GT5 Transcripts/Subaru IMPREZA Sedan WRX STI (18inch BBS Wheel Option) '10



From the very beginning, the base model of the Subaru Impreza was represented by a 4-door sedan; however, when the third-generation model was introduced in 2007, Subaru threw the world a curve by offering the 5-door hatchback as the base model. That's the reason why the high-performance version of the car, the Impreza WRX STI that appeared in October of the same year, wore a 5-door body.

Still, many preferred the 3-box styling of the sedan because of its clean shape and long history as the Impreza's defining model. To satisfy this demand, Subaru introduced the much anticipated WRX STI 4-door sedan to the public in July 2010. Under the hood resided the same Japan-market powerplant as the 5-door, a twin-scroll turbocharged 2.0-liter flat-4 that produced 304 HP @ 311.0 ft-lb of torque.

The new sedan stretched longer than its 5-door counterpart by 6.4 inches, most of this due to a longer rear end where a large wing was installed. Because of the different body style, the 4-door had a structural and aerodynamic advantage over the 5-door, making it faster on long straights. The car's engine and chassis have been tuned in accordance with the high level of quality befitting a car wearing the STI badge. It exhibited little turbo lag, making the engine super responsive, while the suspension displayed rock-solid stability through turns and an even ride quality.

The car's prowess was unleashed in April 2010 on the North Loop of the Nürburgring, the main testing ground for Subaru in Europe, not to mention many car companies. There, with former WRC champion Tommi Makinen, behind the steering wheel (he once drove the WRC Impreza racecar), the 4-door WRX STI lapped the 12.9-mile course in an amazing 7 minutes 55 seconds.