Things have been a wee bit tense between me and Subaru since I posted my test drive of the 2010 Legacy. Subaru made a lot of changes to the Legacy, and I wasn’t a big fan — although I would seem to be in the minority, as Subaru says the new, larger Legacy is selling strongly. (Hey, I didn’t say it was a bad car, I just liked the old one better.)
So when I got an invitation to drive the updated 2011 Impreza WRX and STI, I had a feeling things could potentially get a bit more awkward. Now, I’m a huge, huge fan of the current-gen WRX — it made my Best New Cars of 2008 list, and when I test drove it again in 2009 I was over the moon. Heck, I’m even a huge fan of the base-model Impreza 2.5i — with standard all-wheel-drive and electronic stability control, I think it’s one of the safest cars on the road.
Based on the Subaru Impreza WRX STI, the R205 enhanced the sheer driving performance it shares with former special performance models, such as the “S203″ and the “S204″, developed by STI. The R205 is the top performance model of the WRX STI. The Subaru Impreza STI R205 features new and exclusive equipment and makes full use of specially designed features and performance parts of the “WRX STI spec C” model, the sporty performance model launched 2009. The “R” of R205 stands for “Road Sport”.
In addition, STI carried out verification tests of selected performance parts of the R205 through the participation of the 2009 Nurburgring 24-hour race with an Impreza WRX STI. Making full use of this precious race-track experience at Nurburgring – in which any road condition is condensed – STI successfully completed the model in order to offer sheer excitement and unique driving feeling as a distinctive “Road Sport Model”.
New Version Subaru Impreza WRX STi has been introduce by Subaru Motors with new design feature. For the first time the Subaru WRX STI will be offered in two body styles 5-doors and 4-doors and also two variant new Impreza, the variant is Subaru Impreza sedan and hatch. Appearance changes for 2011 WRX STi include a new grille and insert, plus on the sedan, the enormous wing. New design 2011 Subaru Impreza has sharpened bumper corners and wider blacked-out fog lamp nacelles to accentuate the “wide and low” profile. Covering essentially the entire surface of the trunk, the sedan’s wing helps the car achieve zero rear-end lift at high speeds, improving stability. The New Version Subaru Impreza WRX STI 4-door features its own version of the polished stainless-steel quad-tailpipe exhaust, with tailpipe diameter enlarged to 3 inches. Newly designed wider rear fenders are stretched out on the side beyond the tail lamps, accentuating a look of power and stability. The new design details supply to an improved drag coefficient.
New Version Subaru Impreza WRX STI was by now has a highly optimum performance machine with Specific chassis tuning, aluminum front lower L-arms reduce unsprung vehicle weight. Major changes on New Subaru WRX is suspension tuning, 2011 Subaru Impreza WRX STI has a lowered ride height and new pillow-ball bushings in front and stiffer bushings for the rear subframe which supports double-wishbone suspension to improve camber and toe stiffness. Actually WRX STi suspension tuning is borrowed from the 2010 Subaru Impreza WRX STI Special Edition, a tauter, JDM Spec C-based tune that cuts body roll and increases lateral G forces that can be held. Both the front and rear suspension systems employ higher-rate springs and thicker front and rear stabilizer bars than the 2010 model: 21mm vs. 20mm in front and 19mm vs. 18mm in the rear.
