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2014 Subaru WRX STI revealed

The STI will continue with a 2.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder, with 227kW and 392Nm.

Twenty years after the first WRX STI Impreza appeared, Subaru has unveiled the all-new latest car, promising more refinement and agility.

The STI will continue with a 2.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder -- an uprated version of the mill in the current car, with power raised 6kW to 227kW but  a drop of 14Nm at 392Nm of torque. Both power and torque hit carryover peaks of 6000rpm and 4000rpm respectively.  The engine is mated to a six-speed manual transmission -- there's no sign of the five-speed auto -- and Subaru's symmetrical all-wheel drive system split 49:51 per cent front/rear.

The STI also gets  faster steering, a retuned and stiffer suspension set-up with 16 per cent less body roll, upgraded Brembo brakes and new vehicle dynamics technology including active torque vectoring

Following the leaked photos of the STI last week, we've already had a decent look at its more aggressive bodykit treatment -- in signature WRC hero blue set off with gold BBS wheels -- with the expected high rear wing, which will feature on a limited-edition 1000 unit launch model that also scores a short-throw shift. 

The WRX STI will go on sale in April in overseas markets and arriving here after mid-year. The sedan (also unveiled in Detroit in a more sober silver) will be the only body for the STI, with Subaru axing the hatch variant in the face of shrinking buyer interest.

However the brand is determined to prove the STI can continue to be hot without a hatch, and last week revealed a race version armed for the Nurburgring 24-Hour -- in which it's won the SP3T class three times in seven years -- with an arsenal of track kit, including bolt-on wheel-arch flares, high-performance rear wing, bar and diffuser, and carbon-fibre splitter and ailerons at the front.

Subaru US president Tom Doll also signalled Subaru's intentions for the 2014 World Rally Championship with the news that Travis Pastrana will return to the helm this year.