Subaru Impreza WRX STI comes out of the shadows

Subaru has finally released detailed pictures of its range-topping new Impreza WRX STI which debuts at the 40th Tokyo Motor Show at the end of October.

This follows the recent release of a moody studio shot which gave very little away apart from highlighting the turbocharged car’s substantially wider body.

Developed by a dedicated team of performance-loving engineers, the new WRX STI features big blistered wheelarches for a ground-hugging stance.

Technical details will remain under wraps until Subaru’s press conference on Wednesday, October 24 at 11.50 am at the Subaru Booth where President Ikuo Mori will make a presentation.

The eagerly-awaited new Impreza WRX STI will go on sale in the UK next March, complementing an extensive range which includes the turbocharged WRX 2.5 and naturally-aspirated 1.5 and 2.0 litre models which appeal to a wider, mainstream audience.

Meanwhile, other Subaru highlights at the Tokyo Motor Show include a stylish seven-seater ‘Exiga Concept’ car which resembles a larger Legacy estate.

The ‘Exiga Concept’ not only comfortably accommodates seven adults thanks to compact engine/transmission packaging but also offers exhilarating performance from its 2.0 litre turbocharged ‘boxer’ engine mated to a 5-speed automatic gearbox and all-wheel drive transmission.

Also new is an environmentally-friendly electric car which is unusual in being a full five-seater despite compact dimensions.

Called ‘G4e Concept’, it is fitted with the next generation lithium-ion batteries stored underneath the floor.

Its triangle-shaped body is exceptionally attractive and Subaru’s owners, Fuji Heavy Industries, expects the car to have a 200 kilometre range per charge thanks to its light weight and high-performance, next-generation batteries.