Subaru WRX echoes STi

Subaru's venerable WRX sedan and wagon have gone STi hunting for 2011. For the first time the WRX uses a wide-body design similar to the Impreza performance flagship. The newest Rex is due in local showrooms around September.

Subaru Australia spokesman, David Rowley, says despite becoming an STI lookalike, the new WRX has different bumpers and grille and lacks the STI's quad exhausts.

"It's not dissimilar to the STI but there are differences," he says. "The redesign gives the WRX a little more presence." Rowley says the newest WRX continues Subaru's pattern of evolving the WRX with each model update since it was launched in 1994. "Each new model raises the sophistication levels bit-by-bit," he says.

The wider body not only gives the car more attitude but the track is also wider to enhance handling. Both the front and rear track have grown 38mm to 1534mm front and 1538mm rear. The car also gets firmer rear subframe bushings and wider 17-inch wheels and tyres for better grip. The standard wheels are now 17x8 versus 17x7s in the 2010 model and tyre sizes are now 235/45 R17 versus 225/45 R17. Power and torque figures for the 2.5-litre turbo-charged four cylinder are expected to remain the same.

Visually the Rex gets sharpened bumper corners and wider, blacked-out foglight surrounds. A jutting lip spoiler with three-dimensional detailing emphasises the cars' sporty intent. The grille gets a black base and blacked-out Subaru wing highlights, accentuated by a larger grille and bumper air intake. Subaru says the new design details contribute to a modest improvement in the car's drag coefficient.

The car is being unveiled next week at the New York Motor Show.