Subaru has given its urban rally car, the Impreza WRX STI, a five-speed automatic transmission. This may be a smart move, given Hong Kong drivers' predilection for automatics, but does this mean the iconic model has lost its edge?
The STI A-Line, as it's called, looks exactly the same as the manual model. The rather bland shape of the basic Impreza has been given a steroidal makeover with bulging wheel arches, a huge air scoop on the bonnet, deep-front splitter, large roof-mounted rear spoiler, quad exhaust pipes and a rear diffuser. It's no thing of beauty, but it does have a certain thuggish charm.
The air scoop isn't just for show; it feeds a turbo intercooler the size of a radiator.
Despite the fact that the 2.5-litre turbocharged flat-four boxer engine is buried deep in the engine bay, it's still a nostalgic pleasure to see the turbo, the intercooler, related plumbing and the alternator in full view.
Despite its racing pedigree, the STI is no hardcore racer. It is a full four-seater and there's plenty of room in the back. There's even a decent-sized boot. The powered driver's seat is eight-way adjustable and has good lateral support. The leather steering wheel is small and grippy and the driving position is excellent. Engine output is 300bhp at 6,200 rpm and the single-scroll turbo produces a steady stream of torque from 2,800 rpm to 6,000 rpm, peaking at 350 Nm. There is some turbo lag - not much happens below 3,000 rpm - but this makes the STI very easy to drive, especially as the auto-transmission is quite happy to change gears at low revs.
At more than 3,000 rpm, the turbo bites and progress becomes very rapid indeed.
No performance figures are available for the automatic STI, but the manual version can achieve 0-100km/h in about five seconds.