Subaru FYI Friday

The Subaru WRX STi has had a storied history. In 1993, the Subaru WRX made its way to the American market as the 2.5RS and we wouldn’t see the WRX in US markets until 2002. In 1994, the STi Version 1 was debuted. STi stands for Subaru Tecnica International and uses the cherry blossom color for the logo. The cherry blossom color represents the quickness of a samurai warriors’ life.[1] The WRX claimed its fame in the rally racing world by being nimbler and lighter than the Subaru Legacy it replaced. With Scottish Colin McRae behind the wheel the WRX won the World Rally Championship in 1995.[2] The STi SportWagon was introduced in 1997 and STi enthusiasts have loved the hatchback ever since.

In 2002, the United States finally received the Subaru WRX which competed heavily with the BMW 3-Series and the Audi S4.[3] 2005 was the year of the facelift for the WRX and the year the US got the (you guessed it!) STi. The 2005 STi had 320 horsepower and would rev up to 8,000 rpm.[4] The 2005 to 2007 Subaru STi is, arguably, the most aesthetically pleasing of all the STi models to date.

If the STi is your forte, understand what it took to get this car to the US. Years of development and racing history, an early model to test the US market, then finally giving us the STi in 2005. Since then, the Subaru WRX STi has been the go-to model for all-wheel-drive sport sedans and rally cars. Visit Performance Subaru in Chapel Hill to take a look at their lineup of new and used WRX STis.