Goodbye to STI: Subaru's sportiest and most impressive model retires

“Nothing is lost, everything is transformed”, is the famous phrase with which the chemist Antoine Lavoisier explained that in terms of matter, nothing is created in nature, nothing is destroyed, everything takes another form. Often this phrase is used for other situations in everyday life, without noting that its origin was related to elements and not to experiences, but it is still a good philosophy to apply in certain occasions.

In terms of feelings caused by the end of some cycles, assuming that it will not be a loss but a transformation is not so simple, and the automotive industry is undergoing a change of such magnitude that there will be those who apply that thought, and who will say that it is impossible to accept: the end of engines the explosion fueled by fossil fuels.

The impact is such that in certain areas, such as sports cars or car racing, the resistance is even greater, because the internal combustion engine has something that cannot be equated with an electric one: its sound.

This is something that will be missed and will be missed for world rally lovers, because Subaru has confirmed that its unmistakable WRX STi will no longer be renewed with an internal combustion boxer engine, and the development department will focus exclusively on electric mobility. The latest WRX STI with a fossil fuel engine is the current one, a 2.5-liter engine that adapts to a turbo for its flat 4-cylinder Boxer engine.

With that engine, it develops 275 hp with a torque of 345 Nm, available between 2,000 and 5,200 RPM. One of its distinguishing features is, of course, its all-wheel drive, associated with a vector torque distribution, and it is available with both 6-speed manual gearbox and automatic transmission.

What is not lost is the acronym STI, that will be the question that is transformed. Subaru showed it when it presented its new prototype at the Tokyo Motor Show. Subaru Tecnica International (STI) several years ago created a division called RA after the initials of Record Attemp, in which prototype cars are produced, purely and exclusively designed to break records. Since the advent of electric cars, the RA division now manufactures E-RA as well. This is a high-performance sport car that will not be intended for rallies but for the track, possibly as a way to return to competition when the World Endurance Championship (WEC) supports electric cars only.

The STI E-RA Concept is a prototype powered by four high-torque electric motors, one located near each wheel, allowing Subaru to employ distributed torque vectoring technology in each one. This system works to match the grip level of each wheel, achieving exceptional stability in any condition, through a refined electronic system that controls each wheel individually.

These engines were developed and supplied by Yamaha, with a total power output of 1,073 hp or 800 kW, extracted from a 60kWh lithium-ion battery. Subaru sees this as the best direction to work with, as the all-wheel drive system is part of the regulations for motorsport of the future.

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