Subaru unleashes fastest WRX STI ever

Subaru releases its newest vehicle, which boasts off-road capabilities in addition to a warning to its driver to avoid off-road driving. Image courtesy of byzan.org

Imagine sitting in a racing contoured seat that hugs your body like a mother does a baby. The steering wheel is in your left hand and the gear shifter in your right controlling the raw power of a turbo charged WRX STI tuned by Subaru Europe. Put it all together and you’ve got the fastest WRX STI to ever hit the pavement, and to make the deal even sweeter, footage of your test run is going viral on the internet.

In April, Subaru Europe, a subsidiary of Fuji Heavy Industries (FHI), brought their new 2011 MY WRX STI Impreza to the Nurburgring and clocked the fastest lap time every recorded by an Impreza. Subaru Europe built the car with the intention of shattering the previous record, and this time around they delivered.

The previous record for fastest lap time by an Impreza of any class type was 7’59’00 set in 2004, an impressive time to complete the 13 mile track. This time around, Subaru Europe was able to crush the previous record by 4 seconds, setting the bar at an astounding 7’55’00.

The test version of the 2011 MY WRX STI was unveiled at the New York Motor Show on April 1, 2010, an almost comical release date for the hauntingly fast Subaru. Enhancements to the vehicle centered on improved overall dynamics with particular attention to an improved chassis and suspension.

Four-time World Rally Champion and long-time Subaru supporter Tommi Makinen was involved in the project and drove the test car.

“The car was controllable, with precise and faithful handling, even on tricky corners. I could easily predict the car’s behavior. This is exactly what Subaru is offering, confidence.” said Makinen in a release for the June issue of Entertainment Close-up.

If the success of the test car wasn’t enough, footage of the world record lap was uploaded to the internet for the entire world to enjoy. Thanks to gear heads worldwide, the several videos available for download have gone viral all boasting well over 100,000 views since April. Keep up the good work Subaru!

—AJ Register

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