Subaru STI History

 

History of the Subaru STI

The Subaru STI has been a pivotal vehicle for the Subaru brand for decades and has served as their top-tier performance vehicle in competitions around the world. Since the early 90's when the first vehicle branded as an STI was released, the compact sedan has been a segment winner time after time. The history of the STI begins decades ago with the first-ever Subaru entry into a competitive rally and has since evolved into a highly-respected performance giant. The STI has gone on to break records, earn major victories, and continue to perform in the highly competitive world of rally racing. Learn more about the STI, where it came from, and the impact it has left on the world of performance vehicles. 

Getting to Know the STI

Subaru originally started the term STI, or Subaru Tecnica International, in 1988 to develop a worldwide image of competitive motorsports within the Subaru brand. Paired with PRODRIVE, a British motorsports company, the original STI was based on a Subaru Legacy. Despite its low-success beginnings, STI vehicles continued to use a similar platform which include a sedan-style vehicle with a turbocharged boxer engine and an all-wheel-drive powertrain. In 1992, Subaru introduced the WRX, which came with the first-ever Subaru Impreza. In 1994, Subaru released the WRX STI, but neither model was available in the United States until 2002.

Motorsport Legacy of the STI

Since its original release, the WRX STI has been through several redesigns, facelifts, and upgrades throughout its four generations of production. The STI legacy began in 1988, and a lone Subaru Legacy debuted for the brand at the Safari Rally in Australia in 1990. Within the next several years, Subaru set larger goals involving the World Rally Championship, the highest level of rally competition worldwide. By 2007, the STI had led Subaru to more wins than any other automaker from Japan, adding up to nearly 47 victories in its segment. After over ten years of WRC wins, a trusted and proven vehicle, and the durability of the Subaru brand behind them, the STI headed to The Nürburgring 24 hour race in Germany. In both 2011 and 2012, the STI took victories among their class, a huge achievement for Subaru and a source of pride for STI enthusiasts around the world.  

Today's Subaru STI

Even for everyday consumers who are away from the race track, the WRX STI is a fabulous testament to their rally-racing counterparts. The WRX STI still dominates the roadways, and even though it hasn't been available in the United States until 2004, the vehicle has earned a ton of devotees year after year. Today's WRX STI includes many of its rally-days features, most notably its low, wide, and athletic profile. The STI features elements such as performance seats, superior handling, performance braking, driver-controlled center differential, and overall lightweight structural features. The WRX STI doesn't stray from its roots, with its powerful turbocharged Boxer engine and symmetrical all-wheel-drive powertrain.

Drivers near Milipitas or Union City can stop by Premier Subaru of Fremont to take a new Subaru STI on a test drive.