Last night I had an encounter with a WRX STI that I met at a coffee shop. We both had our windows down and he wanted to hear the car. He jumped out and got my number. Went across the street for a few minutes but when I got back onto the main road, I found him driving next to me. Both slowed to 30MPH and did a pull, and he got me, but not by a whole lot. After that we both found each other at a red light, I went into Sport, turned trac+vsc off, opened my cutouts, and slammed it into manual. I had a full car length lead all the way to 60mph before I started to hit the brakes. I like to race but criminal speeding isnt so much fun, even with a detector. The subie had a catback and an intake.

Anyone else have a similar experience with subies? I led a poll on my IG and everyone thought I was going to get smoked! I am actually pretty impressed with my RC. Definitely a huge step up in power from my old IS.

Overall the subie owner was a really cool guy. Good to see that the car community is alive and well in AZ.

Edit: The WRX STI was a manual

 

An intake + catback combo on a VA Chassis (2015+) STi won't net much of a gain other than noise, so safe to say he was near stock power levels. I come from the Subaru community for the past 13 years, the new cars aren't too bad, way nicer than GD Chassis 02-07 like what I prefer.

 

It was a fun race. He was telling me that he had an appointment made somewhere to get tuned later this week, supposedly going to be making 425 to the wheels with just the intake and catback. I know nothing about subies besides that fact that he was a flat 2.5L 4 cyl with a turbo.

 

That's probably a little on the generous side haha. Just did a COBB Flex Fuel Kit on my girlfriends' 2017 STi, with an intake, stock downpipe, and a Borla catback, made 312whp/365wtq on Ignite E85. So not sure what else he is doing to get to 425whp lol.

 

I forgot to mention at that tuning place hes going to hes supposedly getting new headers and an e85 tune. I had my doubts about those numbers considering hes only making 6 more CHP than me bone stock.

 

Yeah, with the right dyno it could read anything haha. Be interesting if you ever find him again.

 

It'll be extra interesting if I have a RRRacing Supercharger by then

Add it to the mods list haha.

 

 

I feel like it depends on the nut behind the wheel too haha. GFs car has been tuned since we first picked it up as COBB needed maps prototyped and field tested. 46k miles later and about a dozen trackdays and still good for now haha.

 

 

Oh no definitely, we are very familiar with the EJ platform. Car has been in the 300whp range for the sake of fun. Car will be getting the full IAG 2.7 Magnum block treatment along with a GTX3076R Gen2 from a previous 07 WRX time attack chassis we have scrapped. And agreed! I work in Subaru parts for a dealership, seen it time and time again, helps keep the lights on here :lol:

 

 

Thats good news to hear! Huge confidence booster in putting your SC on my motor! Gotta wait for this stupid warranty to expire first

 

A little more insight for y'all since it seems that Lexus always is compared to Subaru when it comes to "which to purchase". Stock for stock they are fairly evenly matched. the joys of having a Lexus over a Subaru is cost for cost performance. In retrospect, a fully bolt on STi, header, DP, UP, EWG, 1050x injectors, fuel rail, fuel pump, TGV's, EGR delete, Cobb FPR, and Tune will run most customers taking it to a performance shop on the low side of cost $8000. The part most don't understand is you drop $8000 and are capped SAFELY at 380whp, which is what the stock block can handle consistently. The FA20 WRX's full bolt on are capped at 340whp. And you may ask, how do they break that number? Engine build. Stage 2 blocks or drop money on a Outfront Closed deck which on top of full bolt on cost ends up racking up to $10-15K out the door. But that will only increase your output minimally.

Where as on the RC/IS/GS350's you have the pleasure of spending virtually the same or less amount on a Supercharger, headers, and an exhaust for OVER 400whp safely. Not to mention still getting better gas mileage.

Just food for thought.

-Sean

 

Plus the build quality. Although Subaru has stepped their game up in terms of interior / connectivity / etc, it just pales in comparison to what a Lexus is like inside and out.