Project Subaru STi
By Aaron Guardado
Photos by Mike Kojima
Subaru WRX STi or the Mitsubishi Lancer EVO. Many believe that the battle for the superior of the two in the sport compact car market. Both cars are suitable weapons in battle. Both cars have similar performance capabilities. Both cars turn nearly equal times around a racetrack. But between the two cars the similarities in handling and performance differ greatly.
The EVO is built like a scalpel. The steering is precise and quick, making it feel a little darty at times. The EVO is very easy to drive fast, but it tends to understeer. Under throttle the front wheels tighten up and the car finds its line. The car maintains control when lifting throttle in a turn, this helps the car find its line also. With an average skilled driver, it will smoothly transitions to oversteer. This car is easy to drive and maintain under all situations. An easy way of describing this car is that if you are coming in a little too hot into a turn, the car will give input in order to keep the car on track. That’s a benefit when YOUR car will help YOU out in a hairy situation.
The engine is considerably pipey, feeling like the turbocharged small displacement engine that it is. A plus, the turbo is remarkably lagged free. The stock engine brings a great amount of power to the table. It is also a highly developed engine with a long history of achievements in the world of Motorsports from Import Drag racing to WRC rally. With this being said the Evolution has a wide variety of aftermarket parts available for tuners and enthusiasts.
The big Brembo brakes are a good compliment to the EVOs power plant, the pedal is always firm and the stopping is fade free. Under racing conditions the pads could be upgraded to account for any fade.
Although this all sounds like an EVO blowjob, it isn't. The target car of these articles isn't the EVO; it's about its archenemy the Subaru WRX STi. The way to win a battle is to learn all about your enemy and we were doing just that with the above description of the EVO. The STi is about as opposite to the EVO as can be. If the EVO is a scalpel, the STi is a sledgehammer. Both are powerful weapons that are used in any arena for battle, just the approach taken to perform is different.
