New Subaru Impreza R205

Good news (if you live in Japan): Subaru has exposed its successor to the Impreza S203 and S204 special performance versions. It's called the S205, it features a lot of new goodies and benefits from chassis, engine and styling upgrades. OK, so it's home market only, but we can dream, can't we?

There's the WRX, then there's the WRX STI, and then there's this thing: the R205. It's called the top performance model of the entire WRX STI lineup, and Subaru says that the R205 (the "R" stands for "Road Sport") will make full use of expressly designed features and performance parts from the "WRX STI spec C" model.

Chassis-wise, the R205 makes use of STI tuned dampers, coil springs, a flexible type strut tower bar (what?), flexible type lower arm stiffener on the front suspension (again, what?). You also get 18-inch alloys shod with Bridgestone's specially designed RE070 tires sized at 245/40 R18. Flexible? Really?

Under the hood Subaru tweaked the stock Impreza WRX STI plant by using an exclusively designed turbocharger with ball bearings for the turbine axle bearing. Nice. Sooby also specially tuned the ECU, and added a new sport muffler with lowered back pressure exhaust. Bottom line: increased output of 325-horsepower and 317.9 lb-ft of peak torque. Wanna stop? That will be done via a Brembo brake system with 6-pot calipers up front and 4-pot calipers out the back.

And on the outside, body-wise, Subaru has given the R205 a newly designed front under spoiler, rear apron and black roof wing, as well as specially colored front grille and side STI garnish.

Yes, sad that it will be only available in the home market, but isn't that what friends in Japan, FedEx and a set of wrenches are for? Sure, you could probably do better with aftermarket stuff, but there are people out there that are really fanatical about only having factory stuff. What can I say: Call you buddies in Japan.

Source: CarScoop