I do understand what you miss as far as the grunt. I drove a stage 2 LS1 z28 (400 rwhp) before purchasing an 02 WRX.

But now that I have been driving an awd car for the last 3 years, I will never go back. I just love the traction off the line and the added security of driving in bad weather. My high horse power rear driver was dangerous in anything other than perfect road conditions. It was also very unpredictable when racing from a dead stop.
In my modded WRX, I beat every Z06 Vette I ever raced on the street (from a dig off course). Thats something I love about awd. Your ready to race at any stoplight. But you definately pay for it with top end speed. It will never have the top end speed of a modded Z06 Vette or Modded Cobra. But they will never have the awd capabilities of an STi.

So its basically what your looking for.

Too bad you can't wait a while for some decent mods to come out for the STi. It shouldn't be long now.
I had to wait a long time for some decent mods to come out for the LS1. When I first got my LS1 in1998, there wasn't anything available. It took at least a year before the aftermarket had any mods at all for the LS1. Thats what happens with new engines.