Subaru Launches South Africa’s Most Powerful WRX STi To Date

To celebrate the 30th anniversary of STi, Subaru Southern Africa (SSA) is launching a new limited edition of the 2019 WRX STi called the Diamond Edition.

The limited WRX STi Diamond Edition was developed by Subaru Southern Africa’s technical team as the most powerful STi ever to be launched in that region. The turbocharged 2.5-liter flat-four engine is now producing 348hp (260KW) and 342lb-ft (464Nm) of torque, thanks to a remap and a new performance exhaust.

The title of the most powerful STi ever sold by an official Subaru arm still belongs to the 2010 Impreza STI CS400, a UK-exclusive limited-edition model created with the help of Cosworth, packing 395hp (294KW) and 400lb-ft (542Nm) of torque.

SSA claims that the new WRX STi Diamond Edition can reach 62mph (100km/h) from a standstill in 5 seconds flat, 0.7 seconds faster than the standard STi. The Diamond Edition is also faster by more than a second on the 0-160km/h (99mph) acceleration test, with 13.7 seconds over the standard model’s 14.76 seconds. Top speed however remains the same, at 158mph (255km/h).

The chassis of the new Diamond Edition features a new STi engine brace and the Brembo brakes that feature six-pot calipers at the front and twin-pot at the rear.

The new Diamond Edition also comes with spacers on all wheels, making it sit 20mm wider compared to the standard WRX STi. A body kit finished in High Viz Yellow is another exclusive feature, as well as the special badging all around the car. A set of 19-inch darkened Y-design alloys are shod in 245/35 rubber.

The cabin gets model-specific dashboard inlays, an exclusive numbered panel, a seven-speaker 440W Harmon Kardon audio system and the latest 7-inch infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

Subaru Southern Africa will offer just 30 examples of the WRX STi Diamond Edition, as a nod to the 30 years of the STi brand. First deliveries are expected to take place in January 2019.