Ok, I'm confused. When the Jap STI 7 first came out and was only available as a grey import, all the usual car mags tested it in comparison with the WRX, Evo VII or P1 and all pretty much seemed to come to the conclusion that although 'better' than the standard WRX, the Evo and P1 were still superior.

Suddenly the UK STI appears and the magazines start raving about it like it the best thing since sliced bread!? What's going on here, the UK vesion is effectively the same car but with less power, yet the mags talk about it as if it were a totally different car all together. Why is this? Maybe there's a slight tweak here and there, but to go from mediocre to sensational is hard to believe to be honest.

Is this a bit of a scam by Subaru UK and the car mags to put people off buying Jap imports or what? I can't see any other reason. The chalk and cheese reaction between the Jap and Uk versions of the two cars is quite unbelievable.

Does anyone agree or have any opinion on this?

Cheers,

MS

PS, what have they done to the STI to 'downtune' the car? In terms of performance is the difference simply achieved by adding another cat or are there any other tweaks?

I dont think the jap spec was slated. As I recall even Ralliart sponsored Autocar reckoned the jap STI Vii was in many ways better than the Evo Vii and only lost the test by a hairs breadth.

Tiff Needell on TG preferred the Scoob.

Maybe the pricing has something to do with it?

Ok, the car wasn't slated, but it didn't get anywher near the same reception as the UK car is getting now. I'd go so far as saying that the car mags are suffering from 'STI-mania' at the moment! :D

MS

UK car - different ECU reprogrammed to take 95 RON petrol not 100, bigger cat, modified AFR sensor and different injectors, to meet Euro3 emission regs.

So dynamically, there is no differece between the two cars, if anything surely the Jap version should be superior due to the increased power? Are there not any suspension tweaks?

MS

I noticed this. The test I remember in particular was the EVO test P1 vs RB5 vs sti (jap) vs something else
P1 was half a star ahead of the stin (if my poor mind remembers correctly)??

How come all of this has now changed?
Are they going on price now (undeniably good value)

cheers

I had heard that springs were different...

...but, like everyone, I really *really* want to know how Evo can prefer the UK300 to the STI in one review, then "big it up" six months later.

The UK STI that I drove was really rather nice. Whether the advertising revenue of Subaru caused them to play it down is quite concerning for me.

Hell, I may write a letter :)

Just to confuse the issue even more!!
Although the 'quoted' power figure for the U.K. car is lower than that of the Jap version, Autocars test figures for the U.K. STi show that it's at least as quick as the 'more powerful' Japanese original??!! (this when comparing there own figures)
Very confusing.

All smellz far too fishy to me, I sense a scam here..

MS

Has anyone actually driven an import and a type uk??
Come on you bug eye fans........ :)

I drove a jap import STi last weekend (at Warrender) and am test driving the UK STi this weekend, will report my findings.

Well I have driven both now, I did not notice any real difference in performance however both cars had low mileage so I did not push too hard.

Compared to to my own MY00 turbo, performance on both is stronger at the top of the rev range however low speed flexibility (need at least 4000rpm against only 2500rpm to get turbo singing) has been sacificed and is nowhere near as good as my old car.

Welcome to the world of corporate entertainment!

Very interesting results. I'm surprised none of the people singing there praises in other threads has responded to this post.
I must point out that I'm not anti bug eye sti (never driven one), but this is a VERY contentious subject.
Someones telling porkies and I'd be very interested to know who......

If you go to Japan they will say the jap specs better if you buy in England the english spec will be better its what they call sales tactics and you suckers get sucked in every time.We need to be aware that us Britts seem to get the short straw most of the time as regards to performance and pricing i.e my 99 sti type r price in japan £18000 price in uk £27000 or a P1 same sort of car 30000k I think these price differences have gone on far to long.Its the same with electrical goods

I'm also surprised no-one has either noticed or responded to this? First Evo say that the P1 is better than the STI and now the STI is best. No-one seemed to make a fuss of the STI in Jap spec but now it's in UK spec, it's all changed.

Come on someone must be able to explain why?

MS