Subaru Germany has confirmed that production of the WRX STI for the European market will be discontinued in early summer 2018.
As a result, the 2018 WRX STI will be the final model year of the sports sedan, marking the end of a strong 17-year production run for Europe.
In a statement, managing director of Subaru Deutschland Christian Amenda said strict emissions regulations in the continent make it impossible for the STI to survive.
“The WRX STI has a long and successful motorsport history and enjoys a small but loyal fan base. The increasingly stringent emission regulations in Europe make the conditions for such a classic athlete more difficult, which is why the manufacturer decided to stop production.
“As of early summer 2018, no new models will be produced for the European market, but sales will be extended until at least the end of 2018, with sufficient pre-orders. Of course, we want to give the four-time class winner of the 24 Hours Nürburgring Nordschleife a fitting farewell, details are currently being worked out,” Amenda said.
Despite its popularity around the world, the WRX STI has never been a big seller for Subaru in Germany. In fact, the marque has only sold 859 units there since 2011.
Last week, we received word that Subaru is still assessing the future of the WRX STI in other markets. It is possible the next-generation model will adopt some form of electrification.
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