Subaru Exec Drops Big Hint About STI Future

Subaru’s iconic STI performance brand may still have a future after all. A senior executive from the company’s Australian division has hinted that Subaru Tecnica International, better known as STI, continues to have activity happening behind the scenes despite the absence of a traditional WRX STI in recent years.

The comments came from Subaru Australia general manager Scott Lawrence, who suggested that the performance arm is still very much alive. According to him, Subaru has been paying close attention to how enthusiasts have reacted to recent STI concepts showcased at international events.

Subaru Says STI Is “Not Dead”

Lawrence explained that the pace of news and activity around STI has started to increase. Subaru has recently presented several concept models carrying the STI badge, signalling that development work is ongoing within the performance division.

Concepts such as the Performance-E STI and Performance-B STI were showcased at the Japan Mobility Show, giving enthusiasts a glimpse of what future high-performance Subaru models could look like.

Could The Next STI Be Electric?

While Subaru has not confirmed a new production WRX STI, there is growing speculation that the next generation of STI performance cars could adopt electrified or fully electric powertrains.

The brand already offers the Solterra electric SUV, demonstrating Subaru’s move into the EV space. With multi-motor all-wheel-drive systems becoming more common in electric vehicles, Subaru could potentially develop a high-performance electric STI model in the future.

For now, Subaru has not announced any concrete plans, but the latest comments suggest the STI performance brand is far from finished.