Mention the word EJ20 to Subaru enthusiasts and
you’ll be met by more than a twinkle in their eyes. The turbocharged version of
the 2.0 litre flat-four engine, which debuted in the Legacy in 1989, has been
an inseparable part of Subaru’s history – it powered the iconic WRX STI rally
refugee and helped the Pleiades brand secure numerous teams’ and drivers’ World
Rally Championships in the 1990s and 2000s.
So revered was the engine that even after the WRX
STI moved to the larger 2.5 litre EJ25 in export markets, the company
persevered by keeping the EJ20 in its domestic market of Japan, continuing to
finesse the mill to churn out ever higher power outputs over the years. But all
good things come to an end, and the company is discontinuing the engine by the
end of 2019.
To celebrate the life and times of the boxer, Subaru
is introducing a runout special exclusive for the Japanese market, called the
WRX STI EJ20 Final Edition. Set to be shown in prototype form at the upcoming
Tokyo Motor Show (alongside the Levorg Prototype), it will be open for orders
on October 23, with just 555 units – a nod to its main sponsor during its WRC
heydays – to be offered for sale through a lottery method.
While details are light, the car will clearly come
with a number of tasty commemorative goodies, including the trademark gold
finish for the 19-inch BBS alloy wheels, pink highlights on the grille and
vents aft of the rear wheels – the latter have been seen on numerous
high-performance specials since the S207.
Subaru says the Final Edition will get a “balanced”
version of the EJ20, which should mean it has the same uprated engine as the
S208 and RA-R. In these models, it makes 329 PS at 7,200 rpm and 432 Nm of
torque from 3,200 to 4,800 rpm. More details will be released when the car is
revealed in full at the show. Of course, the engine’s discontinuation only affects the Japanese
market, and export markets will continue selling the current WRX STI – at
least, until the next-generation model rolls along.
