For more than 15 years, in most markets, the Subaru WRX STI was sold with a 300 HP engine. The generations were passing and the engine was still 300 HP of power. But from this Hall of Detroit is no longer the case thanks to the Subaru WRX STI S209 of 341 HP. It is also the first Subaru WRX series “S”, inspired by the cars that compete in the Nürburgring, to be sold outside of Japan (although the S209 will only be available in the United States).

With the help of Subaru Tecnica International , the Subaru WRX STI S209 takes out 341 HP from its 4-cylinder supercharged 2.5-liter boxer. A new turbocharger HKS – basically larger – and a boost pressure higher than the “standard” STI allow to increase the power to 341 hp. The engine also has pistons and connecting rods forged for greater strength and greater lightness of the moving parts.

The EJ25 engine also has a new intake, new gas pump and new injectors. Note that the S209 integrates a water spray system controlled by the driver (by a button behind the steering wheel) to help cool the intercooler. The performance of the differential and the different driving modes have a new electronic management. And obviously, the only transmission available is the permanent integral with manual 6-ratio change.

A competition chassis

The STI S209 is more than just a more powerful engine. STI engineers increased the 1.524 cm car tracks which forced them to add fin extensions and the car is now 4.32 cm wider than a “standard” STI. Thus, the 9×19-inch BBS-painted gold wheels fit Dunlop GT600A tires with a width of 265 mm. Behind the rims, grooved brake discs.

The Bilstein shock absorbers, springs and stabilizer bars are firmer, as expected, and the car is equipped with a series of suspension reinforcement bars in front and in the rear subframe, but I am struck by the flexible upper front reinforcing bar. It is a “turret bar” articulated in its center by a ball joint. The idea is that the bar helps reinforce the rigidity of the car laterally but allows a bit of longitudinal flexibility to conserve ride comfort.

Handcrafted and limited series

In addition to the mechanical part, STI has brought complete modifications to the aerodynamics of the body, with splitters, spoilers, spoilers and other air intakes. To highlight, too, the roof in carbon fiber.

The manufacturing process of the car is one of those that make it special already, because after leaving the Subaru factory as a WRX STI, the car is completed and the changes made are made in the STI workshops. Thus, the production is slow and expensive, so we have the usual ingredients for a limited series. In this will be only 200 STI S209 units that will be sold in the United States.

There will only be two exterior finishes to choose from. They will be the white with golden rims -which we see in the photos- and the metallic blue Mica -the classic “blue Subaru STI” -, which will inexplicably be combined with gray rims … In terms of price (not disclosed), customers should prepare to spend at least more than $ 50,000, which was what the WRX Type RA of 2017 cost.