When the fifth-generation Subaru WRX STI arrives in 2022, it’ll be the most formidable iteration of the iconic hot four-cylinder small car ever seen.
Powered by an upgraded version of Subaru’s new FA24 2.4-litre four-cylinder turbo boxer engine – with new pistons, crankshaft, intake ports, valves, turbocharger and more – the new WRX STI is expected to offer up to 300kW of power and 500Nm of torque.
But it won’t be all brawn and no brain, not by a long shot.
Last week, Subaru made it clear the next-gen WRX STI would bring high-performance innovations to bear, stating: “While fifth-generation WRX STI is yet to be revealed by Subaru Corporation in Japan, it is certain to push the performance and technological boundaries still further.”
Sources close to Subaru previously confirmed to carsales the “gloves are off” when it comes to power output and performance levels, but they weren’t able to provide clarity on what form the technological innovations will take.
However, there’s an increasing amount of evidence that suggests electrification will be a key ingredient.
Whether that’s the use of electric turbochargers, a 48-volt mild-hybrid system or a more serious hybrid set-up with electric motors to fill in the low-rev void is yet to be confirmed.
The incoming 2021 Subaru WRX and its steroidal sibling, the 2022 WRX STI, will both be underpinned by the SGP (Subaru Global Platform) that debuted in 2016 underneath the fifth-generation Impreza and was designed from the ground up to allow for plug-and-play installation of conventional combustion engines as well as hybrid and electric powertrains.
There’s also the prospect of advancements with Subaru’s all-wheel drive system, which could deliver Mercedes-AMG A45 and Ford Focus RS-like rear-end torque vectoring and tail-happy drift modes.
The Subaru WRX STI currently offers a DCCD, or driver controlled centre differential, which allows more torque to be shunted for or aft – and it’s a system which may get a high-tech boost to deliver a wider breadth of capability.
Gearboxes are likely to remain conventional, with a six-speed manual almost certain to return for active duty. However, an automatic transmission could make the grade this time, offering launch control and throttle-blipping features.
Visually, the new Subaru WRX STI is understood to be a blend of the new Levorg wagon’s front-end design and the body of the 2018 Subaru Viziv Performance STI Concept. Something like what we’ve created in this render at the top of the page.
The current Subaru WRX STI pumps out a respectable 221kW/407Nm from its ageing 2.5-litre turbo-petrol four-cylinder boxer engine, but has been overtaken in terms of chassis tech and powertrain muscle by newer, more advanced vehicles.
That’s all set to change in the first half of 2022 when the new model is launched, with Aussie sales expected later that year.
The regular Subaru WRX is set to arrive in Australia roughly a year earlier, in the fourth quarter of 2021 after an April reveal.