Up close with WRX STi

4

4AU4LIFE

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Friend brought over his new WRX today and took me for a ride. It has some pretty neat little features on it. Like a dial on the dash to adjust headlight angle, button for spraying water on intercooler, another button on the insturment cluster that allows you to adjust where you want the rev limiter to engage. Pretty trick I thought.
He then took me for a spin around the block. I must admit to be somewhat dissappointed. I have heard such great things about this car and after that I was left wanting more.
The car is supposed to have 300hp 300 lb tq but it sure didn't feel like it. My measley little 240-250 hp seems to feel a lot stronger than his car.
Maybe just me being a little biased too.
 
I think you were just use to how fast your car was, when you had the bbsc. ;) :D :eek: :p JK buddy.
 
You have to remember that you get a lot of performance for the price. I'm not a big fan of the WRX, and wasn't real impressed with the performance on a test drive (a lot of body roll, for example), but in the right hands, it can do some amazing things. I'm sure the 4WD comes in real handy when stretching the car to its limits.

I have a buddy that races a Subaru-sponsored WRX semi-professionally. He started with a bone-stock WRX, and started making modifications as budget allowed. He was immediately competitive, and is now routinely winning races. They are constantly adding weight to his car, to keep the races even.

Granted, he's made quite a few modifications over the years, but my point is that the car starts out with a strong package for track racing, right out of the box.
 
Sti break-in period

The Sti has a recommended 4K rpm/1000mi break-in. Your friend probably wasn't able to get on it yet. Tell him to come back when it's over. The dealer is supposed to set the rev limiter or warning buzzer to 4K to help ensure a gentle break-in, then bump it up when it's over.
 
The STi and the EVO VIII will spank your car, and also should "feel" very quick. I believe it is the break-in issue here as well. These cars stock will run a 13 flat in the 1/4. Add a $300 SAFC and a $79 Turbo XS man. boost controller and you have low 12 flat easy. These 2 cars are outstanding in their own niche, while the NSX is its as well.

Anyone older than their 40's will laugh at the comparison of which is the ultimate car aka supercar aka exotic. You will say NSX hands down. People under their 40's on the other hand know the domination in WRC, OPTIONS top speed runs, time trials, drifting etc, and won't even give the NSX sighting next to one of these its justice. The NSX is lame compared to these two in 2004 type performance events.

I sure hope the new HSC will kick its image back to the way the NSX once had in the early 90's.

Don't flame me, I do own an NSX, and it has great potential, but the EVO and STi have more. I just like driving a rare car!
 
The STi and the EVO VIII will spank your car
Click to expand...
Where did I say that it wouldn't?
The Sti has a recommended 4K rpm/1000mi break-in. Your friend probably wasn't able to get on it yet
Click to expand...
Actually I should've clarified that it was 'new' to him but a used car already. When we went out he ran it up to 7k but it didn't feel like it was pulling very hard.
 
There is something odd about these cars that makes them 'feel' slow, and I can't really put my finger on it either.

I have been a passenger and driven the STi, and there was no 'break in' kid gloving going on, it just didn't have that feel of a fast/powerful car. Perhaps it is the ride position, perhaps it's the viewing angle out the front window, the body roll, something.

I wanted to be impressed, and just wasn't. And I am also not the type to go to my grave claiming the NSX is the fastest car around...heh. This was also before I got my E55, which actually delivers on the goods of treating the driver and passengers to quite a display of power and quickness.

Maybe those out there that know cars better than I do can explain the phenomenon here of the WRX feeling weak. Is it the AWD maybe? Dunno, it just didn't feel like the wild ride I was hoping for.

JS
 
Jonathan - have you adjusted to the strange brake feel on your E55? My friend sold his after 3k miles because he said it felt disconnected and way too torquey all the time...he said he had a hard time pulling into a parking place nice and easy between the engine jumping and the brakes feeling flaky.

I sure like the way they look, but have read a lot of less-than-stellar reports about the overall driving feel.
 
One of the tuner mags just had a write up on these 2 cars. The STI dynoed at 238 hp to the wheels and the Evo did 232. Which is right in line with what the NSX numbers are. Plus the NSX is alot lighter. Granted it takes less $$$ to make the turbo cars go faster, but stock vs stock on the street and they are very evenly matched.
 
Jonathan said:
There is something odd about these cars that makes them 'feel' slow, and I can't really put my finger on it either.
Click to expand...

probably it's the seating position. The closest one seats to the ground, the higher the feel of speed.
 
The STI dynoed at 238 hp to the wheels and the Evo did 232.
Click to expand...
Really? I thought the STi was supposedly putting 300hp. But then that could be at the crank also.:confused:
probably it's the seating position. The closest one seats to the ground, the higher the feel of speed
Click to expand...
That very well could be it. The STi definitely sat a lot higher than my car does.
 
LeftLane said:
Jonathan - have you adjusted to the strange brake feel on your E55? My friend sold his after 3k miles because he said it felt disconnected and way too torquey all the time...he said he had a hard time pulling into a parking place nice and easy between the engine jumping and the brakes feeling flaky.

I sure like the way they look, but have read a lot of less-than-stellar reports about the overall driving feel.
Click to expand...

I haven't had any problems like that. Perhaps a change from 2003 to 2004? The only complaint I have with the E55 is the relatively crappy FM reception :D

As far as the STi, the AWD loss and the ride position may be what does it. Perhaps a tuned car would be better, but stock it 'felt' like a lot less car than I expected it would.
 
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Stock to stock, if the NSX driver can launch properly, with no wheels spin (WRX and EVO are all wheels drive.) Those cars will be toasted down at the 1/4th. I have seen it done by a friend's NSX and Supra that wore drag radials (no wheels spin.) I, myself, personally looking forward to a rolling race with those suckers.
 
Maybe those out there that know cars better than I do can explain the phenomenon here of the WRX feeling weak. Is it the AWD maybe? Dunno, it just didn't feel like the wild ride I was hoping for.
Click to expand...

It's the main difference between the new age turbo and normal aspirated car. I would say, real Performance aside, the feeling of a fast car really depends on the torque curve... I heard that the STi does have a pretty good and flat curve, if you look at the speed itself, it should produce some good power. It should also give you a pretty good accelaration down at lower rpm.

the nsx that we all familiar with is different, the car have just enought torque down at lower rpm, but as the rpm goes up it climbed faster and the accelerated faster to red line...

As you freind shifted at red line, since you accustomed the bigger torque (compare to lower rpm.) in the nsx, the STi would give you a feeling of not much acceleration... thus you feel weak. Try have your freind put in 2nd gear and start really steppin on it as the turbo start boasting up, you would never experienced that in any NA nsx
 
The car is supposed to have 300hp 300 lb tq but it sure didn't feel like it. My measley little 240-250 hp seems to feel a lot stronger than his car.

Time for a bit of clarification to put things into perspective. The STI's power figure is flywheel and your numbers are rearwheel. If you compare the two cars by the same measuring parameter - both refer to FWHP or both refer to RWHP - the two cars are about 5 HP apart. That is less than 2% difference, so you making the statement that the two cars felt about the same is logical.

In the hands a good driver (in a track environment) either car has the ability to outperform the other. I’ve seen it firsthand.
 
I love the EVO 8 and the STI. Between having a turbo and AWD... I am sold. But these cars are completely different beasts than an NSX. First off they are four door sedans... not a 2 dr exotic(NSX). Not a fair comparison... completely different markets. Not to mention they have at least a 400-500 lb weight disadvantage. I love my NSX, but hope to own either a STI or an EVO in the future as my family car:)
 

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