This is a collective answer to several issues I've read in this thread:

Why would one dismiss the STi so easily without actually driving it? I agree that stock for stock, the Evo VII is a quicker car overall; less turbo lag, better handling. However, the STi isn't THAT far behind.

I guess the more presumptous (and preposturous) remark is "no matter how much is put in the car, even $250,000 worth, the STi can't better the Evo". If you put $250,000 worth of mod, wouldn't that make the car the current WRC car? Currently the Subaru WRC is doing better than the Evo WRC.

I also agree that Mitsubishi doesn't have the best drivers. However, we don't know how much is due to the car, and how much is due to the drivers. I'm more leaning towards the car factor. Why? Last year Tommi Makkinen took wheels of the Evo WRC, struggling all the way. This year he takes helms of the Subaru WRC and doing so-so OK (better than last year's stint). Yes I do remember that Evo VII WRC was introduced mid-season, and he wasn't doing too well at all with the new car.

Furthermore, if drivers are at fault, how many of you seriously believe that if Gronholm and Burns were Mitsu's numbers 1 and 2 drivers, then Mitsubishi would've been top now? I doubt it. Maybe they can improve the current standings, but not by much. McRae and Delecour are anxiously waiting for a new revision to their current Evo WRC (no, not the Evo VIII; last I heard/read it'll be just a major revision to the current car). Oh BTW Mitsu lists Delecour as their number 1 driver, not McRae.

OK enough of WRC talk. I NEVER believe WRC success = superb road car, but someone mentioned WRC so I couldn't resist to comment.

Has any of you heard about the new Impreza WRX STi Type RA Spec C? This latest lightweight model from Subaru is SUPPOSEDLY consistently faster than the Evo VII RS. Best Motoring Video conducted the tests. I haven't seen the video myself, but those who have described it as above. The official Best Motoring Video website has a preview of the video, unfortunately I've lost the URL. From the short RAM file, I did see the Spec C led everyone else in a couple slalom tests and straight-line acceleration.

Someone mentioned comparing STi to Ralliart. I don't think that's fair. I understand the methodology behind it; compare factory-made to factory-made, speciality-made to speciality-made. Hence compare WRX vs. Evo VII GSR, compare STi vs. Ralliart (???!!!?)

The above comparison isn't fair. I think cost and power/weight are crucial factors in comparing cars. <all prices are approximate prices in Japan> Comparing a US$21,000 220PS WRX to a US$30,000 280PS Evo GSR is silly. It's fine if you're a die-hard Mitsu fan and you want to see that Evo spank the WRX, but if you're a consumer who wants to make a buying decision, that isn't the best comparison at all! A US$30,000 Evo should be directly compared to the US$30,000 STi. So what can the 340BHP Ralliart model be compared to? I introduce the APS Super Sprint Spec STi:

http://www.airpowersystems.com.au/wr...rint_spec.html

STi is also supposedly working on a special unit 320PS model, based on the Spec C.

Anti-roll bar and strut brace in the rear I heard are good fixes to STi's understeer. Turbo lag is harder to get rid of; a fully decat exhaust system helps a lot, but still doesn't match the Evo. You can spend about US$4,000 of suspension upgrades plus the exhaust system and you'll get an STi that'll be quite close to Evo in terms of performance.

Of course the counter-argument is you can spend the $$$ to mod an Evo and make it faster. But in the end you still don't get that stupendously marvellous STi 6-speed

Last but not least, a disclaimer: I do own a Subaru. I love my car, but I also love the Evo. Most of the above (notable exception the WRC driver theory) are facts, anyone can check them out. Please don't flame me because of the car I drive; I just want to straighten out some facts.

Finally a simple face-off:
220PS WRX has no Mitsubishi equivalent
250PS WRX has no Mitsu equivalent
280PS STi vs. 280PS Evo VII GSR (Evo "wins")
280PS STi Type RA vs. 280PS Evo VII GSR (Evo "wins")
280PS STi Type RA vs. 280PS Evo VII RS (Evo "wins" needless to say)
280PS STi Spec C vs. 280PS Evo VII RS (VERY close, maybe STi "wins" by a hair)
340BHP APS STi vs. 340BHP Ralliart (who knows for sure, I'd pay good money to see these 2 cars square off against each other, but based on suspension geometry alone I'd put my money on the Mitsubishi)

I keep on saying "finally" but I continually remembering additional facts.

The Evo and STi are different animals. Daily driving wise the Evo is supposedly harder to live with; STi is softer.

I'd like to end by paraphrasing a car reviewer's comments on these 2 cars: the Evo is so efficient, so accurate, so fool-proof that it takes the fun out taming a "wild beast". The comparison is very similar to 996 Porsche Turbo and Ferrari Modena 360; Porsche's faster all-around definitely, but the Modena in the end gives the better satisfaction (to this same guy) ironically because of its flaws.

 

Do you write for a magazine?

 

asdfsdaf

 

Does anyone know how much the car going to be??
People in this Forum says that it is going to be above 32K
Most Magzines think that is below 30K..

How much for a Evo VII GSR????

 

no on knows for sure. magazines are saying below 30K, dealers are saying 38K...me? I say fifty bucks and a snickers bar sounds like a good deal

 

The only OFFICIAL information that we know is from Mitsubishi themself, in which they stated it will be "under $30k". Anything else you hear is idle speculation, and in most cases should be ignored/dismissed.

 

Over here the STI costs way more than a GSR. So I think "comparing prices in Japan" is just silly! Because if I were in Japan I'd get an R34-GTR for the price I'm currently paying for the GSR!!

 

The first batches of STi DID cost "way more" at S$180,000+ but at that time the Evo wasn't even released so there wasn't any direct competition. First official batches of Evos were snapped up at around that price too (so I heard), only grey importers manage to slowly bring down the price.

In fact, if you know where to look for now you can have the STi CHEAPER by a few thousand dollars.

http://www.ez-import.com/ecar_mall/index.html

To me that still makes more sense than comparing a 250PS S$135,000 or official 220PS S$135,000 (COE inclusive).

Oh I forgot about this: someone said the STi weighs "200 lbs" more than the Evo. That's not true. The GSR if I remember correctly stands at 1400kg, the STi at 1430kg. That's roughly 66lbs. RS-II weighs 1380kg, that's still a difference of 110lbs.

Yeah I'm living in the same country as you do

In the US, I think the STi and Evo should be priced similarly, which my guess is around US$35K give or take a few thousand $.

Crufty Dusty and I shelled out more than US$85,000 for our cars. You guys in the US should consider yourselves already lucky enough if indeed the Evo and/or STi land there

 

heheh lucky us? i wish i wuz rich like you! shellin out 85 big ones for a STI... damn thats higher taxes than HK... its only like 55k over there (yup americans are spoiled)

 

I haven't heard of anyone getting an Evo7 for anywhere close to 180K... more like 168K, early last year.

Dude I just followed the EZ-Import link you gave me and it turns out the RS is only 5K more expensive than the STI. But the OMV on the RS is 42,420 while the OMV on the STI is 37,027... so the dealer is making more from the STI than the RS as we both know that ARF is a direct component of OMV. So from an absolute-cost perspective you're right, but from a "value" perspective I'm right

Just out of curiousity... how much would an STI Type RA Spec C cost anyway?

 

Hey no arguments there about value man

Pound per pound, dollar for dollar, kilo per kilo, whatever unit you want to measure, any iteration of the Evo VII would "beat" the standard STi stock for stock.

"beat" = perform better statistically

I've only "heard" only the 9 or 10 offical Cycle and Carriage Evos were around 180K but of course I could be wrong. "Garage talk"... (heard it among Evo owners in a garage).

Here's another great website:

http://www.japanvehicles.com/newcars/new_car_index.htm

Spec C's Japanese pricing stands between Evo RS and RS-II.

SOOOOO........

Let's not stray too far. I hope the past few discussions have shed some light to just how close the STi is to the Evo. Don't thrash either one hastily without actually having driven one.

American WRX owners are fast to dismiss the Evo, but they don't know what they're missing... they're in for a rude awakening once the Evo lands there.

First-time Evo owners are fast to look down on STi, but they haven't had the experience of using the 6-speed on the road and on the track, plus they're missing the greater turbo rush of the STi.

Both cars are great.

Zeroize - Singapore has the highest car prices in the world. Should qualify as a Guiness World Record.

What do you call a S$600,000 (US$330,000) brand new Ferrari Modena 360 in Singapore?

A real bargain!

 

GDB,

Does the STi understeer like the WRX?

S$160K is cheap for the E7, the TMEs rolled out of C&C for over S$190K

 

I went to C&C and they didn't even stock parts for Lancer touch up paint! So those folks who paid that much are just feeling rich.

More like HDB flat on 4 strips of rubber.

 

I think it oversteers more, ic ant remeber why but i remeber hear thatit did

 

Truthfully I haven't driven the WRX. However I have driven the GC8 (slim-eye WRX).

The new STi is much better. The GC8 understeers when pushed hard under "road-speed" adventurous runs, but the STi doesn't.

The STi will understeer only when you're really pushing it (that is around a race track), or when you do something silly like doing too fast into a U-turn.

I guess the STi is still noticably better than the WRX; by exactly how much I don't know.

OK guys I'm sorry for straying, so I'll put the STi into context with respect to Evo VII.

I drove an Evo VII VERY BRIEFLY only, certainly not at insane speeds like I did around a race track. The Evo felt lighter, much less turbo lag, but that linearity is in a way "less thrilling", because in the STi, once the turbo sings, the G-force that slams you back is noticably stronger. Plus having 1 extra gear accentuates that "push" because the STi uses shorter gearing.

I know of a hardcore STi driver that has no problem coaxing the car into power oversteer all the time, doesn't matter what corner speed. Slight camber changes in front, rear anti-roll plus a strut brace apparently do the job.

Now this is a message to everyone: people ***** about or spread the word that the WRX/STi understeers. I wonder how many of them are actually bothered by it.

When I pushed my STi around a race track, I found that a touch of understeer is quite comforting. Yes, the STi understeers JUST A TAD, it doesn't plow straight onto the barrier. For regular drivers like myself, I think it is quite a safe feature; such a powerful car can be quite a handful around a race track. The adhesive limits of these cars are very, very high! I used to drive an Integra Type R. Although the ITR rolled less and turned in better, it'll start to understeer way, way earlier than the STi.

For more advanced drivers, fitting an ARB and strut brace will achieve neutral handling. I think of it as an option that can be had some time in the future The good thing is I can tailor how much oversteer I want (oversteer city = fit the thickest roll bar and strut brace; neutral = fit normal-size parts)

The Evo is supposedly very neutral handling. I hear you can steer it around a corner using the throttle. Maybe Evo drivers can enlighten the rest in this matter.

So far, I've described STi vs. Evo differences around the track. On the street, I think the main difference is just the turbo lag. 99% of the time, you won't make the STi understeer on pubic roads unless you're a maniac driver. Well, you shouldn't anyway because I repeat, to make the STi understeer you really have to push it very, very hard and that's not good for you, your license, and other living creatures around you.

Oh Evo also supposedly has a harsher ride quality. My opinion: Evo's and STi's quality are equally HARSH, but the STi bounces more. The Evo feels more "rock-hard" in the suspension.