OCTOBER. The month when leaves line damp roads and you take the ‘jumper or raincoat?’ gamble every morning. It’s the month when those lucky enough to own another motor tuck the sporty model away for the year and bring out the 4x4.
But those who want practicality and safety, coupled with outrageous speed – and now exclusivity, can settle for the one-car garage option: Subaru’s WRX STI Final Edition.
With just 150 models to be produced, this aptly-named last hurrah of the iconic rally-racer comes as imports are halted to the UK and Europe.
The classic ‘boy-racer’ saloon, with its look-at-me spoiler, may not be to everyone’s taste, but the renowned all-wheeler finds its own on greasy autumnal days.
This ‘Final’ model from the Japanese brand is, on paper, exactly the same as its less exclusive sister. It still has plenty of room for a growing family, a boot big enough for the weekly shop, and a 296bhp powerhouse propelling the lot of you to 60mph in 5.2secs. The only difference, really, is a sticker next to the shifter alerting you that you’re driving the last of a dying breed.
As with its sister, you could say the STI is the perfect all-round, with the added benefit of it looking just like all those cars you drew in your school notebooks.
But that’s the kicker. It’s a car that you love the look of, but hate the way people look at you in it. That’s how I felt anyway. It’s the massive spoiler, and possible the WR Blue Pearl colour, that has attracted the wrong sort of clientele in the past. Maybe it’s me. Maybe I just care too much.
Yet, all that is outweighed by the sensation it gives when you put your foot down.
The STI a marvel to drive. Quick on the draw with more grip than you could possibly ever imagine in the corners, but balanced with a comfortable ride at town speeds. It also has a very feisty Sport Sharp mode that I found myself never switching off. Two more options are available at the twist, or push, of a button – Sport and Intelligent – with the latter focused on achieving the most miles.
For the casual driver, the Subaru’s simplistic ability to change from a responsive throttled nutter, to a cruising mini-grand tourer, is what makes it such a fantastic bit of kit.
It also takes on Subaru’s new interior design philosophy of a smart, modern looking cabin, great seating position, uncluttered dash, touchscreen entertainment system, and an abundance of leather. A giant leap away from the, quite honestly, cheap-looking Subarus of old.
This Final Edition of Subaru’s classic WRX STI costs £33,995, which is £2,900 more than the ‘standard’ STI, although, like I’ve mentioned, its exactly the same. But that extra couple of grand isn’t wasted, as you’re not just buying a car, but the last of a legacy.
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