Photo: Subaru
Celebrating the 30th anniversary of Subaru Tecnica International, the WRX STI Type RA-R is a unicorn of the Japanese domestic market for a number of reasons. First of all, every single one of the 500 examples planned for production will be sold in Japan, leaving the U.S. of A. and other important markets out of the fun.
Available at retailers in the Land of the Rising Sun until December 17th, the WRX STI Type RA-R doesn’t come with the 2.5-liter turbocharged boxer we know and love from the WRX STI Type RA. As a matter of fact, it’s the EJ20 engine connected to a six-speed manual transmission and an all-wheel-drive system.
The 2.0-liter is good for 329 PS (325 horsepower) at 7,200 rpm and 432 Nm (317 pound-feet) of torque from 3,200 to 4,800 rpm. What that means is, the Type RA-R outperforms the Type RA in both aspects despite the smaller displacement. And that’s on the curious side of things considering the EJ family can trace its roots back to 1988. Even more curious, the EJ20 and EJ25 are related in more than one way when you think about it.
Be that as it may, Subaru prepares to make the transition to the FA family for its four-cylinder engine lineup. The FA24 in the Ascent crossover and FA20F in the WRX are the highlights up to this point, but knowing Subaru, there’s a lot more performance (and efficiency) to be extracted for use in future applications.
Shod in 18-inch Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires, the WRX STI Type RA-R features a quick-ratio steering system (11:1), strengthened silicon intake duct, performance exhaust with lowered backpressure, an exclusive setup for the engine control unit, and Brembo drilled and ventilated brake discs on all four corners. The interior is special in its own right, but that’s not all.
Did you notice this special edition of the WRX STI doesn’t come with a rear wing? How about the carbon fiber on the side mirror caps or RA-R ornament on the engine cover? Whichever way you look at it, this fellow here is extremely exclusive in pretty much every aspect.
The 2.0-liter is good for 329 PS (325 horsepower) at 7,200 rpm and 432 Nm (317 pound-feet) of torque from 3,200 to 4,800 rpm. What that means is, the Type RA-R outperforms the Type RA in both aspects despite the smaller displacement. And that’s on the curious side of things considering the EJ family can trace its roots back to 1988. Even more curious, the EJ20 and EJ25 are related in more than one way when you think about it.
Be that as it may, Subaru prepares to make the transition to the FA family for its four-cylinder engine lineup. The FA24 in the Ascent crossover and FA20F in the WRX are the highlights up to this point, but knowing Subaru, there’s a lot more performance (and efficiency) to be extracted for use in future applications.
Shod in 18-inch Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires, the WRX STI Type RA-R features a quick-ratio steering system (11:1), strengthened silicon intake duct, performance exhaust with lowered backpressure, an exclusive setup for the engine control unit, and Brembo drilled and ventilated brake discs on all four corners. The interior is special in its own right, but that’s not all.
Did you notice this special edition of the WRX STI doesn’t come with a rear wing? How about the carbon fiber on the side mirror caps or RA-R ornament on the engine cover? Whichever way you look at it, this fellow here is extremely exclusive in pretty much every aspect.
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