Is this the real deal? Subaru Impreza WRX STi shot posted
We've been a little disappointed by the looks of Subaru's latest Impreza and WRX, but wanted to reserve judgment until the STi showed up. Could that homely hatch design really support the extra muscle that transforms the STi into a rally star? We really wanted to know. There have been tons of renderings and spy shots, but here we have what is possibly the first clear photo of the real deal. Captured by CARTOP, it was just posted by Nihon Car. It still looks touched up to us, if not completely cgi, but we'll give them the benefit of the doubt for now. Not a lot of changes from WRX to STi are apparent, but the banana-colored Scubie snack looks even more like a Mazdaspeed3 to our eyes. OK, enough harping on the looks. It's not like it's terribly offensive, just a little bland. We're sure driving this 320-hp rocket will change our opinions pretty drastically.
Thanks for the tip, MB!
[Source: Nihon Car]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
JT 1:52PM (7/26/2007)
Definitely looks like a chop of the nurburging shots where the car is camo'd. I can see it being pretty close to the mark though.
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Mike 3:24PM (7/26/2007)
If that is close to the mark then keep it away from me. Someone, rendering or not, gave that car a heavy dose of ugly...
srivendel 1:57PM (7/26/2007)
If that's close to right, then Evo FTW.
Hopefully it will be closer to the R&T renderings.
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speedball3 6:44PM (7/26/2007)
Agreed, those R-T renderings were awesome looking! Not sure exactly what they did, but I found myself enjoying the renderings while not enjoying the real pics of the WRX 5-door.
NT 2:04PM (7/26/2007)
If thats accurate then Toyota really has RUINED the Subaru line up. They have taken the style and absurd level of aggression out of the line and turned into another Buick wanna be brand like Toyota. I don't care how fast it is, no one wants a 30K rally car to look like a run of the mill Corolla.
STI FTL, EVO X FTW.
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Ligor 5:23PM (7/26/2007)
you really think that Toyota had anything to do with the STi group?
they take a $24k car adn add $5k worth of part adn accesories adn sell it for $35k
why whould they not want this - it's got profit writen all over it, why would Toyota make Subaru make the STi UGLIER that the base WRX?
Quentin 6:37PM (7/26/2007)
Toyota has 8% stake in FHI. Then consider the fact that the STI design was already on paper by the time Toyota even purchased any stake in the company last year. You are completely clueless about how the automobile industry works and what kinds of lead times these vehicles face.
DamienDeeee 2:06PM (7/26/2007)
With every new design, Subaru makes me love my '03 bugeye WRX more & more. I really don't like this new style, the grill reminds me of a chrysler or saturn, the lights mazda - it looks like they aped every other car style to achieve this.
most unfortunate...
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Brooksie 5:41PM (7/26/2007)
Agreed. 'o2 Bugeye here.
Jack 10:06PM (7/26/2007)
THE BUGEYE VERSION WAS/ IS THE BEST ONE!
John R 2:08PM (7/26/2007)
i concur. If this is even close to the actuall product, Evo for the win. The Mitsu looks like a Gundam robot coming to kick your butt compared to this jellybean. I was holding out hope...but it's fading.
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Imp 2:16PM (7/26/2007)
I don't care what this car can do, its looks haven't ruined it.
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Peter Rockwell 2:21PM (7/26/2007)
Do you mean comely (appealing) or homely (ugly)?
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John P. 2:23PM (7/26/2007)
When is the last time a subaru actually looked good? ok, the svx was kinda cool in the beginning, but other than that,.....
At this point, if they actually did start designing a cool looking car people will get confused, wondering if they took a wrong turn and ended up at a Mazda dealership or something.
I'm convinced the design team is a bunch of ex railroad car designers from when that fuji heavy industries division went belly up.
But damn, wrx's are still cool, ugly and all. It's part of their charm.
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MrChips 2:25PM (7/26/2007)
Gawd almighty that thing is UGLY! Glad I wasn't one of those looking forward to it.
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rv 2:33PM (7/26/2007)
I guess I'm crazy; I like it. I think the black/yellow looks pretty friggin' cool too. I like what they did to the foglamp area, I like the fender flares, I like that its a hatch. I still wonder if that pic is the real deal of what we'll see in the states...
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Dave in MI 2:29PM (7/26/2007)
The Legacy GT wagon looks good. Get them while they last....
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vectorbug 2:34PM (7/26/2007)
Its like the scene in Batman when Jack Nicholson sees himself after his accident (and turned into the joker) for the first time. Its just so terrible you have to laugh and kill the doctor. I think he killed the doctor. I dont remember, I haven't seen that movie since it came out.
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biggins 2:52PM (7/26/2007)
i'm sorry... that just isnt a cool looking car.
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Aetius 2:59PM (7/26/2007)
Frank...I'd say it's a copy of the Mazdaspeed Protege5. Well, without any of it's clean lines...
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