|
By
EWAN KENNEDY
5 February 2006
Subaru in Australia arguably has a closer relationship with its
head office than any other car company in Australia. That’s a very
important factor when it comes to tuning vehicles specifically to suit
Australian road conditions and the desires of our drivers.
The latest result of this co-operation is the ‘Subaru WRX
tuned by STI’ a high-performance car with a modest price tag for
what you get. Subaru Australia tells us the additional equipment
fitted to this special WRX is valued at about $12,000, yet the
price tag of $46,990 is only some $7000 higher than that of the
standard WRX STI.
More power and torque are achieved by a tuned by STI electronic
engine management setup. Even more importantly from the point of
view of Aussie drivers is that there's a strong emphasis on
lowdown torque. The peak torque of 340 Nm is obtained at just 3200
rpm, power is 179 kW. These figures are up 20 Nm and 10 kW
respectively on the standard WRX.
Considerable effort has gone into giving sharper throttle
response and more linear power and torque output. And greater
control over the engine is also provided by a short-shift kit in
the gearbox. The selector lever itself comes with aluminium
highlights to further increase the sporty feel.
As in all Subaru performance models, the WRX tuned by STI is a
complete package. The extra grunt from the engine is backed up by
a body package that we are told reduces high-speed lift. A
sportier suspension is installed and puts its power to all four
wheels by way of Enkei 18-inch alloy wheels wrapped in Pirelli
performance tyres.
Inside the WRX tuned by STI, you get the luxury of full leather
trim and a factory-fitted powered sunroof.
The body is finished in either World Rally Blue, a classic hue
for the WRX for many years, or in Obsidian Black. The former comes
with shadow-chrome wheels, the latter in a sinister charcoal
shade.
Tuned by STI models are becoming part of the image of Subaru in
Australia and this latest variant is a classic example of how you
can get an excellent car at a modest price.
At about $10,000 less than the full-blooded Subaru 206 WRX STI,
this ‘tuned by STI’ version offers a mid-range model that
leans in the direction of performance but is significantly more
affordable.
Only 200 of these special models are being imported and all are
individually numbered. They will be available in either blue or
black with 100 of each colour being brought in. Limited edition
WRXs have proven popular in the past, so if you are halfway
interested a quick trip to your Subaru dealer may be in order.
© Copyright
Marque Publishing Company
|
