The STi range of Imprezas are rarely sold officially outside of the home market, and here in the UK are imported outside of official channels and are thus known as grey imports. Many of these are owned by members of IWOC and here are some reviews of some of those cars. Of course IWOC is International and owners over in Japan can have fun too!

Subject: [iwoc] Test drive of STI VII (long)
From: "Tom Sakai" Date: Sun, 29 Oct 2000 22:08:26 +0900

I was able to have a test drive in a STI VII this weekend.

I thought you all might be interested in some impressions. I own a Jap-spec non-STI MY97, so a lot of the impressions I made are in comparision to my car.

Exterior

The intercooler duct is taller than the WRX NB, due to a larger intercooler. Blue mica, silver, black and white body colors will be available. For the RA, only white is available. The roof-mounted air intake is available only on the RA.

Interior

Mechanicals

A Suretrac limited slip differential is now available as an option for the front wheels. The RA version comes with a mechanical limited-slip on the rear and the driver-controlled center diff. The driver-controlled center diff is *not* available on the standard STI.

Driving impressions

I was only able to take the STI out for a 10 minute ride in the rain with very few curves, so I can't comment on the handling.

The clutch feels lighter and the stroke seems shorter than my Jap-spec MY97 WRX. The six-speed is a work of art! None of the stiffness when shifting from neutral to first, and the shift throw is nice and short. The transmission has a very solid, precise feel to it. According to the dealer, the first five gear ratios are the same as the previous STI RA. I really enjoyed shifting that transmisson!

Acceleration and turbo response felt very similar to my WRX, perhaps with a little bit more power all around. It definitely feels more faster than the WRX NB, with more power around 5000rpm.

I was surpised at the lack of noise (quieter than my WRX) and the overall ride quality (comparable to my car with 215/45 tyres). This was the first time for me in a STI, and I expected more noise and ride harshness. According to the brochure, the RA model does have more stiffer shocks. As expected, the brakes felt like a major improvement from the stock brakes on my WRX. No sponginess at all, the Brembos were similar to the transmission in that they have a solid, precise feel to them.

I expect that a lot of existing WRX owners here in Japan will choose the STI over the NB, as the STI feels more like the direct successor to the old model. A lot of the problems that plagued the old series like brakes and the notorious transmission have been addressed. The only problem I see with the new STI (not commenting on the controversial looks :-) ) is the price, which is now comparable to an Evo 6.

Good points:

• Brakes
• Transmission
• Engine

Bad points:

• Price
• Looks (?)

Year - 1999

Subject: [iwoc] Difference between uk spec and imports (was Impreza P1 yeh or nehy)
From: James Dening
Date: Fri, 8 Oct 1999 10:12:03 +0100

Steve asked
"I've often wondered this. If you can get the UK Impreza for around 21,000 are the others worth the extra 10,000 (Although I'm sure Mark will jump in and explain how I can buy a grey import for less than a UK model!)

In my book in real world country road driving shaving 0.5 sec of the 0-60 isn't worth ?10K. For you extra ?10K is the build quality any better, i.e. the thickness of metal, the shite stereo? Do you still get the same tinny feeling when you close the boot etc."

Well, I've just test driven a MY98 normal spec and an STI IV Type R. The normal one had 15K on the clock and was 20950GBP (!!!). The STI has 2000miles on the clock and was (19995).

The normal one first - I drove it 30 minutes after an M3 Evo, and AFAIWC, the scoob kicked the BM's arse - pretty much as quick in a straight line, or so it seemed, and had loads more feedback in the handling dept. The brakes were a bit poo tho', but I know the MY99 changes that. As an overall package it was fantastic, and I resolved to buy one. Then, my local non-scooby dealer said "Hey, try this import". Hmmph thinks I - can't be much better than the normal (turbo) one - 'cos that was fantastic. How wrong I was. The STI was an absolute maniac - the closest thing to a bigbore sportsbike in 4 wheel form I have ever driven. The handling is a chunk more precise, although this is mostly in the form of less body roll, the brakes are *far* superior, but the engine! Wow - you know how normal Impreza's, once in the power, with the blower spooled up, go really quite, quite fast - well, the STI was like that, but *more*. More enough, in fact, to make me say the immortal word "Blerk!"

To sum up ("about time", I hear you cry), the normal Turbo is a fantastic car - as a package it's hard to beat. The STI was simply insane. And this is from someone who commutes on an R1.

James.

Subject: [iwoc] STi 5 versus WRX ..plus Eibach springs..LONG!
From: David Anumudu
Date: Sun, 25 Apr 1999 15:12:21 +0100

Yesterday I had my 15k mile service, and of course used the opportunity of the drive down to David Hendry Cars to 'invest' in a couple of mods. I have a 98 japanese WRX 4 door, on 17" radius alloys with Yoka A520 tyres, sidc geometry and a few other bits and pieces. Anyway, I have always found that the car suffers too much body roll, which is a real problem on long fast corners as all of the suspension travel is used up. I had planned to get Leda B, but a cracked headlamp and some tea-leaf robbing my wing mirror glass (yes - the glass, what the hell can someone do with that!) meant that some economies were required...no, you really *dont* want to know how much a folding jap spec wing mirror costs...

Anyway, while I got them to fit the Eibach spring kit (which lowers the car by approx 18mm, and apparently gets progressively stiffer as the car leans) I was offered 3 options.

Either (1) a blast in their TVR Chimara 4.0L , (2) a blast in their STi5 4 door or (3) watching the mechanics servicing my car and generally getting in their way.
After a bit of (3) I got bored. I had already had the TVR for a few days as a loaner when my car was in a while back, so a chance to have a play with the phase 2 boxer engine and inverted strut suspension of the Sti5 4dr seemed in order!

The car was also on 17" radius alloys, and had about 1500 miles on it when I took it out. The roads around DH Cars are fabulous, a mixture of A and B roads, with very little traffic and lots of national speed limit sections, twisty and generally great fun. It was sunny and the roads were dry..

First impressions were that the STi5 engine was less laggy than my WRX, power delivery was much smoother and as the car had the standard exhaust it was very easy to reach *ridiculous* speeds without any aural warning (my WRX has a stainless exhaust which is loud and acts as a useful reminder without needing to check the speedo!)

I was impressed with the engine, it is better than the WRX 4 engine, with the only drawbacks being it didnt feel quite as fast hammering it in 5th, but I guess my car has the advantage of being fully run in and better breathing with the free-flow exhaust and ramair giving it a top end advantage. It STi also had the quickshift of course. I had considered one of these, but my thoughts are now that if anyone with a 98 car is considering getting one you may as well save your money and get a momo gear knob which shortens the throw anyway and feels better.

Suspension : the STi felt firmer than my WRX, though not by much. I also had a couple wiggles changing up gear on the power which suprised me. The car didnt seem particularly well planted to me, though i doubt it had the sidc geometry. It was better than my WRX, but not by much.

When I got back to the garage I was impressed with the STi, and I knew then that I would buy another subaru when the time comes..

Anyway, my car was ready, so it was time to try the Eibach out. The car looked little different, the gap at the front was visibly lower, the back was harder to tell. I took the car for a blast along the same route that I had taken the Sti5....WOW!!. The difference was more than I dared hope for for just £179 inc fitting and vat. The car felt *much* more secure. Acceleration from rest and between gears used to lift the nose quite a lot. This has now all but gone. Dive under braking is also cured. Along the bumpy sections the car felt much more controlled. Brilliant! The best thing though is that the car is far flatter through the corners, making the car turn in better and if you want to get the tail to step out a little then this can be done more easily on the exit by nailing the throttle - previously the nose would lift and you would be back in understeer-land, running wide.

So, given that the UK car must unless I am very much mistaken be on the same or softer suspension than the Japanese WRX, then I reckon that a suspension upgrade is a must. As always, the Scoobysport stuff is the best, but if you cannot stretch to that then either get the Eibach or ask Pete if he will sell just the Leda springs..I'm off out now to get a MacDonalds...its only half a mile away but I know I will be gone for about 2 hours ;-)

cheers

david
98wrx - eibach, sti spoiler + brakes, radius 17", stainless exhaust, other stuff that i cannot remember.

Subject: [iwoc] 22B suspension
From: Colin Tinto
Date: Fri, 16 Apr 1999 11:36:18 +0100 (BST)

The standard 22b comes with soft springs and really hard dampers. What this means for the handling is it's great for quick left/right/left combinations, but if you get set in to a long corner, it gradually rolls over, and can eventaully hit the bump stops. When this happens it starts to drift out, and the back end sometimes lets go too.

Also being over damped means hitting bumps mid corner can mean the wheels lose contact with the ground, and it's also very easy to 'get air' and take off on fairly gradual humps.

The normal theory for suspension is harder springs and softer dampers. The dampers should be there to control the action of the spring, not to prevent it from moving.

Colin

Subject: [iwoc] 22b or not 22b (longish)
From: Colin Tinto
Date: Sat, 2 Jan 1999 22:38:00 +0000 (GMT)

Hi All,

Not long back from test driving a couple of new cars today. One of them was very good. The other was so spanking gorgeous I had to buy it :-)

Met up with Andy H (Cheers Andy) and his mate Tony, and went to see Phil of Autotek. Had a good look around a 4 door cool grey STi V, a 2 door Type R STi V, and then got to drive a silver Type R for about 45 minutes or so. Since it was still new (100 miles on the clock) I was gentle with it, and the roads were busy anyway. Compared to my Terzo there is a lot more power there, and a twitch of the toe doing 70 on the motorway has the speedo reaching for 3 figures before you realise you're not allowed to say things like that on iwoc... Handling wise it felt really good, and seemed softer than my Prodrived car, but I suspect that was down to the 16 inch wheels where I have 17s. At first I was unsure about the low ratio gearing, and when I thought I was in one gear, I was actually one higher. On the motorway it sits at 3500 for 70 - which I actually quite liked, as it makes you feel like you're going quite fast. The brakes are incredible too - when I got back in my own car I wondered what was wrong.

The only downside to it - in my opinion - was the rear wing. On the cool grey car, it's all very subtle styling, kind of a 'Stealth Impreza', and then this huge wing leaps out and catches you under the chin.

But no-one was looking at me, they were all staring at Andy in an STi III, painted in radioactive yellow :-)

The other car I went to see was a 22b - Number 126. I saw the UK one at the motor show, but it looks much better outside in the real world. I know I just said I didn't like that wing, but on the 22b, it fits in much better. The rest of the car is so extreme, it finishes it off nicely. I had a brief drive around the block, and up a rather narrow back lane. The suspension was much harder than the STi V, but reminded me a bit of my own car, although I didn't drive it for long. The gearing is the same as the Type R, so I was starting to get used to it. The Quicksteer rack is excellent. Again, as it was brand new, I was gentle, but you could still feel the grunt and it just wanted to go. I had the feeling that it was better put together than the Type R - it just felt more solid. I was expecting the clutch to be tricky, but the only time I got it slightly wrong was when reversing up a hill to turn round and come back. It does feel like it may be a hard car to drive smoothly though.

So, prices were agreed, hands were shaken, and I pick up 22b No. 126 sometime after it's SVA test on the 11th of January. I might wait till the weekend, or I might take a day off work, forfeit my exorbitant contract rates for the day, and go and get it, if I can't wait those 4 days...

Col

Subject: [iwoc] Merseyside-Mini-Meet report (bit long)
From: Andrew Marritt
Date: Mon, 22 Jun 1998 09:20:24 +0100

Andy Holmes & I met up yesterday morning on an unofficial meet (my folks live 1 mile from his house). To give you all some background Andy has - for the next 5 days at least - a Prodrive Turbo (everything bar the engine upgrade) and I have a WRX STi4.

After exchanging pleasantries we drove off for a comparison in the local countryside. The roads in northern Merseyside are dictated by the land
- it was reclaimed from the sea and is therefore very flat. The roads follow the edges of the fields and are a mixture of straights and tight 90 degree turns. All great fun though they demand excellent driving skills - enter a corner at the wrong speed and there is no room for alteration mid bend (as I was to find out!!)

After arriving at a sensible spot we first went out in Andy's car. This was when my impression that the STi is a 'gorgeous beast which is unparalleled as a road car' disappeared.

With the Prodrive suspension and close ratio box Andy's car is much more raw than my car - the gears enabled him to accelerate on these roads as well as my more powerful machine. The suspension however was from a different planet. The car stuck to the road like a limpet, braking was far more controlled. I got out 4 miles later with a feeling similar to my first go in a Subaru.

Back into my STi. Suddenly the car didn't feel as precise. Suddenly the acceleration was tamed. Sorry make that the feeling of acceleration, of speed was tamed.

For the first time I felt unsure of my ability to point the car. We were probably covering ground at similar speeds, maybe slightly slower - Andy's gearbox kept the turbo on boost much better than mine.

And then it happened - 90 degree right, no hedges, probably a 15-20-mph-in-taking-the-whole-road job. I had become unaware of the sensation of speed and expected the car to turn like Andy's. I entered at 35mph.

Somewhere about the apex the front wheels decided they had had enough and broke all meaningful contact with the tarmac. I don't think that either of us thought we were off, though I was having 'nasty kerb meets nice alloys' thoughts. Lesson learnt.

The following 3-4 miles were taken with much more caution. The STi is certainly a faster car - high speeds feel 30 mph slower than you're actually travelling. But to me Andy's Prodrive car felt far more involving than my STi. It was better on these roads.

We arrived back to find smoke pouring off both front brakes. (Andy's Mintex brakes had done so before, but less so.)

Andy politely pointed out that the geometry should be changed, and the next tyres should be Pirelli's. The geometry is to be done in the next week however, I can't help but thinking getting rid of my c**p driving would make the biggest performance improvement.

Thoroughly enjoyable meet - the photo's will be on the web very soon. Hopefully I will be able to make the next NW meet and see more folks.

Andrew Marritt