Not that it comes with an out-of-this-world price tag attached to it, but because Subaru will only make 500 copies of the new WRX S4 STI Sport, and all of them will be sold through a lottery system.
Do you think that's the only catch? Well, it isn't, as you also have to live in the Land of the Rising Sun to get it. The reason is that this model is a Japan-only special, and it is currently celebrating its world premiere at the 2024 Tokyo Auto Salon, which just opened its gates today (January 12).
Since we've mentioned the production numbers and where this model is available, we might as well tell you how much it costs. According to Subaru, the WRX S4 STI Sport has a starting price of 6,237,000 yen, or $42,848 at today's exchange rates. The company's dealers across Japan are accepting lottery entries between January 12 and 28, and the results will be announced on February 1, 2024.
So, what makes this car so special besides the limited production number? Quite a few things, actually, yet nothing dramatic. The official press release that we stumbled upon, which is in Japanese, reveals that the grille, side mirror casings, trunk lid spoiler, and shark fin antenna on the roof have a Crystal Black Silica paint finish. The WRX S4 logo at the rear comes in black, alongside the Symmetrical AWD emblem and the STI badges at both ends.
Photo: Subaru
On the inside, Subaru gave it a few special touches, such as the black, Ultrasuede and synthetic leather upholstery with silver stitching and the STI logo on the Recaro front seats, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, eight-way power seats at the front, suede stitched together with silver string on the door cards and instrument panel, and suede on the center console and armrests.
It's nothing impressive, but it's still important enough to draw a line between this model and the lesser ones. The same goes for the rear stiffening bar and front tower bar Subaru mentions in the press release, as well as the numerous STI logos inside and out. The WRX S4 STI Sport comes with 8.5x-19-inch wheels made by BBS, which were shod in 245/35 Michelin Pilot Sport 5 tires.
The engine is the normal 2.4-liter boxer unit, which kicks out 271 hp (275 ps/202 kW) and 277 pound-feet (375 Nm) of torque. The lump works in concert with a continuously variable transmission (CVT) and all-wheel drive. As we already told you, only 500 copies of this model will see the light of day, with Subaru's dealers across Japan accepting lottery entries until the 28th of this month. So, do you wish Subaru sold it in our market, too, or should it remain in its homeland?
After a series of unfortunate events put an end to Cristian's dream of entering a custom built & tuned old-school Dacia into a rally competition, he moved on to drive press cars and write for a living. He's worked for several automotive online journals and now he's back at autoevolution after his first tour in the mid-2000s. Full profile
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