Honouring thirty years of its STI performance arm on road, rally stages and track, Subaru has revealed the WRX STI TYPE RA-R, a limited-edition JDM (Japanese domestic market) exclusive. 500 will be built, each equipped with a host of engine and chassis upgrades plus extensive weight-saving measures.
Built to the same specification as the WRX STI S208’s turbocharged 2-litre flat-four, the RA-R’s engine benefits from a remapped ECU, a performance exhaust system and revised cooling. As a result, power and torque stand at 324bhp and 319lb ft; some 28bhp and 24lb more than the standard (JDM) WRX STI. While Subaru hasn’t disclosed any benchmark performance figures, we expect the dash to 62mph to take about 5 seconds and the top speed to be around 160mph.
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A weight-reduction programme has saved 30kg over the S208, and 10kg over the standard car, with lightweight parts and the removal of the spare tyre contributing. Subaru has optimised the RA-R with a bespoke chassis set-up to the get the most out of the Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tyres, which wrap around forged BBS wheels, and the quicker steering rack borrowed from the S208.
The Brembo braking system comprises drilled and ventilated discs, all round, which are clamped by six-pot calipers upfront and two-pot calipers at the rear. Discreet, visual distinction from the standard STI comes courtesy of a spoiler delete, carbonfibre wing mirrors, a red pinstripe and a badge celebrating the STI’s 30th anniversary.
Priced at the equivalent of £34,200 (including taxes), all five-hundred units have already been spoken for.
