Subaru Teases Long-Awaited Return Of An Iconic Performance Model (But With A Twist)

The words "Subaru," "blue," and "gold wheels" conjure a very specific image for many people: a rally sedan flying sideways through a forest. That car, the Impreza WRX STI, was more than just a car. It was a cultural icon and became something of a legend for affordable performance. Now, it looks like Subaru is ready to bring it back, but with a twist.

An Auto Express report reveals that Subaru is planning a new "halo" performance model as part of a major EV push that will see seven new electric cars launched by the end of 2028. A halo model is a high-profile car that acts as a brand's most recognizable and desirable flagship, defining the company's image even if it doesn't sell in huge volumes. The goal with it is to "reignite old passions" and inject some of that old-school sporting DNA back into the brand. This is a big change for a brand that has been focusing solely on SUVs lately. It's also a challenge.

An insider acknowledged to the outlet the difficulty in recreating the "fun factor" without the original's iconic engine noise. But they noted that amazing performance is still achievable if the primary focus isn't on maximizing range. It's a challenge they haven't entirely nailed with their recent gas-powered offerings either. The new STI-branded WRX S210, for instance, was seen by many as a disappointment.

Meanwhile, the upcoming model is not only a performance EV, but it's also slated to be an entirely in-house project. It will be developed solely by Subaru without its frequent collaborator, Toyota. It's almost as if the company understands that to truly revive the spirit of the STI, it needs to be a pure Subaru creation.

To understand why all this is such a big deal, it helps to remember why the original gasoline-powered icon disappeared. The WRX STI was discontinued back in 2021, a victim of increasingly strict emissions and fuel economy regulations. Around the same time, Subaru had also shifted its focus away from its famous factory-backed motorsports efforts. Instead, it pivoted to building SUVs.

Ironically, the very push toward electrification is what's making an STI revival possible. Subaru's European general manager, David Dello Stritto, in an interview in the same report, explained that electric powertrains are making it possible to revisit dreams of that iconic "blue car with the yellow paint on it." This isn't a new idea for the company either. In 2022, Subaru announced that its STI division would be focusing on future technologies like EVs. The company also showed off its E-RA electric concept cars at the same time.

This new performance model isn't arriving in a vacuum. It will actually be the flagship of a rapidly expanding electric lineup for the brand. Just this past July, Subaru confirmed that it would be bringing three new electric SUVs to market in 2026. This trio includes a heavily updated version of its current Solterra EV, a new flagship E-Outback, and a compact SUV called the Uncharted. The Uncharted will be available with multiple battery and motor configurations, with the top-tier dual-motor model promising a 0-62 mph time of 4.8 seconds and 292 miles of range. The larger E-Outback is even quicker, boasting a 0-62 mph sprint of just 4.4 seconds.