It's often said that the EVO will turn a novice driver into a pro behind the wheel. This is largely thanks to the car's Super All Wheel Control (S-AWC) system that reads information supplied by on-board accelerometers, throttle-position and ABS sensors, and electronically engages differentials to deliver the best possible traction under any circumstance. It's been a hit since the EVO IV and the current system has been in play since the EVO VIII. "It wasn't as good with the VIII's open diff," comments Elliott, "but on the IX and X it's often called the 'magic diff'." The STI doesn't have this reputation.
No holds barred, the stacks are just about equal. In Second Place of SLB's all-time fastest list is the Cusco/Tomei/Voltex/Team Tarzan '07 Impreza WRX, less than a second off the HKS time. In Fourth is another first-year competition car: Crawford's '08 STI, and it's currently ahead of AMS' EVO X in SLB rankings and within just two seconds of HKS. And let's not forget Atlanta's Top Speed GC8 that owns Southeastern time-attack record books, or the U.K.'s Zen Performance or Roger Clark Motorsports Imprezas that consistently beat out FD-, Elise-, and EVO-badged competitors. "The low-profile design of Subaru's flat-four gives the cars a better weight distribution than the EVO," states Yim, "Sometimes I think the reason STIs aren't winning as much is just because there are less of them out there."
The STI/EVO racing rivalry that led to the potent streetcars we enjoy today is very much a double-edged sword; competition to build a faster homologated racecar also means competition to "grow" a brand into a more viable showroom car, which usually means (in the case of the Galant/Legacy) one that's larger, more comfortable, and less of a performer. Could this already be happening with the STI and EVO? "Both cars are larger and 'fatter' in their newer generations, but the chasses are more rigid, and they still make the power they always did, explains Yim, "Still, a lot of racers prefer the older cars." Ryan Gates isn't one of them: "I sold my EVO IX to buy a X, and can honestly say the X is better in every way," he testifies. Subaru's newly released '10 STI SE brings further performance enhancements to the showroom (sway bars, springs and suspension bushings from the JDM STI Spec C; reduced weight; etc.), but the EVO has apparently stopped evolving; the X brings no major performance changes for '10, in what should be its first year as an EVO XI. The rumors we hear include direct-injection or diesel 4B11 variants, or Ralliart Sportbacks-both seemingly geared more toward fuel economy and utility than performance. Now that both manufacturers have pulled out of the WRC, will more comfortable interiors, better fuel economy, decreased NVH, and greater storage capacity see the same heated competition once fought over acceleration, braking and handling improvements? "The Impreza engine is ready to be replaced," explains Leung, of Subaru's venerable EJ-series engine which comes of drinking age this year, "and it seems like everyone is moving more toward fuel economy than performance. Still, we never got the good version-the JDM EJ207-so I can't imagine a new engine being anything but better."
No matter the fate each car's manufacturer has in store for it, competition among tuners and enthusiasts like Paul and Elliott will keep performance evolving. Twenty-one years after the introduction of the first-gen Eclipse, turbo/AWD DSMs continue to upset their competitors on the time-attack circuit, and push further into the 7s down the 1320 in near-street trim. And if long-held records set by performance giants like the GT-R, NSX and Fairlady being taken out so easily by EVOs and STIs tells us anything, it's that the future is bright for both cars. "I originally bought my STI to be a 300whp daily driver while I raced the EVO," says Yim with a laugh, "But after we got past the small hurdles, I liked it so much I sold the EVO. I probably won't stop until it's running in the Unlimited class." Elliott's view is different. "My EVO is done. I'm going to take it to the track more, run under two minutes at next year's Super Lap Battle, and just enjoy it. It's faster than most cars on the street and as long as it stays that way, that's good enough for me."
By Luke Munnell
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