While cars wearing Subaru’s STI performance badge have been sold in the U.S. for over decade, we haven’t been getting the whole experience.
On this side of the Pacific, Subaru uses the STI (Subaru Tecnica International) to designate the hottest version of its WRX, but in Japan STI is actually an in-house speed shop that makes performance parts for multiple models.
The STI Performance Concept Subaru unveiled at the 2015 New York Auto Show is an example of exactly what U.S. buyers are missing.
Subaru says this BRZ-based beast “signifies a plan for U.S. expansion” of STI, something fans have been clamoring for.
Ever since Subaru launched the rear-wheel drive BRZ, there have been calls for an edgier and more powerful STI version. This is as close as the company has gotten to actually building one.
The concept features an engine developed for BRZ racecar STI campaigns in the Japanese Super GT series, plus upgraded suspension and an epic body kit topped with a massive rear spoiler.
Subaru won’t confirm a production version of this street racer’s dream, but it said STI-tuned models with extensive performance, chassis, and aerodynamic upgrades will be available in the U.S. in the future.
As the first step in that direction, the company recently re-branded its Subaru Performance Tuning parts line with the STI moniker, and has also begun using it in association with the Subaru of America-backed Global RallyCross team.
In Japan, Subaru already offers tuning packages for the Forester and BRZ, as well as the WRX STI, which is called the WRX S model there. These upgrades mostly focus on handling and styling.
Subaru hasn’t decided whether to use the “S model” designation, or the “tS” used for STI-tuned Forester and BRZ models, in the U.S.
If these new performance models really can offer the performance fans crave, though, the badge on the trunk won’t matter.
Volkswagen’s newest EVs in China are making its American and European models look unusually conservative.
With Xpeng’s help, VW has introduced 800-volt charging and advanced urban driving assistance. The new VEGA technology package brings its locally developed vehicle platforms and CEA electronic architecture under one umbrella. Bloomberg reports that Volkswagen intends to update VEGA every three months. Western buyers can find pieces of that package, but not the whole thing in a Volkswagen.
BYD has launched the third-generation Qin Plus DM-i in China, and the first thing that caught my eye is its price. According to CarNewsChina, the plug-in hybrid sedan starts at 79,900 yuan, which is about $11,980. That’s an incredibly low price for a brand-new car, especially by US standards.
What’s even more impressive is the range. The Qin Plus DM-i can drive up to 137 miles on electricity alone, which should cover most people’s daily commutes without using a drop of gas. Once the battery runs out, the 1.5-liter engine takes over. Thanks to its 17-gallon tank and roughly 91 mpg with a drained battery, the combined range reaches up to 1,423 miles.
Apple won the PC market’s worst quarter, but that’s not the entire story. It won the race by stumbling less than everyone else.
PC makers shipped just 57 million computers worldwide in Q3, which might look good, but it’s a 21% year-over-year plunge (via Counterpoint Research). And despite Apple’s Mac shipments falling by 11%, to 5.6 million, its market share rose from 8.7% to 9.8%. How did that happen?