Subaru said a year ago that there wouldn’t be a WRX STI for the next generation since the company was focusing on electric models in the future.
With the now-standalone WRX being the brand’s only current performance vehicle in North America, it would make the most sense for either a hybridized performance WRX variation to replace the original STI or a totally electrified vehicle.
According to sources, Subaru has filed an application with Germany’s Patent and Trademark Office for the name “STe” on March 13. It is not yet known if the badge is intended for hybrid or all-electric vehicles.
Subaru’s family of boxer engines with an electric aid will only help to offer the extra power WRX enthusiasts have been longing for, we can see a hybrid STI functioning very well.
But there are rumors that the STI badge might even not be used, at least not exclusively, to describe a high-performance WRX. The name however might be applied to a performance-based variant of Subaru’s current all-electric vehicle, the Solterra.
On the other hand though, the STe moniker might take over from the legendary STI to denote a high-performance Subaru. And the fact that Subaru is building a dedicated EV factory next to its existing Oizumi plant just goes to show how serious Subaru is about its electrified future. And with that, the continuation of high-performance Subaru’s might just continue, but they may not be called STI’s anymore.
There has always been a rivalry between Subaru and Mitsubishi fans as to whether the Lancer Evo or the Impreza WRX was the better car, but sadly that battle seems to be coming to an end. With the brands going electric in the future, will the rivalry be still as heated?
