2019 Subaru WRX and WRX STI Series.Gray revealed, look a bit blue

750 will be WRX, 250 will be WRX STI
Subaru mentioned that it would make special Series.Gray versions of its WRX sports sedans, but it wasn't until now that the company showed what the special cars actually look like. The 2019 Subaru WRX Series.Gray and WRX STI Series.Gray cars are certainly less bold than some of their predecessors, such as the Series.HyperBlue models. But their Cool Gray Khaki is still a sharp color, one that actually looks a little blue in the right light. And if it looks familiar, that's because it is. The same color is available on the Crosstrek.

In addition to the gray paint, the cars come with black badges and black wheels, while the WRX STI gets silver-painted Brembo brake calipers. It's not just cosmetic additions, however. The WRX gets the optional Performance Package as standard, it loses the power sunroof, and it picks up some Jurid front brake pads. The STI gets some performance enhancement, too, in the form a sportier Bilstein suspension setup. Inside, both cars come with Ultrasuede Recaro seats, with driver power adjustment, along with adaptive LED headlights, LED foglights and keyless start. The STI gets an Ultrasuede steering wheel, too.

Complete pricing with destination charges for the WRX Series.Gray starts at $33,455 and $40,555 for the WRX STI. You'll also need to act quickly. Only 750 of the WRX and 250 of the WRX STI will be available. The cars go on sale this fall.

Japan keeps the best Type RA for itself

Subaru is releasing yet another special high performance WRX STI that's only for its home, Japan. This time it's a variant of the WRX STI Type RA called the Type RA-R. Though it looks very similar to the version we get in the U.S., it has some key differences. Instead of the 310-horsepower 2.5-liter four-cylinder in ours, the RA-R has a 324-horsepower turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder. It also produces 318 pound-feet of torque, a fair bit more than the 290 of ours.

The Type RA-R also boasts additional weight savings. The company says it's about 66 pounds lighter than the WRX STI S208, another special STI similar to our Type RA. That model was already lightened thanks to a carbon fiber roof among other additions. Interestingly, the Type RA-R doesn't appear to have the Bilstein suspension of the S208 or the U.S. Type RA. It does still have Brembo brakes front and rear, though, with six-piston calipers up front and two-piston calipers in the back.

Visually the Type RA-R looks fairly similar to its other special edition siblings. It has the extra "Cherry Blossom" red accents in the grille and the rear diffuser. It does have the option to go without the giant rear wing, though, for people who want the performance without shouting about it. The wheels are also downsized from 19 inches on the S208 and U.S.-spec Type RA to 18 inches.

Unsurprisingly, this is a very limited edition vehicle. Only 500 will be sold, just like the U.S. Type RA. That is 50 more than the S208, though. The price before taxes is, at current exchange rates, about $41,500. Interestingly, that's a lower price than the American model. Of course it doesn't really matter because, as we already said, this car is for Japan only.

There’s an all-new Subaru WRX coming our way for the 2020 model year. We’ve already had something of a preview with the Viziv Performance STI concept we saw at the beginning of this year at the Tokyo Auto Salon. That car is actually a tweaked version of the Viziv Performance concept that dropped our jaws way back in October of last year, and though it’s officially a concept car, Subaru has given us all kinds of hints that the design is a strong indication of where the next-generation rally-bred racer is headed.

We’re not content to simply wait for 2020 to get here already, so our friends at Automedia conjured up this rendering of what the next-gen WRX STI might look like. Granted there’s already plenty of detail to see on the real-life Viziv Performance STI concept, but a few notable details help bring this rendering closer to the real world. For starters, the headlights take on more of a production look, as do the side mirrors which replace ultra-thin units on the concept. The concept’s body kit is also slightly less bulky and aggressive, and of course it’s dressed in a proper shade of World Rally Blue.

The rendering gives us a taste of how the next STI might look, but what do we know about performance? Not much at this point, but Subaru has given us some unofficial teasers to ponder. For starters, the engine will likely drop in size to 2.0 liters and get electric help in a new high-performance hybrid layout. Such things might be cause for concern among STI purists, but Subaru has also told us a manual transmission will be sticking around for the rally hero, not to mention all-wheel drive.

That means the 2019 WRX STI – the sendoff model for the current generation – could be the last gasoline-only Subie to wear an STI badge. It looks fantastic, and the 310-horsepower (231-kilowatt) turbocharged boxer four-cylinder means it’s no slouch by any means. If this render is an indication of what’s to come – not to mention the prospect of considerably more power in a hybrid AWD platform – the STI’s future should be in good hands.

Subaru’s been known to roll out special editions of its WRXfrom time to time. Some never make it out of the Japanese Domestic Market, but others do.

This one, however, is limited exclusively to Canada – and it’s the first such special edition to be offered for our neighbors to the north in over 15 years.

It’s called the Raiu edition, drawing its handle not from the Street Fighter character, but from the Japanese word for “thunderstorm” (after which the fictional martial artist was presumably named as well). It’s based on the WRX sedan (in non-STI guise), and upgrades basically include trim enhancements.

For starters, it comes exclusively in Cool Grey Khaki, offset by blacked-out door mirrors, shark-fin antenna, and badging. It also gets a smattering of STI components, including ground-effect aero pieces all around and a short-throw shifter.

Based on the Sport-Tech RS trim means it packs Recaro buckets, ultrasuede upholstery, Jurid front brake pads, red-painted calipers, and a seven-inch infotainment screen and nine-speaker Harman Kardon audio system. All of which paints an overall picture rather similar to the Series.Gray editionannounced for the US market a few months ago.

The 2.0-liter turbocharged boxer four’s output remains unchanged at 268 horsepower (200 kW) and 258 lb-ft (350 Nm) of torque, driving all four wheels through a six-speed manual transmission.

Only 100 examples will be offered through Subaru Canada’s 93 dealers. Each carries a price tag of $40,995, or $43,020.50 delivered (in Canadian dollars), which works out to little over $31/33k in American greenbacks. That may seem like a steep premium over the $29,995 (CAD) sticker price on a base WRX in Canada, but works out to just $2k more than the WRX Sport-Tech RS on which it’s based.

The 2018 Subaru WRX STI Type RA is a limited-edition version of the Japanese automaker's iconic rally-derived sports coupe. Only 500 units are headed to America, and, with a price tag just shy of $50,000, every single one is likely to be scooped up by true Subaru enthusiasts. The RA moniker stands for record attempt. The STI lapped the Nürburgring in fewer than seven minutes.

The Type RA differs from the regular model in a few ways, most notably the lightweight and adjustable carbon-fiber rear wing. The car also uses carbon fiber on the roof to lower the center-of-gravity. Other changes include a 5-horsepower bump, 19-inch BBS wheels, Bilstein dampers and a few changes to interior and exterior trim. It doesn't transform so much as refine an already hot product.

Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore: Rock-solid chassis. Hair-trigger clutch. Tight chassis. Heavy steering. Black coffee. No need for solid foods. This was my lunch on a gray Thursday as I whipped up and down Woodward Avenue in the Subaru WRX STI Type RA. It's a riot. This thing sounds like a hooligan and most of the time behaves like one, too. I spent a lot of time in second and third gears with the revs around 5,000, just because. Need to slow things down? The brakes are spot-on, with quick bite and little pedal travel. The seats are supportive and nicely bolstered. It's a little harsh at lower speeds — something I noticed as I cruised through the verdant Cranbrook campus in metro Detroit.

So yeah, I like the STI. This one, done up in RA trim, is a limited-edition model with a carbon wing and roof. It's lighter and has five more horsepower. If you love the STI and the RA (for Record Attempt) has meaning to you, sure, try to get one of these unicorns. Only 500 will be made and they are not cheap — ours is 50 grand. Otherwise, just buy a regular STI. Or if it were me, a WRX. Still, I can see the allure of this rare Subaru. Parting shot: this car also reminds me how much fun sedans are.Senior Editor, Green, John Beltz Snyder: The Subaru STI is a riot to drive, and as a recently reformed WRX owner, it feels familiar every time I get in it. Such is the case with the Type RA, which I also had the pleasure of driving at the track at Thermal Club in California. It the real world, it's still fun. But overall, I'd not spend the extra money for the Type RA.

This time around, I was driving in traffic on public roads, including highway traffic jams and some long country sweepers. The weight discipline makes a palpable difference in the way this car hugs the road. The wing, not so much. Everything about this car is taut and tense, from the suspension to the clutch pedal to the short throws of the shifter and the steering. It makes it entertaining, but it's a bit of a workout. In traffic, my left leg started to cramp after working the clutch for an hour. There's a lot of noise, especially at highway speeds where the car cruises with the tach needle pointing due north. I arrived home a bit more exhausted than usual.

Manager, Production, Eddie Sabatini: This special edition Subie is a LOT of fun to drive. Rugged and powerful, I really felt like it wanted to play rough. I'm not convinced that the extra $12,000+ make the limited-production RA that much better to drive than the classic STI, but they're only making 500 of these so don't worry about having to make that decision. I like this carbon fiber wing of the RA better than the STI but the infotainment system still needs an upgrade. I was also expecting to be smacked in the face with a ton of STI and RA badging - inside and out - but the branding seemed surprisingly restrained for being the beast at the top end of the WRX spectrum.

Overall I think the look is fantastic. I tend to think that the STI is a bit too juvenile looking but I didn't find myself thinking that with the RA. Perhaps it was the gray carbon fiber roof, black mirror, and slimmer spoiler that create a more subtle profile?

The Subaru WRX STI is already fast, but the new limited Subaru WRX STI Diamond Edition is even faster, developed by the automaker’s South Africa team to boast almost 50 more horsepower than the car we get in America.

The 2018 Diamond Edition is limited to just 30 cars for sale to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the company behind the STI moniker, Subaru Technica International.

It’s meant to be the diamond of the global WRX lineup, with 349 horsepower and 342 lb-ft or torque, compared to the American STI’s 310 hp and 290 lb-ft. Beyond just being the most powerful STI available to the public, the Diamond Edition also gets upgraded Brembo brakes and some nice neon yellow-green accent pieces along the lower bumpers and rocker panels.

Otherwise it just looks like any other STI, but I’m sure it goes like no other. It’d be nice if Subaru of America made it a challenge and showed up with something better.