I found this over on clubwrx.net...is this old news, as I'm always the last to know anything???

 

Probably a misprint.

 

There has been a rumor floating around for a while, but I always thought it was just hopes and wishes.

But, all comments aside about 2.0l regulations in WRC, I think its the right step for Subaru.

 

JDM WRXs would almost certainly remain 2.0 liters because of displacement taxes, regardless of what the rest of the world gets. I'd be surprised if they went to the EJ257 block for the WRX though, after the whole big deal about EJ207s being in WRX and people with $20,000 Subarus smoking people with $30,000 Subarus at stoplights in the V4-6 era.

 

On guy in the other thread made the point that they would more than likely only run about 275hp so as not to show up the 300hp STi's. But I don't see what the difference would really be. Just reflash and tune and it should be the same right???

 

They'd also have to upgrade the transmission, since the 5-speed is pretty much maxed out now. It probably would keep costs down if they could make all the US Subaru engines 2.5 liters and build them all on the same assembly line in Indiana.

 

i think it would make sense for SOA to put the same engine / turbo setup as the forester and legacy into the wrx. several reasons stand out actually.

1. the ej205 is the oddball engine, it's only used in the WRX. getting rid of it reduces the number of unique spare parts that need to manufactured and stocked.

2. from a marketing standpoint, it's not really a good thing that the WRX (once SOA's "image car") can now be out-gunned by a legacy or forester turbo.

3. IIRC, the STi with it's 2.5l has cleaner cold start emissions which is why it doesn't have an up-pipe cat.

4. it seems to be the trend with automakers that with every major styling change or re-design, the engine is up-rated and the price increased.

 

All good points RussB and also the fact about the 6-speed tranny in the STi.

So do you guys think they will bump up the up on the STi?

 

If they bump up the WRX to 2.5, they will need to do something to differentiate the STi. I would assume that the WRX will keep a 5spd (updated, most likely) and that the STi will get the 6spd. Then, the STi could get a 25hp bump.

Of course, thats all just supposition.

 

Well, this isn't really true. In the U.S. the 2.0 liter is unusual. But in Japan, the WRX engine is available in most models. IIRC the WRX is the only Subaru sold in the U.S. that's built in Japan. Even the 2.5RS is made in the U.S. But it would probably be cheaper to build a 2.5 liter WRX in the U.S.

 

I think he was talking about the U.S model.
Although it would be nice, we don't really get jdm models here.

 

I was referring to USDM cars only. i wish we got some of the cool stuff they get in japan.

 

Yeah, the point is that Subaru isn't going to stop making the 2.0 just because it isn't sold in the U.S. I'm sure they'll continue to sell it in Japan and Europe. So it wouldn't reduce the number (by much) of spare parts they manufacture for the EJ20.

 

it kind of makes sense if you think about it, the evolution of the product line, the future wrx will rise to the current performance level of the current sti, and the future sti will raise the bar