So, apart from the take-it-or-leave-it new nose and slightly smaller bonnet scoop, what else is new for the 2006 STi? Let’s start at the front. The engine is totally different and is now 2457cc, half a litre bigger than before.
It’s still a turbocharged four-cylinder boxer, but with the extra capacity comes notably more thump low down plus a wee bit more power. The headline figures are 276bhp at 6000rpm and 289lb ft at 4000rpm; 16bhp and 36lb ft more than before, both achieved at slightly lower revs.
The six-speed ’box has been revised to provide longer ratios and more relaxed running in fourth, fifth and sixth. It also has a sharper shift action, says Subaru, thanks to carbon-plated synchros on four, five and six.
On top of this, the system that allows a driver manually to alter the amount of torque that flows to the front and rear differentials has been honed. In normal driving the split is 41:59 front to rear, but this can be altered by playing with the dial next to the handbrake to make the STi almost 100 per cent rear-drive in momentary bursts.
The diffs themselves have also been uprated to provide greater stability on rough surfaces, sharper turn-in response and, best of all, much more control of the rear end when you come off the throttle mid-corner. Gone, says Subaru, are the days when you could throw your Impreza sideways into a bend by backing off the throttle; now the car will sort the slide out largely on its own.
The suspension, steering and brakes are largely the same as before, albeit with minor modifications to improve performance. The rack and pinion steering, for example, has a new damper specifically designed to reduce kickback over rough surfaces. All STis now come fitted with Bridgestone RE070s, effectively semi-cut slicks with tread. When warm this tyre should provide heart-stopping levels of grip in the dry – but, says Bridgestone, unlike many other cup tyres it works just as well in the wet.
