SOJ played it perfectly... 2.5 STi was designed to wake up the world

[Porter]

I've come to the conclusion that FHI/SOJ have made a very shrewd play in releasing this car.

As time has gone on, enthusiasm for the WRX/STi has waned in foriegn markets, in Europe due to the headlights and the vast offering of other AWD turbo vehicles, and in Japan due to the incredible specification of the new Evo.

This was a brilliant move to revive enthusiasm for the brand in those markets... just as we begged and begged to get the STi here and the mystique of the car grew and grew.... the Japanese and European markets will have massive demand for the 2.5 STi... but they will have to wait a year.

This will drive demand for the vehicles up to unprecedented levels and renew the image of Subaru as the dominant rally sport sedan on the world stage. Magazines like EVO and Top Gear will once again be drooling all over themselves and touting the car as the "Best Driver's Car EVER".... as they did with earlier revisions of the WRX turbo and WRX STi.


Kudos, Subaru. Brilliant marketing.

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[ciper]

My thoughts after learning about the new STI is that either they are INSANELY lucky or quite the "Evil" masterminds. Either way, benefit for us.

I just hope a performance legacy wagon is released with the same drive/powertrain.

[d-dvr]

North America gets these 2.5ltr STi's first??

Doesn't Japan get them first along with all of asia??

[ciper]

Nope, isnt that just beautiful! For the first fu(king time we finally get the higher performance model.

[rexxer]

I think Subaru gave us a 2.5L because they didn't want to lose the Subaru hype. Ever since the release of the WRX in NA, Subaru has been "cool". Before that, they were mostly thought of as a reliable family car company. If we got a watered down version of the STi, then a lot of the newer Subaru fans may have lost interest.

[ANZAC_1915]

My thoughts after learning about the new STI is that either they are INSANELY lucky or quite the "Evil" masterminds.

No, they are "gearheads".

[johnfelstead]

I think you will find you are 100% wrong on your statement.

This is not going to go down well in europe, not because of the 2.5T engine, thats no big deal with us having 300BHP on tap already. The 2.5 is going to suit the USA market more than it will the UK/European due to tax legislation, fuel etc. etc.

What Subaru have just done is give the USA something we have been complaining about for years that we cant have, the DCCD.

With this one move they have alienated and totally pissed off the prospective owners of the STi Type UK/Euro spec. This is a very bad move by FHI for the Euro market. People are already realing from them dropping the price of last edition Bug Eyes by $4500 overnight, killing residuals. They have also dropped the price of the Blobeye STi (which now has the prodrive spec aero package only) by $6000 over the current model. Again killing the residuals of current STi typeUK owners.

Our new STi Type UK doesnt have the trick stuff the jap version has, once again they removed the DCCD, they have also removed the twin scroll turbo, so we still get 265BHP as standard. If we want 300BHP we have to buy a PPP that replaces the cat and changes the ECU programme, thats costs us $3000 more and you have to wait months to have it fitted. (by the way in its current guise its far from good, they released the first version of this as a piggyback chip, nutcases, the second version is an ECU remap, of course nothing oficial has been said about this, but that is what they have done. $3K for a superchip and high flow cat, how would you feel about that?)

People are starting to get pissed off with FHI atitude to the european market to the point of saying up yours to Subaru UK , unlike you guys, we have lots to choose from.

I personally will never buy another Subaru unless it has the DCCD, so thats either import a car from Japan again, or buy something non Subaru.

[kage]

Is there any rationale for not offering the DCCD in the European market? I can see not offering the twin scroll - it's new and I'm sure they want to test it locally first, but they've been testing the DCCD for years, and now that it's being offered in the USDM...

What is the price differential between a gray market import JDM STi vs. a UK spec STi? My understanding is that gray market imports receive no warranty support, yes? But I also understand that Subaru UK isn't exactly congenial on the warranty front anyway. If the difference is less than 5000 pounds, I think I'd go for the JDM.

I can certainly understand European gearheads being pissed about the USDM STi. We have tasted the same bitter brew for years. Welcome to our world.

[mtb_dude]

Originally posted by ciper
Nope, isnt that just beautiful! For the first time we finally get the higher performance model.

Uhm, doesn't the Japanses model have 300HP also? We have a bigger engine but they make the same HP. The only reason probably was emissions and the American "Supersize me" effect.

[hoodwho]

johnfelsted.

welcome to our world.

[Jejunum]

With this one move they have alienated and totally pissed off the prospective owners of the STi Type UK/Euro spec. This is a very bad move by FHI for the Euro market. People are already realing from them dropping the price of last edition Bug Eyes by $4500 overnight, killing residuals. They have also dropped the price of the Blobeye STi (which now has the prodrive spec aero package only) by $6000 over the current model. Again killing the residuals of current STi typeUK owners.

hey johnfelstead
-

wow 4500 $ drop!!! thats only in europe i take it...? (is that 4500 dollars? and howmuch (in dollars) is a wrx in europe?)

[johnfelstead]

you could at least spell my name right hoodwho.

It's not me thats unhappy, its all the guys who may be wanting to buy a new car in a few months, they are hardly going to feel enthused about the STi typeUK now are they?

Another nail in the coffin of the UK dealer network!

[Phatshiet]

Don't you understand? Subaru cheaped out on the WRX for the USA buyers. This creates a need for the STi, so the hype grew. They are doing the same thing with Europe. Think about it, if they release a detuned version of the WRX STi in Europe like how they did this year. Then the buyers would act like how the USA did when the WRX was released. Right now Europe is pissed and are very jealous. So next year, plan on having a better STi in Europe than the Americans will have so we can get jealous. The hype starts again, and the cycle continues. It's a great marketing scheme that Subaru is planning to do and it will work out wonderfully.

[johnfelstead]

price diference is about $8K between an oficial UK-STi and Japanese import after all the taxes and import costs!

Plus we can choose what spec we want, you can buy a Japanese import STi TypeRA Spec C for less than a normal STi-UK at a main dealer. UK price for an STi-Type UK was $47,000 before it was dropped for the blobeye.

You getting the picture now, brits are ripped off big time on car prices, not giving us the spec is just one kick in the bollox too many.

Until the STi-Type UK (UK spec STi7) you couldnt buy any STi's oficially. You had to import them yourself. My STi5 TypeRA V-Ltd is pretty rare in the UK. It cost $48K in 1999!

[johnfelstead]

a new normal spec 220BHP WRX is $32,000 US Dollars now, after the price drop. You guys havent a clue how fortunate you are!

[Jejunum]

a new normal spec 220BHP WRX is $32,000 US Dollars now, after the price drop. You guys havent a clue how fortunate you are!

wow no i didnt realize; but remember we control the financial sucess of the world (or some silliness like that)

i assume in terms of volume though we have higher sales?

[kage]

Originally posted by johnfelstead
price diference is about $8K between an oficial UK-STi and Japanese import after all the taxes and import costs!

Plus we can choose what spec we want, you can buy a Japanese import STi TypeRA Spec C for less than a normal STi-UK at a main dealer. UK price for an STi-Type UK was $47,000 before it was dropped for the blobeye.

You getting the picture now, brits are ripped off big time on car prices, not giving us the spec is just one kick in the bollox too many.

Until the STi-Type UK (UK spec STi7) you couldnt buy any STi's oficially. You had to import them yourself. My STi5 TypeRA V-Ltd is pretty rare in the UK. It cost $48K in 1999!

Hey, so that's still less than 5000 pounds. Jon, those prices are outrageous. But no more outrageous than the 17% VAT, the intolerable gas prices, and the travesty of an income tax you guys have. You know, a couple of hundred years ago, we had similar tax problems from some people who thought they could bleed us dry with impunity. We gave them the boot!
Think about it.

[buchananracing]

God, you brits are so f-ing pompous. The whole world sorrounds you doesn't it. US finally, finally, and by the way, did I say finally gets a descent Japanese car, and all you can think of is that you guys don't have it. Waaaaaa!!!! We haven't had anything since the Integra Type R from Japan. And then that was it. Everything we get is tuned down, with half the options available. We're always left sitting here with our d$%ks in our hands, dreaming about moving to Japan. Can you believe that, we live in the greatest country in the world, and we're actually thinking about moving to a little overcrowded, whole in the wall, just so we can drive some descent fricking rides. Then you come on here, whining to us, like your going to get any frickin' sympathy pal. Get a clue. Let us enjoy our STi for crissake. You've already got one!!!!!!!!

You just won't get this one baby

[buchananracing]

God, you brits are so f-ing pompus. The whole world sorrounds you doesn't it. US finally, finally, and by the way, did I say finally gets a descent Japanese car, and all you can think of is that you guys don't have it. Waaaaaa!!!! We haven't had anything since the Integra Type R from Japan. And then that was it. Everything we get is tuned down, with half the options available. We're always left sitting here with our d$%ks in our hands, dreaming about moving to Japan. Can you believe that, we live in the greatest country in the world, and we're actually thinking about moving to a little overcrowded, whole in the wall, just so we can drive some descent fricking rides. Then you come on here, whining to us, like your going to get any frickin' sympathy pal. Get a clue. Let us enjoy our STi for crissake. You've already got one!!!!!!!!

You just won't get this one baby

[ciper]

johnfelstead: I dont feel bad for the EU subaru enthusiasts, or anyone else for that matter.

The US has ALWAYS got the lower end model of EVERY brand of car. A few wild examples, escort cosworth? Holden Commodore? Not to mention all the Subaru models available worldwide we didnt get. Hell with the WRX existing since what 94 and we just get it 7 years later?! Get real.

Its about damn time we got a quality vehicle with all the bells and whistles. The EU probably has a few HUNDRED vehicle types that are either non exisitant in US or heavily watered down.

[tt_ttf]

Originally posted by johnfelstead
a new normal spec 220BHP WRX is $32,000 US Dollars now, after the price drop. You guys havent a clue how fortunate you are!

Yeah but that same car in Australia is less than US$25K with better spec than US

They get the wheels, seats, brakes etc that we didn't here in the US. (and apart from the seats - still will not get)

And yes the US market is large, but there is a LOT of risk for them in the rest of the world

[Skylab]

Mr. Felstead, I feel your pain. However, in our eyes, you have been the lucky ones all along. I've always lusted after the 22b or any other form of a two door turbo Impreza. Subaru has taken a chance with the American market, finally. I wouldn't complain too much that all your missing out on is DCCD. For years, you've had a plethora of turbo cars to choose from. Now it's 2003, and it's USA's turn to have a pick and choose from the turbo market of go-fast cars.



Cheers.


-Skylab™

[Snoopy]

I still can't get over 300hp and 300 pounds of torque!

I'd be insane not to get this car! It'll have to wait until after I'm married and settled in. But this STi will be mine. I'll probably keep the Impreza RS as a beater car. But the USDM STi is a true gem I must own.....one day. I'm so glad the lights were changed and it has no altezza rear lights!

[LimeyWRX]

Originally posted by d-dvr
North America gets these 2.5ltr STi's first??

Doesn't Japan get them first along with all of asia??

NA will be the only ones with a 2.5L as Japan and Europe will need to keep production numbers of the 2.0L version otherwise Subaru will not be able to use the impreza in the WRC.

Have you seen the smaller Subaru cars offered in japan and europe, will petter drive this, i think not

[kage]

Couldn't they use the 2.0 liter WRX for homologation purposes? And don't they only need like 50 built anyway for WRC group? Isn't that how Peugot gets away with using a piss poor FWD mini hatch?