Photo: Subaru
The World Rally eXperimental, STI, and Subaru go a long, long way back. But as it’s often the case with small automakers, Subaru hasn’t been paying attention to the WRX STI in the past couple of years. The facelift ushered in for the 2018 model year doesn’t cut the mustard in more than one way. To this effect, the future of the WRX STI is doomed in Europe, where the turbocharged 2.5-liter boxer is past its prime according to a company official.
The man in question is David Dello Stritto, general manager of sales & marketing at Subaru Europe. Speaking to AutoRAI.nl, David questions the shelf life of the WRX STI in the Old Continent. He adds that the Japanese automaker is waiting to see “what the market developments are,” and then set “the concept” around them. What the official actually refers to is carbon dioxide emissions.
“CO2 emissions are becoming increasingly important and the current 2.5-liter four-cylinder turbo boxer engine simply can not continue to be used in the future.” Of course the EJ25 is as old as dirt, more so when you bear in mind project manager Masuo Takatsu said three years ago that the 2.5-liter had "reached the highest point." A replacement is needed a.s.a.p., but we will probably wait in vain for one.
Truth be told, Subaru doesn’t have money to pour into a successor for the EJ25, not when the Ascent Concept is steadily being developed into a Tribeca-replacing seven-seat sport utility vehicle. Considering that the UK bid farewell to the WRX STI with the Final Edition, you know what’s next.
The most likely outcome is for Subaru to pull the WRX STI out of the European lineup in 2018, waiting for the all-new model to go official in 2020 at the earliest. Speaking of the heir-apparent of the WRX STI, the newcomer is likely to integrate some sort of hybrid assistance. It’d be a win-win situation for both the enthusiasts and eco-friendly nutters, translating to improved performance and a handful more miles per gallon.
“CO2 emissions are becoming increasingly important and the current 2.5-liter four-cylinder turbo boxer engine simply can not continue to be used in the future.” Of course the EJ25 is as old as dirt, more so when you bear in mind project manager Masuo Takatsu said three years ago that the 2.5-liter had "reached the highest point." A replacement is needed a.s.a.p., but we will probably wait in vain for one.
Truth be told, Subaru doesn’t have money to pour into a successor for the EJ25, not when the Ascent Concept is steadily being developed into a Tribeca-replacing seven-seat sport utility vehicle. Considering that the UK bid farewell to the WRX STI with the Final Edition, you know what’s next.
The most likely outcome is for Subaru to pull the WRX STI out of the European lineup in 2018, waiting for the all-new model to go official in 2020 at the earliest. Speaking of the heir-apparent of the WRX STI, the newcomer is likely to integrate some sort of hybrid assistance. It’d be a win-win situation for both the enthusiasts and eco-friendly nutters, translating to improved performance and a handful more miles per gallon.
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