I also noticed the mention of sodium filled valves on the STI, is this new or a feature carried over from the Version 5?

In addition to that, there are also mentions of a 'clutch start system' (?), and 'sports ABS'. I think the latter provides better control under trail braking ... but I may be wrong.

Andrew.

 

The Sports ABS is new, but the Hill-Holder Clutch is not (it has been available since the 80's). The rest is the same as the STi V, apart from the new front and rear wings.

 

Is the 'Clutch Start System' possibly like that on the Chrysler Neon which forces you to have your foot on the clutch before the car will start?

 

Hi there,

STI's have had Sodium filled valves for ages now, its not new.

Cheers,

J.

 

Just a few cosmetic tweeks then apparently.

I wonder if the ECU has changed in any way?
ie I wonder if they listen at STi and have gone some way to "our" fuelling problems?

And another thing! In Autosport this week they have the Prodrive Group N Type-Rs at £43,000 and engine rebuilds at £5,000. I wonder how many they have to do with the fuel they use, which I understand is what's available from the High Street.

I don't know about the rules of Group N fuel, would anybody care to enlighten?

Benny

Benny

 

There *is* a comment at the bottom of the specifications page of the translation (see

 

Sports ABS is not new - was on the version 5 too - there is a description of how this works on the new web pages - uses more sensors to counter for inside front locking prematurely on braking + cornering hard - in practice my sti 5 locks wheels easily despite so called sports abs - especially on uneven surfaces, so I am dubious about whether this is actually any good.

Hill holder clutch is not available on any turbo models (a shame) - I have had a number of subarus with this in the dim + distant past and it is excellent - I think all cars should have this I it completely stops lazy drivers from rolling backwards at junctions - problem comes when you go back to a car without it though!! Still not sure what 'clutch start' system is on new sti 6 but suspect it disallows engine starting without clutch depressed.

cheers,

Paul W

 

The matter with Regular and Super 'Gasoline' has been in the brochure for ages. This disclaimer on the measured power output using Super appeared in numerous Japanese performance cars' brochures, not just Subarus. Notice that Japanese Regular means 97RON and Super 100RON.
As for the Hill-Holder clutch, it's a system allowing you to perform a hill start without the need of using the handbrake. That is the description of the system for the Subaru XT (anyone remember?).


[This message has been edited by clarence (edited 09-09-1999).]

 

Clarence

The hill start mechanism was the one with the extra big lever between the two seats(next to the hand brakes)????

The Group N cars normally have tweaked ECU's - Normally Motec for rallying - Or the Link system is catching on now.


J.

 

If you check this months edition of EVO (Lotus 340R) you will see that STi Imports are taking orders for the Version VI, unfortunatly no prices are being quoted.

 

I have spoken to a contact in Japan about the differences between the STI 5 and STI 6 and the reply was as follows:-

Compression ratio changed from 9:1 (Sti V) to 8:1 (Sti VI) so they'll run on UK's lousy gas without grenading.
Larger rear spoiler.
Slight "face" change with lower front lip spoiler.
That's about it

 

But the brochure for last year's models stated STi V has compression ratio of 8:1 (and the WRX Wagon 9:1). Misprinted brochures?

 

Hi there,

Anyone know if its true about the compression ? why different for the Wagon ?

How have they achieved this ? pistons ? gasket ? etc....etc...

Cheers,

J.

 

Don't know, but according to my STi V (and MY99 WRX) brochure, the ratio is 8:1 for all apart from the WRX Wagon's 9:1 (not the STi version).
Please note that the WRX Wagon has only got a 240ps and 31.2kgm engine, and the option of a 4-speed automatic gearbox.

 

Also, I was told that Fuji are unhappy about UK grey importers gazumping (sp?) their domestic customers in their rush to obtain cars from Japanese dealers, so I doubt they would make changes to the STi6 that would _help_ it run better here.

 

Mike,
I didn't think there were any significant waiting lists over there though. They can manufacture to demand as I understand it, so any car they sell to the UK through the 'grey' market is one additional sale they wouldn't have made otherwise.

I can't see that doing any harm to Fuji so I can't see them explicitly retarding the trend either. They may as well sell as many through the normal channels as they can, and then keep extra demand supplied via the other channels too. Otherwise many customers won't want to wait 9 months here and will go off and get something else. That has to be a real issue with a lot of buyers.

Ross.

 

I was told this by a UK dealer, so they are obviously partisan and I wouldn't rule out the possibility that it's BS circulated by IM.

The story goes that there *is* a waiting list (albeit nowhere near as long as in the UK) and that UK grey importers have a habit of offering a premium over list price to the Japanese dealers as a way of jumping the queue. This has apparently caused delivery delays for domestic customers, and Fuji want to stamp it out.

-= mike =-

 

The attitude from IM varies considerably from the postings previously on this subject. I would have thought that their main issues would be reducing the waiting lists for those of that currently own a Scooby and want to by a newer, faster, different spec etc version.

I was prepared to wait the 8 months from ordering to delivery as it was the first Scooby I had ever owned. However, and here comes IM's problem, if they are going to continue with the "make them wait" scenario (even after they re-visit their import quotas problem) current owners will look at other makes and models which can be obtained far quicker. I want to change my Scooby next year to either an STi V / VI or a UK MY2001 but am concerned about waiting lists etc. If another manufacturer offer a like for like model which can be obtained easier and quicker then I am afraid I'm going to look at it.

Yex

 

There's no waiting list for the STi in Hong Kong, which is officially sold here.
Sometimes you still have to wait, but it applies only to special order vehicles or when the current stock has depleted; then you'll have to wait for anything up to 3 months for the order to be processed and the cars to be delivered. There seems to be no regular shipment of cars to Hong Kong, the cars will be delivered when the importer orders them. The number of cars delivered are also determined by the importer here. For example, the B4 RSK was launched here late June and a batch of 50 arrived here at the same time, that batch of cars were sold straight away and the importer ordered a further 100 cars during early July. After that, they did not order any more B4's.
This gave an indication that there's no waiting list in Hong Kong and hence, also in Japan.
The only Subaru that MIGHT have a waiting list in Japan is the Legacy estate, it is the top seller in it's sector in Japan.