Photo: Kleber Silva on Behance
WRX. Three letters that can be considered magical among Scooby enthusiasts. The VA series rolled out six years ago, and back then, Subaru made a quite a remarkable statement by moving away from the Impreza nameplate for the rally-bred sedan.
What can’t be considered remarkable is how the WRX and WRX STI aged. The SGP vehicle architecture rolled out for the Impreza, Crosstrek, Forester, Legacy, Outback, and Ascent, rendering the WRX family and BRZ the oldest models in the lineup. To make matters worse, the four-door twins are showing their age. Badly.
Fret not, though, because there’s a new WRX coming for the 2022 model year. Pixel artist Kleber Silva came up with a design study with Levorg influences up front and Viziv Performance STI Concept cues out back, including a thumpin’ great wing as well as blue paintwork and gold wheels. It’s a proper Scooby, alright, and the fender flares only add to the visual drama of the all-wheel-drive corner carver.
The interior of the WRX and WRX STI will also level up to the Japanese automaker’s latest infotainment system, a tablet-style touchscreen complemented by a TFT display in the instrument cluster. Some say an Audi-like virtual cockpit is on the cards, though it’s impossible to verify this small rumor for the time being.
As for what’s hiding under the hood, there are two culprits to take into consideration. Both models may get the FA24 direct-injected boxer four-cylinder turbo from the Ascent, appropriately tuned for both applications. Others believe that the 1.8-liter engine from the Levorg may be shared with the WRX without the STI suffix, though Subaru would have to pair this plant with a ginormous turbo.
Expected to roll out as soon as April 2021 or October 2021 due to the global health crisis, the next-generation WRX and WRX STI will also mark the discontinuation of the EJ25 series of four-cylinder boxers. The EJ20 has already been axed in March while the EJ25 should follow suit next year.
Fret not, though, because there’s a new WRX coming for the 2022 model year. Pixel artist Kleber Silva came up with a design study with Levorg influences up front and Viziv Performance STI Concept cues out back, including a thumpin’ great wing as well as blue paintwork and gold wheels. It’s a proper Scooby, alright, and the fender flares only add to the visual drama of the all-wheel-drive corner carver.
The interior of the WRX and WRX STI will also level up to the Japanese automaker’s latest infotainment system, a tablet-style touchscreen complemented by a TFT display in the instrument cluster. Some say an Audi-like virtual cockpit is on the cards, though it’s impossible to verify this small rumor for the time being.
As for what’s hiding under the hood, there are two culprits to take into consideration. Both models may get the FA24 direct-injected boxer four-cylinder turbo from the Ascent, appropriately tuned for both applications. Others believe that the 1.8-liter engine from the Levorg may be shared with the WRX without the STI suffix, though Subaru would have to pair this plant with a ginormous turbo.
Expected to roll out as soon as April 2021 or October 2021 due to the global health crisis, the next-generation WRX and WRX STI will also mark the discontinuation of the EJ25 series of four-cylinder boxers. The EJ20 has already been axed in March while the EJ25 should follow suit next year.
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