01 Sep 04
You'll need to squint to spot the new Subaru WRX STi. Externally, the only changes are subtle little extensions to the rear wheel arhes and mildly restyled alloy wheels. And, the Subaru guys point out, the red paint finish on the inverted suspension struts has been dropped. That's it.
Which is hugely misleading, because under the skin, Subaru has done a whole lot more work than these external cues would suggest. The changes are aimed at making an already sensational drive even better, and increasing the quality feel of the interior.
One of the most dramatic - and least obvious - changes to the Subaru are suspension revisions that have stretched the wheelbase by 10mm and widened the rear track by 15mm. That last tweak is what the wheel arch extensions are there for. Further suspension revisions include the use of aluminium in some components to reduce weight, and retuning of spring and damper rates. And anti roll bars have been made even thicker to help reduce body roll.
The Subaru's steering has also been revised to improve feedback and precision, and has also gained a damper valve that reduces kick-back during hard cornering or when traversing bumpy roads.
