Subaru fans impatiently awaiting the return of STI: Why the performance brand will bounce back with electric power

Subaru has admitted that some of its loyal owners haven’t taken its decision to shelve its Subaru Tecnica International (STI) performance sub-brand well.

Speaking to CarsGuide, Subaru Australia managing director Blair Read admitted he had received “a range of feedback” from existing owners, putting a polite spin on what is almost certainly some disappointed supporters. Subaru announced in March 2022 that the STI division wouldn’t be producing a hero version of the current-generation WRX model. Given the relative freshness of that model, that suggests we could be waiting another half a decade before STI returns with an electric charge.

The performance brand is reportedly working on developing new all-electric or possibly hybrid powertrains, and Read has urged patience for Subaru loyalists and hot hatch fans. 

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“I would say many passionate owners, one thing I would say about Subaru owners is they’re very passionate, so we’ve had a range of feedback,” Read said. “The thing I always say to them is ‘Remember, they haven’t shut the shop. The engineers are still there, they’re still there working on future products.’

“When I talk to owners, they get quite excited about what the future of potential performance cars could be when you look at future technologies or combining some of the technologies with our platforms. I know we’re going to make them wait a little bit long for them to know what that is, but they haven’t shut the shop.”

What form that takes is still unclear, but electrification will play a major part in it. Subaru has already begun testing the possibilities, with concept cars like the STI E-RA, an 800kW all-electric supercar, but it’s more likely to be a performance version of one of its upcoming new electric models.

The BRZ is currently the second best-selling sports car in the country.

While that’s Subaru’s performance future, in the present the brand is still offering performance cars in the form of the WRX and BRZ. The latter in particular is enjoying a particularly good year, currently the second best-selling sports car in the country, according to the latest new car sales figures released for May.

It’s even outselling its Toyota cousin, the GR86, which was a struggle for the previous model as Subaru was typically supply constrained. Instead, Read said supply of the current BRZ is strong and steady, which has led to a 71.4 per cent sales increase year-to-date.

“We’ve got really good support on supply,” Read said.

He added: “We’ve been asking for more because the demand has been very, very strong. The 10th Anniversary Edition was sold out in a matter of days. We’ve got really good supply, really good support from Subaru Corporation on that vehicle and it’s performing really, really well with customers.”