[jaybara]

In order to nationally sell a car, Subaru has to be darn sure that the motor can safely make the level of horsepower it produces, the rest of the car's components can handle & support that power, and everything is C.A.R.B. approved & smog legal for all 50 states.

Sure, a lot of us get 400 horse (or close to it) with a few bolt on mods, but I don't think Subaru would sell the car in that condition, especially since they have to warranty the thing. In order to sell the car with 400 horse stock and not have people coming in with warranty claims left and right, I think they would have to upgrade quite a few components, and the costs would add up very quickly. When we modify our cars, we take the chance of grenading something and having to pay for it. Subaru doesn't want to be in that boat.

Plus, they want over $50k for that ESX car, and it only has 365 horse. Sure, it's "limited edition" and has custom paint and wheels and a few other gadgets, but still...

[RadarOnPaws]

Originally Posted by jaybara

Plus, they want over $50k for that ESX car, and it only has 365 horse. Sure, it's "limited edition" and has custom paint and wheels and a few other gadgets, but still...

That's an ESX problem, not a subaru problem. For a car with only 65 extra crank hp and some custom wheels, paint, and seats, it's way overpriced. They didn't even tweak the suspension which would have been one thing you'd have thought would have been high on the list.

Subaru could add 70 hp and not charge anywhere near the price of the ESX.

[BoricuaSTi]

I forecast many ESXs sitting at dealers for long periods of time. I just dont see that car being worth THAT much mula... they are trying to create the whole FQ-400 thing... but it doesn't doesn't really execute itself as well as a FQ-400

If they had put nicer wheels, Recaro Sports (Sti versions), and some STi stuff under that suspension it'd be worth the money.

[rgt]

There is no way in hell that we are getting a 385/400 car stock in 06 model.

[tigertimmy]

Originally Posted by rgt

There is no way in hell that we are getting a 385/400 car stock in 06 model.

Yeah, I gotta tell you, the more I think about it, the more I tend to agree. Again, I don't know this dude over on NASIOC that said this, and have no reason to trust him or not to. I guess it's just nice to dream in the "what if".

[tigertimmy]

Originally Posted by jaybara

In order to nationally sell a car, Subaru has to be darn sure that the motor can safely make the level of horsepower it produces, the rest of the car's components can handle & support that power, and everything is C.A.R.B. approved & smog legal for all 50 states.

Sure, a lot of us get 400 horse (or close to it) with a few bolt on mods, but I don't think Subaru would sell the car in that condition, especially since they have to warranty the thing. In order to sell the car with 400 horse stock and not have people coming in with warranty claims left and right, I think they would have to upgrade quite a few components, and the costs would add up very quickly. When we modify our cars, we take the chance of grenading something and having to pay for it. Subaru doesn't want to be in that boat.

Plus, they want over $50k for that ESX car, and it only has 365 horse. Sure, it's "limited edition" and has custom paint and wheels and a few other gadgets, but still...

I guess I was thinking if that in Japan they can get 320hp out of the 2.0L in the S203, then maybe it's possible to make a reliable 2.5L that's pushing 385. Who knows.

As for the overpriced ESX car. I have a feeling I know why they're only making 40 of them. Given the price, that's all they'll be able to sell. Are they really only running 365? That dealer selling one on Ebay was saying his was 425hp.

That being said, you've gotta be close to that, have you dynoed your car? If so, what are you running hp/torque? Your list of mods is quite impressive.

[amdmaxx]

no way 350+ hp will happen in 06 sti.. Unless its a Legacy.. Turbo H6... not in 06 though..

[jaybara]

Originally Posted by tigertimmy

I guess I was thinking if that in Japan they can get 320hp out of the 2.0L in the S203, then maybe it's possible to make a reliable 2.5L that's pushing 385. Who knows.

Yeah, it's definitely possible, the problem is that it would cost a decent chunk of dough to make it such that Subaru would be 100% willing to warranty it. Even with the stock 300 horse, the injectors are close to maxed out, as is the turbo. If you upgrade those to get close to 400 horse, then you have a whole new laundry list of items that should probably be upgraded as well.

Originally Posted by tigertimmy

As for the overpriced ESX car. I have a feeling I know why they're only making 40 of them. Given the price, that's all they'll be able to sell. Are they really only running 365? That dealer selling one on Ebay was saying his was 425hp.

The 425 horse verions is the "off-road" version and is not street legal. I think they want an extra $5k or so for that one.

Originally Posted by tigertimmy

That being said, you've gotta be close to that, have you dynoed your car? If so, what are you running hp/torque? Your list of mods is quite impressive.

Thanks. I haven't had the car dyno'd yet, but I plan to take a drive down to XX Tuning shortly to do so. I would estimate I am around 360 horse and 390 torque (at the flywheel). But... Subaru probably wouldn't sell a car in the condition mine is in, because I still have the stock turbo, fuel system, engine internals, tranny, rear end, etc... Those have all been proven to safely handle 300 horse, and there are people making OVER 400 with them, but something will go sooner than later.

Anyway, just my opinion, and I could be completely wrong.

[KaiserSoze]

Originally Posted by tigertimmy

I guess I was thinking if that in Japan they can get 320hp out of the 2.0L in the S203, then maybe it's possible to make a reliable 2.5L that's pushing 385. Who knows.

You've gotta remember that in the rest of the world they have much better gas than we do here. That's why our STi has a 2.5L engine instead of the 2.0. With our gas they couldn't reliably get 300hp out of the 2L. I'm in Korea right now and the regular unleaded gas is 92 octane. the premium unleaded is 98 octane. Japanese gas is at least the same if not higher octane. That's one of the reasons they can pull 320hp out of a 2L engine over there, but have to use a 2.5L to get just 300 in the US.

[Digitalfiend]

Originally Posted by KaiserSoze

You've gotta remember that in the rest of the world they have much better gas than we do here. That's why our STi has a 2.5L engine instead of the 2.0. With our gas they couldn't reliably get 300hp out of the 2L. I'm in Korea right now and the regular unleaded gas is 92 octane. the premium unleaded is 98 octane. Japanese gas is at least the same if not higher octane. That's one of the reasons they can pull 320hp out of a 2L engine over there, but have to use a 2.5L to get just 300 in the US.

But isn't 98 in Japan like 93-94 here...MON vs RON or whatever.

[wdb]

Originally Posted by sgtpeper

One guy says it looks really good and much better than the chops make it look.

Yeow. That sounds just like the Tribeca talk; "it looks much better in person than it does in the pictures". Yah, okay. My buddy's sister looks better in person than she does in pictures too, but I'm still not going to ask her out

Cheers!

[Pyrex]

Originally Posted by Digitalfiend

But isn't 98 in Japan like 93-94 here...MON vs RON or whatever.

You are exactly right. In Japan and most of the rest of the world they only report the RON (Research Octane Number). Here in the US we use RON+MON (Motor Octane Number)/2. So in order to find out what the equivalent octane number of Japanese fuel would be in the US you would have to find out what the MON rating of the fuel was. So if the RON is 98 but the MON is only 90 then the equivalent rating here in the US would be 98+90/2=94

[Horhay]

Here's the pics:







Im actually kinda liking it.

[tigertimmy]

Wow, that's better than ANY of the photochops. I could definately live with that. Not to mention, I always think the STi looks better in person than it does in pictures.

[tigertimmy]

Originally Posted by KaiserSoze

You've gotta remember that in the rest of the world they have much better gas than we do here. That's why our STi has a 2.5L engine instead of the 2.0. With our gas they couldn't reliably get 300hp out of the 2L. I'm in Korea right now and the regular unleaded gas is 92 octane. the premium unleaded is 98 octane. Japanese gas is at least the same if not higher octane. That's one of the reasons they can pull 320hp out of a 2L engine over there, but have to use a 2.5L to get just 300 in the US.

I'm not sure that's correct. Like people were saying, I believe it's a different metric that they measure octane with overseas. On the other hand, one explanation however would be that our emissions controls are more restrictive in this country than over in Europe. That's one of the reasons that most vehicles over there are 4-cylinder, and some are 6s, but very seldom do you see a V8 except for high end cars or SUVs. They don't even need a 6 cylinder to get decent power in a midsize sedan.