| Type | Public |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1988 |
| Founder(s) | Noriyuki Koseki |
| Headquarters | Mitaka, Tokyo, Japan |
| Owner(s) | Fuji Heavy Industries |
| Website | http://www.subaru-sti.co.jp |
Subaru Tecnica International (スバルテクニカインターナショナル株式会社 Subaru Tekunika Intānashonaru Kabushiki-gaisha), or STi, is Fuji Heavy Industries' motorsports division. STi, along with Prodrive of the UK specializes in the preparation of a variety of vehicles for the Subaru World Rally Team which competed in the World Rally Championship (WRC). It was founded in 1988 by Fuji Heavy Industries, the parent company of Subaru, to promote the company's performance-oriented identity.
STI's signature color has traditionally been "Cherry Blossom Red" (or "Rubine Red" as it's known in Australia.) It is seen as a masculine colour in Japanese culture.
Contents |
While Subaru offers many models with a trim level labeled "STI" or "Tuned by STI," there have been several special limited edition STI models. [1]
The Subaru Impreza WRX and the Subaru Liberty GT both come in a high performance STI edition (formerly designated "STi" before the 2006 model year), designed by STI. The STi offers many advantages over the WRX, such as a six-speed manual transmission with a helical (Suretrac in '04 models) limited slip front differential, driver controlled center differential(DCCD), IHI VF39 turbocharger (VF43 in 2007, VF48 from 2008 on), BBS lightweight alloy wheels, a mechanical rear limited slip differential and Brembo brakes. The 2.5 liter engine (designated EJ257) 300 hp with 300 ft·lbf (410 N·m) of torque (USDM spec). The WRX STi has Recaro style bucket seats and a MOMO steering wheel. STI also designs upgraded parts, mostly suspension related, for use on other Subaru vehicles. STi versions of the Impreza, Forester and the Legacy have been marketed as limited edition vehicles in certain markets. The WRX STi was the first and only STi vehicle made available to North American consumers to date. For other markets, STI also released legacies kitted out in full STI trim, they are rare and sought after by Subaru enthusiasts. They were only released new in Japan (JDM) and New Zealand (NZDM).
STI also provides parts for racing and street applications in Japan. In the US, STI parts are distributed and sold by SPT (Subaru Performance Tuning) although increasingly they are being made available under the STi name.
|
||||||||||||||||||||||