: Performance, Japan, Hatchback, Subaru

Subaru Impreza WRX STI Spec C

Subaru Impreza WRX STI Spec C – Click above for high-res image gallery

Lighter, more responsive engine performance and increased stiffness – three descriptors that provide the basis of information regarding the all-new Subaru Impreza WRX STI Spec C. We supposed we could also throw in the longer name, but you can already see that. The Spec C, which is quite sadly a Japan-only model for the moment, receives a host of upgrades compared to the non-spec STI and that list includes; an aluminum hood, reduced-friction ball bearings for the twin-scroll turbo, optimized ECU programming, a mechanical LSD and a host of other features.

The STI Spec C is positioned as a more focused Impreza WRX for those seeking an even more engaging driving experience. Weight has been reduced all over the car, while the front crossmember has been reinforced and large 245-series Bridgestone Potenzas have been wrapped around all four wheels.

Take a look at the Subaru Impreza WRX STI Spec in the gallery below but be warned that too much staring can lead to a sudden desire to move to Japan. Be sure to click past the jump and read the full press release as well. Thanks to everyone for the tips!

Gallery: Subaru Impreza WRX STI Spec C

Subaru Impreza WRX STI Spec CSubaru Impreza WRX STI Spec CSubaru Impreza WRX STI Spec CSubaru Impreza WRX STI Spec CSubaru Impreza WRX STI Spec C

[Source: Subaru]

Continue reading Subaru WRX STI Spec C launched in Japan

Subaru WRX STI Spec C launched in Japan originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 22 Dec 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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