We almost don't want to tell you about the new Subaru Impreza WRX STI S206. Why? Because it's the fastest, best-handling WRX Subaru's STI division has ever produced, but you can't buy it in the U.S. It's yet another special STI limited edition built exclusively for Japanese domestic consumption.
Subaru's tuning department takes its STI "S" series very seriously, something we witnessed at the recent Tokyo Motor Show when it revealed the new S206 with its eye-popping spec sheet. There's more than a decade of history in the top-shelf S series, starting from the radical-looking S201 to the gutsy S204, and the extreme R205. We've driven them all and been suitably impressed with every car. But the S206 takes "S" to a whole new level.
You know you're in for something special when the person greeting you prior to the drive at the Cycle Sports Center two hours south of Tokyo is none other than STI's motorsport director, former chief test driver, and all-around Nurburgring-meister Hideharu Tatsumi. After a quick rundown of the impressive spec list, he shuffles us over to an S206 sitting in the pit area.
2012 Subaru Impreza WRX STI S206
BASE PRICE $76,000 (est)
VEHICLE LAYOUT Front-engine, 4WD, 5-pass, 4-door, sedan
ENGINE ENGINES 2.0L/316-hp /318-lb-ft, turbocharged, DOHC, flat-4
MOTOR MOTORS N/A
TRANSMISSION TRANSMISSIONS 6-speed, manual
CURB WEIGHT 3285 lb
WHEELBASE 103.3 in
LENGTH X WIDTH X HEIGHT 180.3 x 70.7 x 57.9 in
0-60 MPH 4.5 sec (MT est)
EPA CITY/HWY FUEL ECON 24.5 mpg (Japan est)
ENERGY CONSUMPTION, CITY/HWY N/A
CO2 EMISSIONS N/A
ON SALE IN U.S. Japan domestic market only (unfortunately)
