In the early days of NASCAR, fans would be able to walk into a dealership and purchase a similar car that was on the racetrack just the day before. Over time, the commercialized nature of NASCAR has led to the standardization of its racecar bodies leaving the only differences between a Dodge, Chevy, Ford and Toyota just simple headlight and taillight stickers.
This “race on Sunday, sell on Moday” attitude has been a staple for Subaru and in its long history with racing - especially when it comes to rally racing. Videos of blue Subarus sliding sideways through dusty, gravely, curvy roads and speeding down straight-aways with fans lining the thin roads standing just inches away from the speeding cars are almost iconic for rally enthusiasts. The car Subaru uses for its rally entry, is the same car that can be purchased at Subaru dealerships, the Impreza WRX STI. The 2008 Impreza WRX STI now comes only as a hatchback and not because it cares how much luggage you want to haul. Buying the WRX STI for any other reason than mud-slinging, curve-hugging, full-throttle enjoyment, would be like bringing a Clydesdale horse to a pony ride. Subaru chose to match the STI a hatchback instead of a sedan is due to the better weight distribution and improved aerodynamics – both lead to better handling and overall performance. In fact, the all-new STI now offers an almost-perfect 50/50 weight distribution front to rear and some of the best performance numbers this car has ever seen. After the split second that it takes to get used to the hatchback body, the widely flared fenders and hatch-mounted spoiler help make the STI a truly unique vehicle. To accommodate the larger, wider 18x8.5-inch wheels that the STI offers, the Impreza’s body was widened by over two inches. The widened front fenders incorporate cooling vents to allow for increased airflow into the engine compartment. Allowing more air into the engine compartment, the all-new STI features an aluminum hood with a gaping scoop to feed fresh air to the intercooler. Our test car came with the WR Blue Mica paint and the upgraded 18-spoke gold BBS aluminum wheels – only yellow Subaru stickers and a roll cage away from being Travis Pastrana’s moneymaker.
The heart of this street-legal rally car is a 305-horsepower version of Subaru’s Boxer engine, a 2.5-liter DOHC intercooled and turbocharged flat four with variable valve timing. A six-speed manual is the only transmission available, and it features a short-throw shifter for quicker shifting. Just two of those gears and a little more than five seconds is all it takes the 3,395-pound STI to hit 60 mph. This setup allows the 2008 STI to get an EPA estimated 17 mpg city and 23 mpg highway. The adjustable Subaru Intelligent Drive (SI-DRIVE), Driver Controlled Center Differential (DCCD) and Vehicle Dynamics Control (VDC) allow for a highly tuned, customizable driving experience (below is Subaru’s recommended settings for optimized performance). Literally speaking, Subaru finishes off the STI’s performance upgrades with a low restriction exhaust system that uses a high-flow rear catalytic converter and a low backpressure muffler with twin sets of chrome-tipped dual outlets. Adding to the tuner looks, the STI uses manually adjustable Xenon high-intensity discharge headlamps and clear-lens LED taillights. When it comes to rally cars, acceleration and handling are imperative, but without an equally beefed-up braking system, a proper introduction between the STI and a tree would be imminent. Subaru equipped the WRX STI with a Brembo® performance brake system that features large diameter four-wheel discs in addition to four-piston front calipers and dual-piston rear calipers. Inside, the front passengers benefit from side-bolstered, race-inspired buckets seats with an embroidered STI logo in the integrated headrests. All seating surfaces feature Graphite Gray Alcantara (a suede-like material) with Carbon Black side bolsters for a sporty and attractive look and feel. Three large electroluminescent gauges provide easy visibility for the driver using fuel/temperature gauge, a 160-mph speedometer and an 8,000-rpm tachometer. Other less vital yet useful information was displayable on the seven-inch, touchscreen navigation system. The optional ($3,800) Navigation package also added the special gold BBS wheels, fog lamps and what Subaru refers to as a “high performance” audio system. This audio system was the only legitimate gripe on the 2008 STI. Putting out only 100 watts, this system sounds about as high performance as a rally driver’s headset. If cargo space is needed in between rally events, the hatchback can come in handy. Behind the rear seat, the Impreza offers 19.0 cubic feet of cargo space, and with the 60/40 split rear seat folded down, up to 44.4 cubic feet of space is available. On many cars, performance doesn’t come cheap – the 2008 Subaru WRX STI is no different. With a base MSRP of $34,995, our test model topped out at a few speeding tickets away from an even $40,000. At $39,440, the 2008 STI has a $21,945 premium over the base Impreza.
2008 Subaru WRX STI Pictures and Wallpapers
Review written by: Jeffrey Ross
All photos copyright Jeffrey Ross/Autotropolis.com © 2008 |