Subaru to offer diesel engine option on next-gen STi

Hey, if Mitsubishi is doing it, then Subaru might as well follow along, right? In case you missed it, Autocar reported that Mitsubishi will employ a diesel hybrid powerplant in the next-gen Evo XI scheduled for debut in 2013. It looks like Mitsubishi will rely solely upon the diesel hybrid to propel its Evo XI down the road, but Subaru has chosen the less risky path by offering a diesel option for its 2012 Impreza STi.

Autocar reports that the next-gen STi will be offered with a hopped-up version of the company's 2.0-liter turbocharged diesel currently offered in Imprezas that aren't U.S. bound. The move to diesel power is driven by those pesky, stringent emissions regulations that are quickly closing in. According to Autocar's "inside sources," the diesel mill will not be the lone engine option. Apparently, Subaru is also considering a downsized four-cylinder powerplant, possibly the company's 1.5-liter, an engine which currently sits between the fenders of base Imprezas found in markets outside of the U.S. For both the Evo and STi, the move to diesel will undoubtedly create quite a stir but if the choice is either efficient diesel power or axing the model, then the right decision has clearly been made.

[Source: Autocar]