STi first impressions
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STi first impressions
hey all, i just spent 30 good minutes with the STi at the Atlanta auto show. it was every bit as cool as it appears in the pictures. a couple of first impressions:
this car is not for the shy driver...the hood scoop is large (and i mean LARGE). it was sitting next to the rally car and there was a standard rex nearby...the scoop on the STi dwarfed them both. also, the wing looks even bigger in person than it does in the pictures. its a little different than the rally one, which has the top level sloped slightly (the STi's top shelf is nearly horizontal). and the pink STI lettering on the fog light covers and rear badging really stand out, more so than in the pictures. the repr. spouted off the same rhetoric, namely "low to mid 30's", "comes wired for speakers", and "0-60 in 4 and a half seconds." we weren't able to sit in the car (roped off), but from what i could see (the driver's side door was open) the seats and dash look great and the blue and black interior wasn't too gaudy. the car was the rally blue one with gold wheels, so the interior may come off different if you have a white car with gold wheels and then a black and blue interior. i asked about being able to swap out or replace the wing and the repr. said that there were no plans in place at this time to do that through subaru. also, the guy said that the intercooler bottle in the trunk takes regular water...doesn't need de-mineralized or an anti-freeze mix. when i asked about it freezing he seemed sort of confused...maybe they figure you shouldn't be running the car hard during the first 10-15 minutes after startup anyway, so any freezing that occurs in the line will be thawed by the time you need the extra juice. overall, the fit and finish and engine (omfg, that thing looked sweet) were very impressive, the styling is just a little more audacious/boy racer than i gleened from the many pitcures i have seen on these boards. i am #1 on the list at 2 dealerships in SC and am about 90% certain that i'll be riding away in one this june (he said the first release will be late may to early june, 300 cars a month initially), but the styling left me a little unsure of the STi as a practical buy for the mature car owner. the rx-8 (very nice by the way, a lot smaller/nimbler looking in person) and evolution were both there too, so i spent a little time saying hello to them before heading off to check out the lexus is300 and audi's to appease my girlfriend. hope these insights are helpful. if you've seen the STi too, please share your comments/opinions...
this car is not for the shy driver...the hood scoop is large (and i mean LARGE). it was sitting next to the rally car and there was a standard rex nearby...the scoop on the STi dwarfed them both. also, the wing looks even bigger in person than it does in the pictures. its a little different than the rally one, which has the top level sloped slightly (the STi's top shelf is nearly horizontal). and the pink STI lettering on the fog light covers and rear badging really stand out, more so than in the pictures. the repr. spouted off the same rhetoric, namely "low to mid 30's", "comes wired for speakers", and "0-60 in 4 and a half seconds." we weren't able to sit in the car (roped off), but from what i could see (the driver's side door was open) the seats and dash look great and the blue and black interior wasn't too gaudy. the car was the rally blue one with gold wheels, so the interior may come off different if you have a white car with gold wheels and then a black and blue interior. i asked about being able to swap out or replace the wing and the repr. said that there were no plans in place at this time to do that through subaru. also, the guy said that the intercooler bottle in the trunk takes regular water...doesn't need de-mineralized or an anti-freeze mix. when i asked about it freezing he seemed sort of confused...maybe they figure you shouldn't be running the car hard during the first 10-15 minutes after startup anyway, so any freezing that occurs in the line will be thawed by the time you need the extra juice. overall, the fit and finish and engine (omfg, that thing looked sweet) were very impressive, the styling is just a little more audacious/boy racer than i gleened from the many pitcures i have seen on these boards. i am #1 on the list at 2 dealerships in SC and am about 90% certain that i'll be riding away in one this june (he said the first release will be late may to early june, 300 cars a month initially), but the styling left me a little unsure of the STi as a practical buy for the mature car owner. the rx-8 (very nice by the way, a lot smaller/nimbler looking in person) and evolution were both there too, so i spent a little time saying hello to them before heading off to check out the lexus is300 and audi's to appease my girlfriend. hope these insights are helpful. if you've seen the STi too, please share your comments/opinions...
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i thought the RX 8 X men pack looked pretty good
better than stock
but still uglier than the STi
i agree the exterior of the STi isn't artistic
thats why i might get a white one.
cuz the white kinda hides teh ugliness..
lol..
anyway.
STi ... here i come
better than stock
but still uglier than the STi
i agree the exterior of the STi isn't artistic
thats why i might get a white one.
cuz the white kinda hides teh ugliness..
lol..
anyway.
STi ... here i come
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 24
From: Central PA
Car Info: Silver/Silver
I too have one on order, and like some of you, am a little concern with the over-the-top, busy appearance of the STi. I know that "style" and "looks" are very subjective, but few will argue that a E46 M3 is hands down beautiful.
Why can't the Subaru designers make the STi look more tasteful? I don't care if it looks boy racer-like. As long as it looks good. I know the die-hard fans will jump all over me, but you have to admit that it doesn't look universally good. And it's not a German vs. Japanese rant. Infinty, Nissan, and Lexus have been kicking *** lately designing great looking cars.
I have no idea what planet the Subaru designers come from. They have great engineers, but horrible designers. Attention Subaru designers, there is this thing call an eraser. Feel free to use it sometimes. I mean how may different lines and odd shapes can a car body take.
Subaru has traditionally been viewed (here in the US) as a practical, value for the money brand. If Subaru wants to compete in the high performance arena, they better start paying attention to aesthetics. The Europeans get it. Chevy figured it out with the Vette and Dodge with the viper. Ford after many painful years has finally pulled it off with the upcoming Mustang design.
Why can't the Subaru designers make the STi look more tasteful? I don't care if it looks boy racer-like. As long as it looks good. I know the die-hard fans will jump all over me, but you have to admit that it doesn't look universally good. And it's not a German vs. Japanese rant. Infinty, Nissan, and Lexus have been kicking *** lately designing great looking cars.
I have no idea what planet the Subaru designers come from. They have great engineers, but horrible designers. Attention Subaru designers, there is this thing call an eraser. Feel free to use it sometimes. I mean how may different lines and odd shapes can a car body take.
Subaru has traditionally been viewed (here in the US) as a practical, value for the money brand. If Subaru wants to compete in the high performance arena, they better start paying attention to aesthetics. The Europeans get it. Chevy figured it out with the Vette and Dodge with the viper. Ford after many painful years has finally pulled it off with the upcoming Mustang design.
Last edited by agent2.8; Mar 15, 2003 at 09:24 PM.
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Originally posted by agent2.8
Chevy figured it out with the Vette and Dodge with the viper. Ford after many painful years has finally pulled it off with the upcoming Mustang design.
Chevy figured it out with the Vette and Dodge with the viper. Ford after many painful years has finally pulled it off with the upcoming Mustang design.
Other well engineered semi-American cars include the Focus SVT and the GT40. Both these cars however, were engineered by an international team of ford engineers.
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Originally posted by agent2.8
I too have one on order, and like some of you, am a little concern with the over-the-top, busy appearance of the STi. I know that "style" and "looks" are very subjective, but few will argue that a E46 M3 is hands down beautiful.
Why can't the Subaru designers make the STi look more tasteful? I don't care if it looks boy racer-like. As long as it looks good. I know the die-hard fans will jump all over me, but you have to admit that it doesn't look universally good. And it's not a German vs. Japanese rant. Infinty, Nissan, and Lexus have been kicking *** lately designing great looking cars.
I too have one on order, and like some of you, am a little concern with the over-the-top, busy appearance of the STi. I know that "style" and "looks" are very subjective, but few will argue that a E46 M3 is hands down beautiful.
Why can't the Subaru designers make the STi look more tasteful? I don't care if it looks boy racer-like. As long as it looks good. I know the die-hard fans will jump all over me, but you have to admit that it doesn't look universally good. And it's not a German vs. Japanese rant. Infinty, Nissan, and Lexus have been kicking *** lately designing great looking cars.
-shahul x
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See the debates about what cars people are thinking about getting other than the STi. Notice what some of the main points are;
Every car that looks better and has the same or better performance/handling characteristics cost substantially more
If the car looks better but costs the same then it has lower performance/handling characteristics.
So yeah I bet subaru could have made a much better looking car but then they would have been announcing a high 40k figure instead.
Every car that looks better and has the same or better performance/handling characteristics cost substantially more
If the car looks better but costs the same then it has lower performance/handling characteristics.
So yeah I bet subaru could have made a much better looking car but then they would have been announcing a high 40k figure instead.
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 24
From: Central PA
Car Info: Silver/Silver
Originally posted by RichiQY
new BMW 7 , 6, new 5, Z 4 are all ugly as hell
i wonder who s designing for BMW.
my STi will look better than a 745I anyday
new BMW 7 , 6, new 5, Z 4 are all ugly as hell
i wonder who s designing for BMW.
my STi will look better than a 745I anyday
Then again, BWM have been nailing it with the 3, 5, 7 and their M lines for many years. The E46 M3 was super hot when it first came out. And still commands a premium price today even with the engine failures. I don't see too many discounts on the 7 either, even with the ugly *** and confusing idrive. In short, BMW will survive, and well.
On the other hand. 02 WRXs are going 0% and starting to back up on the lots.
Subaru just needs to make ONE car great. Hey, history has proven that automakers can deliver both looks and performance. For Subaru, if they are able to deliver performance, value, and looks in a world class package. They will own the world.
My 1¢
Last edited by agent2.8; Mar 16, 2003 at 09:21 AM.
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