You'll need a big suitcase to bring the "ultimate" Subaru WRX STI S206 back from Japan.
While it’s understandable that most visitors to the Subaru stand at this year’s Tokyo Motor Show might focus their attention on the long-awaited BRZ sports car they’d certainly be making a mistake.
The little Japanese maker is making plenty of other big news – including the launch of the Impreza WRX STI S206 and two all-new versions of the mainstream Impreza line-up.
The “ultimate” STI, sadly, will be offered in only limited numbers in the home market, but you can expect to see the next-generation Impreza G4 and Sport models in the very near future in most major markets.
The new Subaru Impreza G4 sedan.
A total of just 300 copies of the Impreza WRX STI S206 will be built for the Japanese domestic market (the vaunted JDM to “rice rocket” fans), and of those only 100 will be equipped with the optional NBR Challenger Package.
The S206 gets a unique front spoiler, fender-mounted vents, a rear spoiler and custom 19-inch BBR wheels. The Challenger Package adds a carbon fiber roof and switches to a carbon spoiler.
Under the hood? A balanced version of Subaru’s flat-four is enhanced with a custom-tuned ECU and paired with a sport exhaust. The changes bump power to 315 hp and 317 lb-ft of torque.
(For a first look at the production Subaru BRZ, Click Here.)
The suspension is beefed up to put all that power to the pavement – with Bilstein shocks, STI coil springs and other enhancements.
The Subaru Impreza Sport.
As for the standard-issue Impreza line, two new models will be offered, the 4-door, appropriately badged G4, and the Impreza Sport hatchback.
The new models will serve as the launching platform for a new powertrain line, with buyers getting a choice of a 154 horsepower 2.0-liter boxer-four or a smaller, mileage-tuned 1.6-liter boxer powerplant. Both will be mated to the latest generation of Subaru CVT transmissions.
In the Japanese market the Impreza G4 and Sport will both come equipped with Idle Stop technology – and along with the updated CVT are expected to yield as much as 20% better mileage than the outgoing Subaru Impreza. It’s unclear if and when Subaru will bring the stop/start technology to the States – at least until the EPA begins rewarding automakers by recognizing the fuel efficiency improvements in the official government mileage numbers.
Look for the new Impreza line to migrate to other global markets by mid-2012.