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With Subaru’s new Impreza and its variants eating up corporate bandwidth while the next WRX is under development, one might forgive the dog-friendliest Japanese automaker (sorry, Nissan Rogue Dogue) for shining the spotlight away from its aging performance vehicles. Thankfully, sport-type heads with a penchant for World Rally Blue paint haven’t been forgotten in this, the Year of the New Crosstrek: Subaru has announced two special-batch hot rods in the form of the WRX STI Type RA and the BRZ tS.
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When we drove a then current Japan-market Bugeye Type RA Spec C in 2003—back when the I in STI was still rendered in lowercase—we noted that the appended initials stood for Rally Applicant. Today, Subaru touts that RA is a short-form version of Record Attempt, feting the company’s 1989 FIA World Land Endurance Record (a Legacy driven more than 62,000 miles in just 18 days), and its hope for a Nürburgring record this summer with a specially prepared version of the new Type RA.
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The RA features a carbon-fiber roof panel, a carbon-fiber wing, lightweight 19-inch forged BBS wheels, and carries no spare in its trunk, all in the name of weight reduction. The 2.5-liter horizontally opposed four-cylinder engine makes 310 horsepower (up 5 hp from a basic STI), courtesy of a cold-air intake and freer-breathing pipes. The six-speed manual transmission is actuated via a short-throw shifter and features a revised third-gear ratio to boost acceleration.
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The chassis sees upgrades in the form of Bilstein struts and dampers, silver-painted Brembo monobloc calipers with six pistons up front and two in the rear. The RA also gets a front underspoiler for improved high-speed stability, and the aforementioned BBS wheels are wrapped in 245/35R-19 Yokohama Advan Sports. Exterior accents include black-finished mirrors, STI fender badges, and shark-fin antenna, while the rear decklid gets a special WRX STI Type RA badge.
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Inside, the Type RA features Recaro front seats with red bolsters and stitching, with the STI logo embossed on the headrests. The steering wheel gets gloss-black spokes with a suede rim wrap, and push-button start with keyless entry comes standard. Since Subie is only building 500 Type RAs, the company thought it appropriate to equip each example with a console-mounted plaque denoting the automobile’s limited nature.
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Sports-coupe nerds have been braying for a turbocharged BRZ since before anybody had actually driven the thing, but Subaru has been hesitant to give it to them. Looking at the BRZ tS, with its large rear wing, one might think the company had finally relented. Nope. The tS (for “tuned by STI”) is purely an aero/chassis exercise. Featuring Sachs dampers and springs front and rear, flexible V-braces in the engine compartment, and new draw stiffeners connected to the chassis and subframe, the tS, Subie claims, offers improved steering response. For the first time, Subaru’s offering an 18-inch wheel package on a BRZ, featuring 215/40R-18 Michelin Pilot Sport 4s at all four corners. Stopping power comes courtesy of Brembo.
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Outside, aside from the aforementioned manually adjustable rear spoiler, the BRZ also gets front, rear, and side underspoilers. Like the RA, the tS features Cherry Blossom Red accents in the grille and also gets a matching stripe along the lower edge of the bumper cover. Inside, the upholstery is black leather and microsuede with red stitching and accents. The front chairs get red leather bolsters, and the seatbacks feature tS logo embroidery. Red seatbelts and a frameless rearview mirror are also standard.
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- This Camo’d Subaru BRZ Has an STI Badge—But What Does It Mean?
- Boxer Beans: Subaru Announces 2018 WRX and STI Pricing
- Subaru: News, Reviews, Photos, and More
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Both cars will be available in WR Blue Pearl, Crystal Black Silica, and Crystal White Pearl. Subaru will announce pricing and final specifications later this year, with cars to arrive at dealers during the first quarter of 2018. Like the Type RA, the tS is limited to a mere 500 examples, so if you’re interested in either automobile, you might consider ordering early and often.
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