What’s Subaru without the iconic STI hot hatch? That’s a question that performance fans have been wondering about ever since the last model finished its run 3 years ago.
Apparently, Subaru planners have been asking the same question — but they’ve come up with two very different answers. Two concept versions are making their debut at the Japan Mobility Show this week, one gas and one electric.
Subaru STI
Three years after Subaru rolled out the last of its STI packages, the iconic performance model may be ready to make its return. But anyone visiting the automaker’s stand at the Japan Mobility Show in Tokyo this week is bound to walk away feeling a little perplexed. That’s because Subaru has rolled out two very different takes on the direction a next-generation STI might take.
The question isn’t so much if there will be a new STI, but which of the two concept vehicles on display at Tokyo’s Big Sight convention center comes closr to the ultimate direction Subaru will take.
There’s the Performance-B, which Subaru suggests reflects where the brand’s performance scene is today. And there’s the Performance-E concept, which suggests what the future performance scene might be like.
Subaru Performance-E STI Concept
If it means anything, the Performance-E STI concept was given the higher profile during the Subaru news conference on Wednesday, sharing the stage with CEO Yoichi Hori.
According to Subaru, the all-electric Performance-E “represents the future of the Performance Scene, spearheading Subaru’s new generation,” which seems to suggest Subaru is leaning in this direction. And there’s no question that, even as many automakers have begun pulling back on their EV programs, Subaru is determined to move ahead.
At the New York Auto Show last spring, it rolled out three EVs, including the off-road-oriented Trailseeker, as well as an update of its original Solterra model.
Unfortunately, the Japanese automaker was sparse with details. It said nothing about horsepower, torque, or range. Indeed, it neglected to even reveal how many motors the Performance-E concept is fitted with and whether the front, rear, or all wheels are driven — it will likely be AWD, of course.
But, in an earlier statement, it suggested the electric concept “combines thrilling aesthetic proportions with outstanding aerodynamics and practicality, with a design that evokes the brand’s heritage while providing a driver-friendly layout and a comfortable, spacious interior. By incorporating various innovative technologies, this concept model offers intuitive, exhilarating driving experiences.”
Subaru Performance-B STI Concept
If the E package gives us a glimpse of the future of performance, what about the Subaru Performance-B STI concept? This “design achieves a balance of advanced performance and power with practicality,” the automaker said in a statement following the Wednesday afternoon news conference.
As with the Performance-E show car, Subaru was stingy with details about the -B, as well. What we do know is that it stands for “boxer,” shorthand for the horizontally opposed engine that has long been a Subaru mainstay. And the engine is here paired with the company’s familiar Symmetrical All-Wheel-Drive.
No Clones
It should be noted that the two concepts aren’t simply clones with different drivetrains. The Performance-E package is sleeker and more sophisticated in design. The Performance-B package maintains a more familiar Subaru hatchback appearance, albeit with the requisite, muscular tweaks, such as a big, bolt-on wing.
Which one will win out — assuming Subaru does, indeed, revive the STI? The way the news conference played out might signal that company officials, including CEO Hori, are leaning electric. But they also have to be well aware of the global slowdown in EV growth, especially in the U.S., traditionally a key STI market.
It’s quite possible Subaru is simply looking to whet everyone’s appetite and then wait to see what the public reaction is before deciding which way to go.
Subaru has grabbed our attention. No matter the propulsion style or performance figures, we’re happy to see one of the most pedigreed names in performance cars return — even if it is in concept form for now.
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