CD Article: 2008 Subaru WRX STi

[CD_Editor]

Today's First Drive:
Completely redesigned, the 2008 Subaru WRX STI is now more of a double-duty car that can be dialed in from an everyday commuter to a white-hot rally machine, says Assistant Editor Jil McIntosh.
 

  More:

Read the article | View the photos | All The First Drives

[si]

If priced above $50k again, the only people buying this thing will be those who need the extra bit of trunk height over the EVO.  Jil is right; Subaru no longer has a monopoly on this target audience.

I really do hope CanadianDriver will do another review of this car put up against the EVO - with both cars pushed to their limits.

[Rolling]

Why does the WRX STI still have 4 doors? There is no gain in keeping the extra hardware for this model.

I too wait to see a match up with the new Evo. The twin clutch manual in the Evo interests me on the performance gains it may produce. Subaru looks like they got caught sleeping here.

That’s no regular 6 speed manual in the (Prodrive) built WRX world rally car you see on TV, so why couldn’t  Subaru spend some money on a better transmission also?

[pickles]

What no rants yet that "I can get the STI for 10-15 Grand cheaper in the US"

[Rupert]

The disappearing STI probably happens on the race track. Then again, if the speed limits are adhered to, SMARTS can do this too.  RPM seems to be more important than speed vis. Small speedo V larger tach.  Maybe at least equality should reign here IMO for every day road use which is where these vehicles are meant to be used surely.

[mrori]

What no rants yet that "I can get the STI for 10-15 Grand cheaper in the US"

Well not anymore. You can't import an 08 STI from the state, because of safety regulations.

[Greg B.]

Ah, another week, another Subaru report by Canadian Driver... 

[Snowman]

Ah, another week, another Subaru report by Canadian Driver... 

Resistance is Futile 

[Rupert]

What no rants yet that "I can get the STI for 10-15 Grand cheaper in the US"

I can understand foriegners making that statement but not Canadian consumers. What is wrong with the Canadian Dollar punching it's weight? 1=1. GST and PST is the price we pay for being Canadian but MSRP should not be should it. Maybe the problem is that the gradual increase in value of the Canadian Dollar has not been slowly fed in to the system. Canadian consumers are not to be blamed for that. Perhaps we are too trusting.

[Giant Dwarf]

I thought Jil said Nav was std.  Where's the screen on the pics shown of the STI?

[Snowman]

I thought Jil said Nav was std.  Where's the screen on the pics shown of the STI?

  Good catch….Why is that?

[carcrazy]

I thought Jil said Nav was std.  Where's the screen on the pics shown of the STI?

  Good catch….Why is that?

The Navi and upgraded sound are not standard IIRC.

Price wise, if Subaru follows the trend, the new model may be cheaper than the outgoing one (just a guess).

I was reading an article about the UK version and the price dropped 1,600 pounds on the road.

[JSCC]

If priced above $50k again, the only people buying this thing will be those who need the extra bit of trunk height over the EVO.  Jil is right; Subaru no longer has a monopoly on this target audience.

I really do hope CanadianDriver will do another review of this car put up against the EVO - with both cars pushed to their limits.

I really do hope "TOPGEAR" will do a review of this car put up against the EVO - with both cars pushed to their limits.

[speed12sil]

Don't you mean Fifth gear? That show has three ex race drivers as hosts. All Jeremy's going to do is drive around making smart remarks while getting decidedly slow lap time. We all know only the Stig is good for this kind of thing at TGear, and if I'm not mistaken The Stig hardly ever (if he does at all) do comparo lap run with some other race car driver at the helm of the other car. He did do 0-60 vs Jeremy/Richard, but that's of little value, obviously.

 

[JSCC]

True, Top Gear is a bit biased to specific brands but entertaining.

[Zombie]

What no rants yet that "I can get the STI for 10-15 Grand cheaper in the US"

What you can get car cheaper in the US? 
Who knew? ...... Oh thats right I did.

I'm guessing since the car isn't available yet no one will be importing it yet.
As for the RIV Sept. 1st Immobilizer thing, from the look of this post
http://www.canadiandriver.com/forum/index.php/topic,55217.0.html
things are going to change.

Will the STI be on the new list??

[jphoto]

In a way, what you said about Top Gear actually makes them more relevant.  Jeremy, Richard, and James are not pro drivers.  Neither are the vast majority of people who buy cars, including the Subaru STI.  If you, as a pro driver, want to see which one is the fastest in the hands of a fellow pro driver, then by all means Fifth Gear is your show.

If you're like me, and are a decent-but-not-great-driver-with-a-beer-belly, then "normal guys" like Top Gear is actually a more realistic review.  When the Stig rips around the track, that's the one part of the show I know I'll never be experiencing, because I have no desire to fly off into the trees and toast my car while attempting to take corners at 9/10 of traction.

And besides all that, Fifth Gear is really boring and Top Gear is hilarious.   

[huota]

Don't you mean Fifth gear? That show has three ex race drivers as hosts.

Actually, Jason Plato is very much a current racing driver in BTCC (sorry, I just HAD to point it out) 

But yeah, the point is that FG host/driver line-up is far more competent than that of TG's.

[Touge]

WHY NO SUNROOF?!!  and it is now allowed to install it aftermarket or from Subaru of Canada!

[Iso Octane]

The article doesn't mention too much about the driving characteristics, but the car somehow seems a lot less hard edged as the previous one.  Looks nice though.