WITH the launch of STi MkIII, Subaru hopes to widen its audience for the rip-snortin’, rally-bred road car. Has it got a chance? You betcha! Take the brash and brawny MkII, a car which made virtually no concessions for comfort and manners, and the challenge for Subaru was to identify a new recipe for success, and make sure the third generation delivered on the key elements. You’ll have to read the drive story to assess its chances.

Impreza WRX STi sedan
Released: Sep 2005
Ended: Jan 2008
Family Tree: ImprezaWith the advent of the 2008 five-door STi, based on the new-for-2007 Impreza MkIII hatch, and news that Subaru won't build an STi version of this year's redesigned four-door Impreza sedan to sit alongside its new WRCar-look STi hatch, the MY06 STi could well be the final sedan to wear Subaru's top-shelf STi performance badge. Arriving here in 2005, the MY06 STi not only adopted the US-spec 2.5-litre engine, but was also a more civilised and compliant sportscar - without loosing its hardcore rally roots.
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