Filed under: Etc., Hatchbacks, Subaru
Fanboy rendering: An STI we can get behind
Our new friend Augustine sent us over a link to CG artist Lars Mårtensson's interpretation of the next Subaru Impreza STI, and it's a design that ties in a few elements from previous generations, along with a new front clip that will forever be relegated to the virtual world.The two-door hatch shape lends itself well to Subaru's traditional bulldog proportions, with the stance accentuated by the bulging fender flares that tie in nicely to the radical front fairing. The pulled back headlamps are a bit too reminiscent of the current BMW 5-series, but the steep angle and subtle bulge in the hood does the Dame Edna-inspired lights more justice than Bangle had ever imagined.
While the sides are typical Subaru slabs, the rear end does an admirable job of blending the shortened hatch with the lines of the outgoing model. And bumper-integrated dual exhaust tips are always a winner in our eyes.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Andrewz 6:27PM (6/26/2007)
That looks amazing, I'd love to drive that car.
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Richard 6:29PM (6/26/2007)
Missing a couple of doors.
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alan 6:44PM (6/26/2007)
I somewhat like it... though I do like having 4 doors on my STI, but it looks like it would handle amazing. The grille needs to be a bit larger and too many fog light openings...
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NeoteriX 1:38PM (6/27/2007)
"looks" like it handles amazingly, huh?
I'm sorry, but unless you're talking about an open wheel car where you can see the suspension setup, "looks" and "handles" shouldn't be used to describe the same thing.
naggs 12:39PM (6/28/2007)
the short wheelbase tells you something. assuming it would use the same suspension setup as the car it is based off of, it is hard to imagine that thing not being a blast to drive even if the ride is a little choppy.
vectorbug 7:23PM (6/26/2007)
The front end one-ups the 08's terrible design, the wing is too low to be functional, and really it needs to be a sedan. Otherwise it is a really stubby looking shooting break profile that ends up just looking like a cartoon.
Gets points for short wheelbase.
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Deezee 7:36PM (6/26/2007)
This is pretty good. Not mind blowing. But its a billion times better than the current impreza. Maybe a trillion.
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Torqued 7:44PM (6/26/2007)
Holy crap that should be a subaru concept car. Subaru - hire this guy!
In truth, a production version would have to be more subtle that this. But I LOVE the concept. This is a "hot hatch" x100.
And yes I freely admit, I'm a Subaru fanboy.
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Nick 7:48PM (6/26/2007)
While I would love to see another STI coupe (think 22B 2.0), these renderings just look utterly ridiculous.
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Pouya 8:27PM (6/26/2007)
I really like this design. The taillights are much more mature than the current STi - a la BMW 5-series. The exhaust rectangular integrated exhaust pipes are much more modern - a la Lexus LS460. The rear fender line reminds me of the BMW Z4 coupe. But, the car is nothing like a Lexus or a BMW, its a wacky Playstation-like style. That is what this car is supposed to be. Great use of the classic Subaru bulged fenders and nice front fender vent. The front of the car looks very mean. The rear wing looks more of an afterthought, but is necessary. Would be nice to implement it is a better way. I would love to drive a rally prepped version of this STi. Tossing this car around with anti-lag, backfiring, turbo kiss, blow off valve release = lots of fun.
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1337 9:37PM (6/26/2007)
The 3 door hatchback rendering looks much better than the production 4- and 5- door WRX models. The rendering looks remarkably like a 1-series (also like a Tiburon from the side, but I'll let that go). However, critics of the 1-series complain that it is not space efficient, and this tiny Subaru appears to have that very problem. Also, the STi could easily outstrip BMW 128i (or possibly even 135i) prices.
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Stoneman 10:14PM (6/26/2007)
The wheelbase is too short. Add about 1 foot to it and it looks about right. Ditch the upper spoiler. The red lines on the rims are a bit ricey, but look good.
\Stoneman\
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Jason 10:43PM (6/26/2007)
Ugly. Tacky. Clearly amateur.
Wait for the real STI people, it's going to be more grown up, more refined, and best of all more performance than ever before.
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RockStoneSteel 10:54PM (6/26/2007)
I love this 2 door hatch design. But only in my dreams will Subaru break away from their obsession with stodgy 4 doors designs.
I like 2 doors because the doors are longer with adequate length armrests and the B pillar isn't rammed into the driver's shoulder. The larger doors also make it easier for driver and primary passenger entry/exit. Many of us simply don't want or need those dainty backseats or stodgy 4 doors.
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Tim 9:00AM (6/27/2007)
Somebody needs to turn on the lights.
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bmoredlj 10:28AM (6/27/2007)
"Dame Edna-inspired headlights" on the 5-series? That's a new one. I have my own term for them..."ThunderCats" headlights. Whatever you call 'em, they're tacky.
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Ligor 11:08AM (6/27/2007)
better than what Subaru is bringing out with the next STi
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tweezy 12:19PM (6/27/2007)
I quite literally gasped aloud when I saw this. Why can't real cars look like this?!?
Admittedly, it's a bit "Wacky Races" made real, but IMHO that's what makes it undeniably cool. It appeals to that "Hot Wheels" aesthetic that got some of us into cars in the first place. This is the car I pictured myself driving as a kid... completely over the top.
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Alex K 12:50PM (6/27/2007)
This is news?! Who cares what some fanboi wants to see in his personal STI that will never exist? Call it art if you want, but don't call it relevant...
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Keith 12:53PM (6/27/2007)
What an ugly vehicle. The hatchback - gross, the dual exhaust, flaming (not to mention that atrocity of a wing). Just an all around tacky, overdone tuner car - please tell me it comes with one of those really loud annoying mufflers.
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