Don't be careful what you wish for; wish for exactly what you want. You might get it. Want an STI with more performance but at a lower cost? Willing to give up a few minor features to get it? Then the WRX STI Special Edition is for you.
And for us. We just drove one on the Streets of Willow at Willow Springs racetrack in the California desert and had a bunch of fun hustling it through the wacky corners of that downward-sloping circuit. Unfortunately, Subaru did not have a regular STI on hand with which to compare this one. They offered instead a stock Legacy GT, which is like saying, "We're going to let you date Ellie May Clampett but first you should take a few laps with Miss Jane, homely secretary to Milburn Drysdale, so you'll see the difference."
Maybe that's the wrong analogy for the generation at whom the WRX STI is aimed.
In any case, it was a lively and engaging drive. Subaru swapped in some suspension pieces from the Japanese Domestic Market (JDM to you youthful buyers) spec-C model. That includes a 1-millimeter thicker rear stabilizer bar, stiffer rear subframe bushings, plus upgraded and retuned springs. The front springs are 16 percent stiffer, while the rear shocks have been stiffened by 29 percent. The 14-spoke, 18x8.5 charcoal wheels are also from the JDM spec C, but tires remain the same 245/40ZR-18 Dunlop SPs found on the regular U.S.-spec STI.
The drivetrain remains stock STI, which is pretty wallopin' potent no matter whose spec you're in. There was no need to mess with the 305-hp, 290 lb-ft turbocharged/intercooled Boxer engine and six-speed manual transmission. Likewise, the Driver Controlled Center Differential (DCCD) carries over, though, unless you're switching from snow to gravel to tarmac, we might have nixed this feature, too. The VDC also has three selections but we found "off" was best.
Driving the Special Edition was fun as soon as we launched, as the best cars always are. There was seemingly no wait for the turbo to spool up as we shot up the Streets' front straight, hitting fourth before swinging wide to bang through the first curbing on that right-hander. Tromping on the brakes for the second-gear right at the top of the first hill was quite effective, thanks to the four-wheel, ventilated Brembo discs. As with any good performance machine, this one responded better the harder we flogged it. Yes, it is almost as top heavy as it looks, but the setup controlled the roll so well you got used to it quickly and barely noticed it after a few turns. Then the AWD would pull and push the wagon through and out of any turns with no hint of oversteer. We did manage to make it understeer fairly easily but a more deft pilote surely could have minimized that handling trait.
Our drive was all on pavement, too, which was another limiting factor for a wagon as versatile as this one. Some nice gravel logging roads would have been fun, or simply some time crashing through the desert sand that surrounds Willow in every direction. Maybe some other time.
The first 125 Special Editions come in any color you want, as long as it's Aspen White. After that you can get any of the regular STI colors.
Pricing is kept at $32,000 by swapping an AC knob for the automatic climate control and changing out the six-disc CD, 10-speaker audio system for a four-speaker unit with a single CD capability. Headlights are plain-old halogen instead of the regular STI's HID units. Those are all reasonable compromises. Now, if we really wanted something, we'd swap out sound insulation, rear seats, catalytic converter, muffler . . .
2010 Subaru Impreza WRX STI Special Edition
On Sale: Now
Base Price: $32,000
Drivetrain: 305-hp, 290-lb-ft, turbocharged boxer four; AWD, six-speed manual
Fuel Economy (EPA): 17/23 mpg
0-60 MPH: Less than 5 sec (AW est)
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