2011 Subaru WRX STI 4-Door Sedan Debut – New York Auto Show
It’s official, the Subaru Impreza WRX STI is back in winged, 4-door sedan form. After a few years of availability solely in 5-door hatchback form, the WRX STI can be had in the 2011 model year in either 4-door sedan form or 5-door hatchback form. This is the first time ever that Subaru has sold its iconic STI model in two body shapes.
With the redesigned 2011 Subaru Impreza WRX receiving a factory widebody and bigger tires, the STI model needed a few upgrades to retain its “king of the hill” status.
“The continuous evolution and development of the WRX STI is driven by the strong, loyal and vocal support from thousands of enthusiastic owners of this exciting high-performance vehicle,” said Tom Doll, executive vice president and COO of Subaru of America, Inc. “The 2011 4-door WRX STI will expand the appeal of this iconic performance model to a wider range of driving enthusiasts.”
The 5-door STI remains largely the same in terms of its widebody. The new 4-door STI bears a striking resemblance to the widened WRX sedan, with its bulging rear flares and wider fenders. Both STI models feature a sharpened front bumper, lip spoiler and redesigned front grille.
The STI sedan, with its flat trunk, wears a large rear spoiler, with styling very reminiscent of the old Impreza STI coupes. Subaru states that the rear wing contributes to “zero lift” on the new STI sedan, although they don’t state whether that is front, rear or overall.
The suspension system on the STI has also been reworked with a lower ride height and tighter handling. New pillowball bushings, i.e. spherical bearings, in the front and stiffer rear subframe bushings are used. The spring rates have gone up by 15.6% in the front and 53% in the rear, although actual rates were not printed. Swaybars have gone up in thickness as well, by 1mm front and rear to 21mm front and 19mm rear.
The standard 18-inch aluminum wheels are lighter than before, shaving off 17.6-lbs total of unsprung weight. 18×8.5-inch BBS forged wheels are optional and even lighter.
The engine remains the same as 2010, a 2.5-liter flat-four engine that’s turbocharged to the tune of 305hp and 290 lb/ft of torque. As before, the STI distances itself from the Impreza WRX model with the addition of a six-speed transmission with a Driver Controlled Center Differential (DCCD), SI-Drive (ECU mapping and e-throttle control), Brembo brakes and a different STI-branded interior.
Just when we were getting used to the idea of a 5-door rally STI, Subaru unleashes the new 2011 4-door sedan option. Like previous STIs, it retains an angry, hopped-up edge with its body cladding and aggressive wing. When’s the coupe coming out?
Source
Subaru
www.subaru.com
