What is it?
Subaru Forester Sports 2.5 XT Concept
What's special about it?
The award for the longest, most awkward concept car name in history goes to Subaru with its rollout of the Subaru Forester Sports 2.5 XT concept (whew!). Based on the — brace yourself, here it comes again — Forester Sports 2.5 XT, also introduced at SEMA, the concept car adds hot rod parts from the company's STI and SPT divisions to beef up the Forester's performance even further.
By eliminating its roof rail crossbars and adding a new front bumper, grille and 17-inch wheels, some of the Forester's more frumpy design elements have been slimmed down on the standard Forester Sports 2.5 XT.
The concept car takes things a bit further and looks undeniably like the Forester STI sold in Japan and Europe. Outside, the concept is visibly lower and has larger 18-inch gold wheels and tires from STI. Huge gold Brembo calipers from the WRX STI are visible through the wheels and there's a lower lip spoiler on the front fascia.
Under the hood the Forester XT's 224-horsepower 2.5-liter turbocharged flat-4 gets an STI intercooler, SPT intake and SPT exhaust. Subaru made no power claims for the upgrades on the Forester concept but did say those parts are good for an additional 30 hp on the more powerful WRX STI. The XT is of course all-wheel drive, and a beefier R180 rear differential is in place to handle the added power.
Suspension upgrades are substantial: STI coil-overs, antiroll bars, end links and forged aluminum front lower control arms up the Forester's game.
What's Edmunds' take?
Subaru's product public relations manager, Dominick Infante, told us there are no plans to bring the Forester STI to the States. That's the same story we heard for years about the WRX before Subaru sold 23,000 of them in 2002. It's a shame because the Forester STI looks like a fun car. And it's a hell of a lot easier to say than Forester Sports 2.5 XT concept. — Josh Jacquot
Subaru Forester Sports 2.5 XT Concept
What's special about it?
The award for the longest, most awkward concept car name in history goes to Subaru with its rollout of the Subaru Forester Sports 2.5 XT concept (whew!). Based on the — brace yourself, here it comes again — Forester Sports 2.5 XT, also introduced at SEMA, the concept car adds hot rod parts from the company's STI and SPT divisions to beef up the Forester's performance even further.
By eliminating its roof rail crossbars and adding a new front bumper, grille and 17-inch wheels, some of the Forester's more frumpy design elements have been slimmed down on the standard Forester Sports 2.5 XT.
The concept car takes things a bit further and looks undeniably like the Forester STI sold in Japan and Europe. Outside, the concept is visibly lower and has larger 18-inch gold wheels and tires from STI. Huge gold Brembo calipers from the WRX STI are visible through the wheels and there's a lower lip spoiler on the front fascia.
Under the hood the Forester XT's 224-horsepower 2.5-liter turbocharged flat-4 gets an STI intercooler, SPT intake and SPT exhaust. Subaru made no power claims for the upgrades on the Forester concept but did say those parts are good for an additional 30 hp on the more powerful WRX STI. The XT is of course all-wheel drive, and a beefier R180 rear differential is in place to handle the added power.
Suspension upgrades are substantial: STI coil-overs, antiroll bars, end links and forged aluminum front lower control arms up the Forester's game.
What's Edmunds' take?
Subaru's product public relations manager, Dominick Infante, told us there are no plans to bring the Forester STI to the States. That's the same story we heard for years about the WRX before Subaru sold 23,000 of them in 2002. It's a shame because the Forester STI looks like a fun car. And it's a hell of a lot easier to say than Forester Sports 2.5 XT concept. — Josh Jacquot
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