End of an era: Subaru confirms no STI for new WRX

Subaru’s reveal of the all-new WRX in September last year will no longer lead to the unveiling of a red-hot STI as with previous generations.

In a surprise statement overnight, the Japanese automaker confirmed that the World Rally Championship (WRC) derived arch-rival for the long since departed Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution will no longer become a reality on the new Global Platform underpinned WRX, as per the brand’s focus on electrification.

“A next generation internal combustion engine WRX STI will not be produced based upon the new WRX platform. Subaru Corporation is exploring opportunities for the next generation Subaru WRX STI, including electrification,” and extract from the statement read.

“Subaru is focused on how our future sports and performance cars should evolve to meet the needs of the changing marketplace and the regulations and requirements for greenhouse gasses, zero emissions vehicles, and Corporate Average Fuel Economy,” the brand’s US division added.

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Its axing coming five years after the final Evo rolled off of the assembly line. The announcement also ends rumours dating back two years of a possible 294 kW STI that would have been the most powerful Impreza/WRX generation ever made.

“The feeling of the development site is that even if the engine of the STI is not the strongest, it cannot be significantly (less powerful),” an unnamed Subaru executive was quoted by Japan’s Best Car as saying at the time, in reference to the 310 kW produced by the 2.0-litre M139 unit used in the Mercedes-AMG A45 S.

The STI lineage, commissioned in 1998, ended in 2019, with the Japanese market’s only EJ 20 Final Edition that paid tribute to the stalwart 2.0-litre EJ flat-four Boxer engine used in various states of tune in the Impreza/WRX since 1989.

Based on speculative reports, the STI moniker appears set to live on in the brand’s electrical portfolio, with the Solterra, spun-off of the Toyota bZ4X, being a likely option. However, nothing has yet been confirmed.