Retro Subaru Forester STI Sounds Fantastic, Hits 137 MPH on the Autobahn

Right now, Subaru is all about efficiency and safety. They're like the Japanese Volvo, and as of this year, almost every car they sell should have the EyeSight driver assistance package. Thus, the STI badge has almost nothing to do with the core of the brand, which is a shame considering how cool a new performance Forester would be.

Hot crossovers are trending right now, from the tiny Hyundai Kona N to the awe-inspiring Porsche Macan. Some might think that Volkswagen Group is behind the push, seeing as they have so many 4x4s with 300-horsepower 2.0 TSI engines. But Subaru did it first.

Inspired by the first popular SUVs and the Toyota RAV4, Subaru launched the 1998 Forester. It had the usability of a car matched with a high driving position people wanted. Sadly, the American version was a real herbivore that didn't want to take advantage of the low center of gravity. It came with an EJ25 with 165 horsepower and had standard AWD.

Just as rally craziness was starting to sweep through the Impreza range, Japan started to offer spicy versions of the Forester too. The most exotic was the STI2 Type M, of which they only made 800 units. This obviously isn't one of those, but Forester STI models are so rare that we just had to share the video.

AutoTopNL recently did a quick review of the retro crossover which includes a sprint to 137 mph (220 kph) on the autobahn. They claim that 2.5-liter intercooled turbo engine in this beast makes 340 hp, which probably means it's been modified since the WRX STI of that era made something like 265 horsepower. Or it could just be a mistake converting from kilowatts. All we know is that it sounds fantastic.