Subaru unveils STI S209 specific to the US

September 27,2019

SUBARU Tecnica International (STI), a wholly owned subsidiary of Subaru Corp., introduced the limited-edition STI S209, the first S-line STI built exclusively for the US market.

As an S-line product, Subaru said the STI S209 has more power and handles better. The car is assembled in Kiryu, Japan, where it receives engine modifications and bodywork alterations that in total require it to be homologated for the US. This, Subaru said, qualifies the S209 as the first “STI-built” Subaru sold in the US.

The S209 is based on the WRX STI Nurburgring Challenge racecar, which won the SP3T class at the 2019 24 Hours of Nurburgring. The S209, like the Nurburgring Challenge racecar, wears a wide body, extending the car’s overall width to 72.4 inches, or 1.7 inches wider than a standard WRX STI. The bulging fenders accommodate wider front/rear tracks (+ 0.6 in front/rear) and 265/35 Dunlop SP Sport Maxx GT600A summer-only tires wrapped around lightweight 19 x 9-inch forged BBS alloy wheels.

Subaru said the tires, developed exclusively for the S209 by Dunlop, are a significant contributor to the car’s maximum lateral grip of over 1.0g. Vents on the front fenders provide additional engine cooling, while vents on the rear fenders rectify air turbulence to reduce drag and increase downforce. Brembo brakes, with cross-drilled steel rotors and six-piston monoblock front calipers and two-piston monoblock rear calipers, provide stout stopping force.
Underneath the S209’s broader body are specially developed Bilstein dampers, stiffened coil springs, a 20-millimeter rear stabilizer bar and pillow-type bushings for the front/rear lateral links. The S209 has reinforced front crossmembers and rear subframes.

Powering the S209 is a reworked version of Subaru’s EJ25 2.5-liter turbocharged boxer engine. Fitted with an STI turbocharger by HKS, the EJ25 serves up 341hp at 6,400 rpm. For ultimate driver engagement, the S209 comes with a close-ratio six-speed manual transmission that routes power to a full-time Subaru symmetrical all-wheel drive system with front/rear limited-slip differentials, a driver controlled center differential, active torque vectoring and multi-mode vehicle dynamics control. Its SI-Drive system has been recalibrated.

Only 209 units of the STI S209 will be built. Available exterior color and BBS wheel combinations are WR Blue Pearl with gray wheels and Crystal White Pearl with gold wheels.

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