2018 marks the 30th anniversary of Subaru’s motorsports and special performance vehicle and parts division, better known as the STI. While there will be a couple of special editions to mark the occasion, including WRX STI Type RA and BRZ tS by STI, they have also released a big album chronicling the highlights of Subaru STI during the past 30 years.
STI has been instrumental in achieving Subaru’s many motorsport trophies in rallying and later on road racing. Think of them as a special forces group within a regular brigade. They are tasked with doing the difficult task the regular forces are not fit to do. So when Subaru needs a racing engine for a rally car, it’s STI the does the job. When there has to be a special edition with exclusive looks and unique capabilities, it’s Subaru STI again. Even when they need to come up with concepts and study model, STI’s know-how becomes handy.
Among the most important achievements of STi since its inception in 1988 there are the three World Rally Championships titles they brought home, along with 47 WC wins, four class wins in Germany’s 24-Hours Nürburgring, Nürburgring lap record for sedans in 2017, and countless amazing sports sedans and coupes. If it wasn’t for STI, Subaru would have been no better, nor more renown, than their fellow Japanese company Suzuki.
Here’s the 30-year history of Subaru STI in pictures:
