Subaru Puts Next-Generation WRX STI On ICE - A New Electric STI Is Next

If you want the last 2021 Subaru WRX STI with a 2.5-liter turbocharged engine, you need to act quickly. The last Subaru WRX STI with an internal combustion engine will be the 2021 model year. Subaru of America announced the next-generation 2023 Subaru WRX STI would not have a 2.4-liter turbocharged engine like the 2022 WRX, and the Japanese automaker is moving towards an all-electric STI.

It was a surprise announcement from Subaru of America as the Camden, N.J. automaker made the announcement, and the report didn't come from Subaru Corporation in Japan.

Subaru did give performance fans an idea of the future at the Tokyo Motor Salon when they unveiled the STI E-RA Concept 1073 horsepower electric sports car. Subaru said it was a "near-future" challenge project developed to gain experience and training of new technologies in the world of motorsports in this carbon-neutral era focused on combating global warming."

Now we know the future electric Subaru WRX STI is coming a lot sooner than anyone expected. In the announcement by Subaru, they said to meet the demands of the "changing marketplace" and the government regulations for greenhouse gasses and zero emissions, "a next-generation internal combustion engine WRX STI will not be produced based upon the new WRX platform."

The 2022 WRX will be the last performance sedan with an internal combustion engine, and the STI will now move towards electrification. Subaru left the door open for a hybrid STI and said they are "exploring opportunities for the next-generation Subaru WRX STI, including electrification."

Subaru did not say when the next-generation Subaru WRX STI will make its global reveal. We know Subaru and Subaru Tecnica International will attempt a record lap at the Nurburgring in 2023. Subaru said they would use the all-electric performance car in other driving experiments, including circuits in Japan, starting in 2022.

Subaru Corporation and Subaru Tecnica International will now use the 1073 horsepower all-electric STI E-RA high-performance sports car to develop its electric all-wheel-drive technology in the next-generation WRX STI performance sedan. Subaru of America says they will incorporate the electric STI technology in its new generation vehicles, including the Forester, Outback, Crosstrek, Ascent, and other new models.

It was a surprise, as Subaru says they will not offer the next-generation 2023 WRX STI with a 2.4-liter turbocharged engine. An all-electric STI is coming next.

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Denis Flierl has invested over 30 years in the automotive industry in a consulting role working with every major car brand. He is an accredited member of the Rocky Mountain Automotive Press. Check out Subaru Report where he covers all of the Japanese automaker's models. More stories can be found on the Torque News Subaru page. Follow Denis on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

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