What a fantastic day yesterday was for me!! :)

I passengered in a brand new JDM STI 9 and a UK Evo 8 FQ-300! :eek: Both cars were being run in, so most of the journey in both of them was limited to 4,000rpm, with the odd 'slightly' higher peak!! ;)

Interior

STI - Very similar to the UK STI's, supportive seats with blue alcantra all over the place! ;) As well as sonic blue carpet!! :eek: Credit card holder was odd!! :confused: Build quality is up to the usual Subaru standard! :) Those dials are fantastic!!! :D

Evo - Recaro front seats, very supportive, but a little tight on my 'wide' frame! ;) Although after a few miles it was more and more comfortable. The Evo lacked some of the style of the Subaru, but the only dissapointment for me were the dials! See if you can a find a piccie, and you might see what I mean!! :eek:

Exterior

STI - Very similar to a UK STI 8. I think there are some minor differences such as clear indicators with coloured bulbs, but I could be wrong! :o

Evo - Wow! What an improvement over the 'Passat' looking Evo 7!!! :eek: The rear wing with the carbon insert looks very nice! It could be said that the car had 'Lexus' style rear clusters, but I think they suit the car well. And the front end of the car.... how aggressive is that???! :eek:

Suspension & Brakes

STI - Very good Brembo brakes. The ride seemed very complient, and for some reason more comfortable than the UK STI7 I test drove!! :confused:

Evo - The ride was much firmer, but it felt right! The brakes looked the same as the Subaru ones, with Brembo's all round.

Under the bonnet

STI - Looked the same as a UK one!!! This car was still standard, bar a SECS unit, some STI mudflaps and some discrete stickers! ;)

Evo - The FQ-300 comes with HKS hard pipes for the intercooler, an HKS exhaust system and an HKS panel filter. The only thing added was an HKS dump valve and a de-cat pipe.

DCCD vs Active Yaw Control

STI - The car was left in the auto setting, and boy oh boy can this thing take corners! :eek: The amount of rubber that must have been left behind, even at very low speeds must have been huge!! :eek: The car just seem to grip and grip and grip!! :eek: It was a strange sensation with the 35:65 split of power front to rear, difficult to describe, but it felt right!!! (Why are UK cars lumbered with a 65:35 split!!!)

Evo - This car felt more planted, no squealing, it just got on and did the job!!! I was very impressed with the levels of grip which I would say was on par with the STI, just without all the noise!! :o

Power

Both cars were scary quick, but with the Evo at 4,000 rpm in 6th, it does 100mph. I can honest say that when we went up to 6,000rpm the power, the grunt, the acceleration was unbelieveable!!! I was shocked at how quickly this car could shift!!

We didn't really do the same in the STI, but power delivery comes on very quickly, more so than the UK cars, so I can only say this must be down to the twin scroll turbo!

Conclusion

The Subaru seems more driveable, a little more relaxed with great power if you need it! The Evo was good around town, but when the power came on it was nothing short of amazing. The Evo is probably more of a drivers car, with it's firmer suspension and what felt like more grunt on tap!

Which would I have???

Bearing in mind I'm on my third Subaru after nearly five years, which included one heavily modified one....

I prefer the looks of the Evo, with the interior of the Subaru.

Which would I have?? I'd have the mad car.....

The Evo 8 FQ-300!!!! :eek: :D

Sorry Mr Tang I would still have the Subaru , Sonic Blue + DCCD that does it for me !!!! :D:D

Shame both the cars were in black!! ;)

It has to be said that they both looked fantastic in that colour! And the looks we got crusing through town!!! :eek: :D

I'd have the Subaru too.....









because I already have it.

I think you mean why does the UK have 50/50 and no DCCD-A. Answer, because its cheap and the UK buyer isnt vocal enough about it?

Where was this? and how did you get a run in an STi9, we are only upto the STi8 right now.

Well personally I'd have the STi in WRC Blue, but then mine is being delivered tomorrow :-)

I did consider the EVO but I prefer the visual aspects of the Scooby and as I'm never likely to get anywhere near the limits of either of these cars, the Scooby it is!

John,

JDM STI5 - 1999
JDM STI6 - 2000
JDM STI7 - 2001
JDM STI8 - 2002
JDM STI9 - 2003 (Twin scroll and DCCD!)

UK STI7 - 2001/2002
UK STI8 - 2003

where did you get that numbering system from? News to me Andy.

Strictly speeking STi7/8/9 or whatever is the wrong name for the post Bugeye anyway. Everyone i know calls the JDM and UK STi's with the Blobeye the STi8 though. :confused:

John, this was a numbering convention I was told by someone earlier on this year. I didn't question him as I respect his opinion!

Whichever way you look at it, the car we wer in had a DCCD and the twin scroll turbo!

And whether you want to give it a number 8 or 9, I still preferred the Evo!! ;)

a proper car then :D LOL

shame on you Andy. ;)

It's true that the JDM had 2 versions of the bugeye (hence STI7 &8) but over there, they don't call their cars STI 7,8 etc.. They usually use the term GC, GF, GD, GG etc...to describe the different models.

correct, thats the coding on all the oficial manuals for the various JDM spec cars.

Excuse my stupidity, but was does JDM stand for? I seen it mentioned loads of time on here, but I haven't got a clue what it means.

Cheers,

Ed

JDM = Japanese Domestic Market

gr8 right up Andy, I would go for the Evo also;)

Here comes Andy Clarkeson...lol

Glad you enjoyed it also ;)

M

How gutted was I to miss out on the day :( [img]images/smilies/mad.gif[/img] And I missed out on some chargrilled burgers too :D

Am looking forward to my ride in both of these beasts. Shame that they both drive like wuss's in my experience ;) :D :D

And now that I think about it, they've both driven my car - hand the keys over gents :D

i'd have the scoob because you don't need a mortgage every service!!!

Kingsize K2,

You missed a top day out! Both driving like wuss's :confused: :eek: I don't think so, unless I'm a really, really nervous passenger!!! :o

I guess they both had an excuse as they were "running them in" :rolleyes: :eek:

Fizz,

I think you'll find that they will cost about the same to maintain! :eek: And the Evo now has a larger fuel tank (57 litres IIRC) rather than the weedy 50 litre one on the older cars!

If they both cost roughly the same to buy and roughly the same to run, why would you go for the "dressed up" WRX???? ;) ;)

May have to try an Evo8, last Evo I drove was a Tommi Mak back to back with the 22B..at the time the power delivery on the Evo was too smooth and it didn't *feel* like a 'sportscar'..despite the fact it was undeniably quick.
Problem is my 'local' Mitsu dealer ain't that local (or good) :(
Cman

Blimey Mr. Fart!

What would your drive look like with a 22B and an Evo8 on it?? :eek:

The Evo can then be the practical family car!!! :eek:

The Evo felt more urgent than the new STI! But it's hard to say as they were both still being run in.

The Recaros are more suited to people of your frame, rather than mine!! :o

All I have to say is try it, you might love it! :D

Evo's rock - simple :D

Kingsize...u sure you can handle the power? ;) if the evo was 100bhp less may then...lol.


M

Topcat,

Am sure my car is more powerful then yours at the moment :D :confused: I may be wrong of course, but I don't think so ;)

I get it back on Saturday... why don't you come down to last week's meeting point and we'll go for lunch?

PS This is not, by the way, a challenge. I wouldn't want to embarrass your shiny new car :D :D

If its a quick handling car you want, its the evo every time

:) yup every time!