Images of the new-generation Subaru WRX STI have leaked online, revealing the exterior styling of the heavily hyped sports car.
Not due to be officially unveiled until next week’s Detroit auto show, the images – which appeared on Mexican website Terra Autos – confirm more aggressive aesthetics for the Japanese car maker’s flagship performance model.
Signature gold-painted alloy wheels, a huge rear wing, and pink STI badges in the grille and on the boot lid are the most obvious cues distinguishing the hardcore STI from the tamer WRX that debuted at November’s Los Angeles auto show.
Not visible in these images are the Subaru WRX STI’s unique mechanical enhancements, which are set to include a turbocharged 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine (mirroring that of its predecessor and offering a step up from the new WRX’s 2.0-litre turbo) and an uprated brake package.
While not confirmed at this stage, outputs from the WRX STI’s engine are expected to rise beyond the current car’s 221kW and 407Nm, and its acceleration from rest to triple figures will better the existing car’s 4.9-second benchmark.
The all-new Subaru WRX STI will reach Australian showrooms by April, roughly one month after launch of the WRX.
Full details of the Subaru WRX STI will be revealed when it debuts in Detroit on January 13.
