[W///]

Originally Posted by ntg44

I agree that it would have sold, but not without a ton of backlash online. I started following nasioc more since purchasing my 2020 STI, and hoo boy, there is just no making anyone happy over there. A lot of the criticism is deserved on the 2022 WRX, but the expectations for the STI to somehow fix everything and have 400hp was ridiculous. I don't know if Subaru could even build that car for under 50k/unit.

I started thinking about what I would have liked a next gen STI to be based on the current WRX, and honestly it wouldn't have taken much:

- FA24 with bigger turbo, 6500+ RPM redline, and 330HP (anything more would be great, but trying to be realistic)
- Adaptive dampers from WRX GT
- Same Aisin transmission, DCCD, and diffs from the outgoing model, with bonus points for a new rear torque vectoring diff to help rotation
- New front bumper based on the VIZIV STI concept.
- Paint the lower rocker panels body color. Leave the unpainted fenders if absolutely needed. This again follows the VIZIV STI concept.
- Big wing, with delete optional.
- A revised rear bumper would have been nice, but for the sake of this post, could have been left out

I'm no engineer, but I don't think any of those changes would have been groundbreaking enough to cancel the model altogether. I think it would have been generally well received if it drove well and the tuning potential was there.

Regardless, I was definitely a little bummed out all weekend after seeing the announcement. It was pretty depressing news that is more of an indicator of the era we live in and where we're going than anything else. I purposely bought my 2020 when I did because I had a feeling the new generation car would lose the old school feel of the VA generation. Turns out I made the right call. At the time I called it the oldest new car you can buy today. And now it's finally discontinued. It pisses me off that Subaru didn't even try to launch something or even send off the old STI properly. It's more of a kick in the ass on the way out. The STI deserved better than that.

I don't think your list is all that unrealistic to be honest, but it seems clear to me from that statement that this was more a matter of emissions than spending money to improve performance.

Like you, I'm bummed that they didn't even really send off the car properly. Just a letter that says, oh btw, no STI coming until next gen essentially. The STI did indeed deserve better than that, coming from someone that grew up in the Colin Mcrae era.

P.S. The STI's already hold their values well, I expect yours to maybe even appreciate already.