Subaru Cosworth Impreza: final details

The Subaru Cosworth Impreza STI CS400 will go on sale in July and be available in the UK only – for almost £50,000.

The Cosworth Impreza STI CS400 gets a host of Cosworth-engineered upgrades, which centre on the engine, exhaust, suspension, brakes and wheels, but also extend to the car’ styling.

Cosworth-tuned engine
The 2.5-litre engine now develops 395bhp – almost 100bhp more than the standard STI’s – and the car will blast from 0-62mph in 3.7 seconds. That's quicker than our 2010 Performance Car of the Year, the Audi R8 V10.

According to Subaru, the engine will not only give more pull at high revs, it will also be more flexible in everyday driving, while also making the car much quicker around a race track.

It drives the car through a six-speed manual gearbox – improved to give quicker gearchanges – while the four-wheel-drive system is electronically controlled to ensure maximum traction at all times.

To cope with the extra performance, Cosworth has fine-tuned the Impreza STI’s suspension, reducing the ride height of the car by 10mm at the front and fitting unique springs and shock absorbers. The front brakes, too, have been upgraded, resulting in a car that the makers say is easier to live with day-to-day, rolls less in corners and behaves in a more composed way when pushed to its limits.

Styling
Finishing off the changes is a new look for the car. The lower ride height and new wheels and tyres give the Cosworth Impreza a more aggressive look than the standard STI, while the front bumper, foglights, mesh grilles and rear spoiler are all new.

Inside, there are individually numbered plates in the door sills, while the seats and steering wheel are re-trimmed in Cosworth-branded black leather, the centre console is finished in black, and the side windows are tinted.

In common with the regular WRX STI models, standard equipment on this new model includes sat-nav, six airbags and four electric windows, while the car is also covered by Subaru’s full warranty and recovery package.

Production of the Cosworth Impreza STI CS400 is limited to just 75 units, and prices start at £49,995.

Get interactive with whatcar.com...