Hot DAMN, Subaru know their audience.

"Desu-San-Desu" (Desu-San-Desu)
01/14/2014 at 14:09 • Filed to: None

This is a damned good commercial and shows just how well Subaru knows their target demographic. The music, the sound of the engine, the sight of the car sliding around on and off the pavement, the use, but not overuse, of slow motion, it all just makes me lust after the new STi.

Official verson:

Version without all the text overlays:

DISCUSSION (11)

Doge_Supreme drives a BRZ > Desu-San-Desu
01/14/2014 at 14:20

It's unfortunate that the people who will buy these are mostly flat bill wearing bro-dudes who don't know how to drive them and end up crashing them into a tree as soon as the try to drive on gravel.

SubiSanchez > Desu-San-Desu
01/14/2014 at 14:28

Hmm that engine sound at the end sounds alot like the good ol' EJ25......

Desu-San-Desu > SubiSanchez
01/14/2014 at 14:34

It is. I imagined they went with tried-and-true for now until they finish fine-tuning the FA. The FA is capable of more power than the EJ, so I have a feeling they're taking a 'it's be done when it's done approach'. In the mean-time, they've released the 2015/2016 STi as a stop-gap compromise. It has the new chassis and refinements of the new car, but offers more performance than the base WRX, while allowing the aftermarket of the EJ series to still be applicable. It's a risky, yet understandable move on their part.

Personally, I love the car. But I can't afford it. So I'll wait and see what happens, lol.

BoxerFanatic, troublesome iconoclast. > Desu-San-Desu
01/14/2014 at 15:01

Just makes for certain that people who know, may be hesitant to get a '15 STI.

They have had three years of development since the first FA/FB engines, and the Impreza-baseline chassis came out in 2011.

If they aren't done yet... that doesn't particularly bode well.

There is only one chance to make a first impression...

Remember the 2008 WRX and WRX STI... 2009 WRX was heavily revised as a result, and still didn't truly escape the first impression.

Remember the first impression of the B9 Tribeca in 2006. The model never recovered, despite Subaru being an AWD go-to-brand.

If they miss it now, they may not get another chance.

2015 was late enough... it should have been a block-buster, and WRX may be decent, if bland looking, but STI may end up leaving too much to be desired for the additional money it costs.

The drivetrain is not appreciably different from a depreciated 2-year old used STI, which has the option for a hatch.

the handling advantages are likely similar to the handling advantages of the new WRX that is likely ~$8K less expensive... with less electronic nanny, and a newer engine with not that much less power... just for giving up the DCCD and brembo brakes.

I think the STI may have a harder sell than Subaru thinks to anyone other than the people with more money than awareness, and just automatically buy whatever has the top listing. WRX, or used STI seems to be better performance/dollar proposition.

Desu-San-Desu > BoxerFanatic, troublesome iconoclast.
01/14/2014 at 15:07

They haven't revealed a price for it yet. I have a sneaking suspicion the price gap will be smaller with this generation. Also, no word on SI Drive and DCCD applications either.

And 3 years is never a guarantee for enough time when it comes to a company that is ruled by engineers more than bean counters. Subaru doesn't muck about with performance and durability testing- not since the head gasket debacle for the late 90's and early 2000's. I have a feeling that if Subaru is taking this much time to tune the FA engine for the STi, they're throwing some serious muscle into it. Remember, Crawford motorsports did minimal internal strengthening and got well over 450hp out of a turbo BRZ, but the tuning for the mixture has been a problem for them.

I have a feeling that the FA STi is still a couple years out, but Subaru is going to reward the patient with a very healthy bump over the existing 305 horsepower.

MonkeePuzzle > Desu-San-Desu
01/14/2014 at 15:23

anyone else think the needly needly guitar and driving bass was a little bit acadaca Thunderstruck?

BoxerFanatic, troublesome iconoclast. > Desu-San-Desu
01/14/2014 at 15:25

Prices aren't official yet, but STI is rumored to still be just under 35K starting, and up from there.

WRX may go up slightly, but still will likely start under 28K, possibly significantly under that, depending on the standard feature list.

It is still likely to be more than $7K to get DCCD and VDC-based torque vectoring. (basically individual rear wheel brake application), and 40 horsepower out of an older engine that will need more maintenance, and significantly less efficiency than direct injection.

What about Subaru's current mainstream lineup suggests that Subaru is still about engineering more than bean-counting?

Have you looked at the rest of Subaru's lineup lately? They don't compete on amenities for the price point with any other brand. Everybody offers more options, more colors, and more choices than Subaru... and Impreza, Outback, and Legacy are more boring than ever. Forester has become a better appliance, but more boring as well. They have their good points, but excitement and engineering advancement isn't exactly the forefront.

WRX and WRX STI had an opportunity. Three years of separate development, highlighted this whole time by Subaru touting that it is no longer named 'impreza.'

They showed the WRX concept.

Then they come out with an impreza body with the FA20DIT and cable-shifted 6MT... Now they have the STI with basically a 10 year old drivetrain in a tuned Impreza body, when every other performance car under 45K has more power, and direct injection.

It may be the best tuned impreza they've done... but it is still a tuned impreza, when we were lead to believe there was going to be a more stark contrast after 3 years of separate development.

They didn't have to re-engineer the platform. The engine has been out in Japan for 2 years, and now in the FXT for a year before WRX will be delivered with it... and STI still won't have it.

Subaru is lagging, as a brand, it is plainly obvious.

They had a HUGE opportunity and the whole Subaru enthusiast community waiting for the big news...

and it is under-whelming.

Waiting a few more years is bull. This was their time. Missing the mark and hoping to play catch up later is only going to lose customers to other brands or other types of vehicles.

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > Desu-San-Desu
01/14/2014 at 15:30

Still bummed about the hatch.

Looks quite a bit like an EVO from certain angles in this vid.

Desu-San-Desu > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com
01/14/2014 at 15:34

Agreed, though the styling similarity isn't really a bad thing in my mind. The Evo is a nice-looking car.

And yeah...I'm holding out for the hatch.

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > Desu-San-Desu
01/14/2014 at 15:41

I'm afraid you'll be waiting a while. I'm hoping Mazda sees an opening and goes AWD with the new Speed3.

I guess they figured they'd try to make the transition easier for any current Evo owners. Mitsubishi's not making any more after this gen, right?

JasonStern911 > Desu-San-Desu
01/14/2014 at 20:11

And yet, sadly, the model year of this car has more of a rally heritage than the STi...

Kinja'd!!!