At least when it comes to Subarus, the U.S. enjoys the sportiest vehicles in the automaker’s lineup, like the WRX and BRZ, while Europe doesn’t. Not only is it a nice little gotcha to the region that previously had the lion’s share of cool, fast hatchbacks and wagons, it’s also something Subaru is keenly aware of. Speaking to British media at the New York International Auto Show, the automaker’s European general manager, David Dello Stritto, told Autoexpress about some of the brand’s intentions for its STI badge.
Electrification Is STI’s Future (At Least In Europe)
The reason the U.S. gets all the cool fast Subaru stuff right now, like the BRZ, is due to emissions. While the automaker was previously able to sell them overseas, Europe’s tighter emissions standards, and in particular, gasoline particulate filters, “literally choke your engine,” says Stritto. The performance of such models would be too heavily restricted in Europe based on Stritto’s comments. As a result, electrification is definitely in the cars for Subaru, at least overseas.
Ask the average person what Subaru means and they’ll say Impreza or STi. You can’t disassociate this from Subaru, so we need to bring sportiness back to Subaru.
— Subaru European Brand Manager David Dello Stritto
Notably, these issues aren’t present in the U.S. market. However, other pressures are. Subaru needs to make money. While Stritto is speaking strictly about the European market here, it’s clear the brand is focused first on satiating SUV buyers first, and worrying about new performance cars later. Here in the U.S., Subaru buyers already have two to choose from.
Subaru Has To Make Money First
“It’s nice to think about and have that prospect of a future WRX STI — something super fast, with gold wheels and blue color, coming back. This is what we wanted at the end of the day,” said Stritto. But, he says, “I need volume first. I need to sell my SUVs. They need to make money. We all need to get back on track. It’s a very difficult moment but once things get settled, we can afford the luxury of looking for that new halo model and please that very important subset of our customers.” Should Subaru reintroduce the STI badge in any measure, it’s clear what has to come first. Even that isn’t decided. Subaru applied for the “STe” trademark in Europe, hinting at some kind of electrified performance model.
TopSpeed’s Take
For once, the U.S. market gets the good stuff from a Japanese brand. It’s a rare win, and Subaru has once again made it clear that the STI badge is never far from its collective consciousness. While a Boxer-engined revival is hardly a possibility in Europe, Stitto’s comments at least indicate the automaker isn’t completely walking away from its reputation as a performance brand. For now, that’ll have to be enough.
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