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2015 Subaru WRX STI goes for the gold [w/video]

If the all-new 2015 Subaru WRX has taken a good thing and made it great, then this should be, well, greater. Meet the range-topping WRX STI, packing more power, a decidedly more aggressive suspension tune, beefier looks, a giant wing and (woo!) gold wheels.
Those spiffy BBS wheels and WRC rally-ready matching WR Blue paint won't necessarily be around forever, though - Subaru is offering this package (along with unique interior trim) on the STI Launch Edition, limited to just 1,000 units. And cool as it may look, there's far more to love about the new STI package.
Power comes from a 2.5-liter turbocharged boxer four-cylinder engine, sending 305 horsepower and 290 pound-feet of torque to all four wheels via a six-speed manual transmission. (Launch Edition models even get a short-throw shift kit, which will likely be available as a dealer-installed accessory thereafter). Unlike the standard WRX, a do-it-yourself 'box will be the only transmission available. Subaru is employing its new - *ahem* - Multi-Mode Driver Controlled Center Differential version of the Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive, which, in addition to a standard 41/59 torque split, uses things like torque vectoring, and, when put in manual mode, allows the driver to select one of six center differential locking levels. In other words, the STI should be incredibly sharp on the road - sharper than ever before.

Hyundai, Kia, Genesis and Subaru clean up in IIHS 2018 safety ratings

Hyundai, its partner Kia and its Genesis division are the big winners in the latest vehicle safety ratings from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, accounting for six of the 15 models that earned the Top Safety Pick+ awards for 2018. Subaru was right behind with four, Mercedes-Benz had two, and Toyota, BMW and Ford each had one. Another 47 vehicles earned the Top Safety Pick designation, where Toyota had 10 vehicle models, with Hyundai recognized for nine models. All but one of the seven vehicles in Subaru's lineup, the BRZ, qualified for one of the awards. IIHS strengthened the criteria for the Top Safety Pick+ award for 2018 to require headlights to earn a "good" rating — an "acceptable" rating was previously enough to notch the "plus" award — and good or acceptable passenger-side protection in the small overlap front crash, which replicates a crash involving just the front corner of a vehicle. It also required vehicles to have acceptable or good headlights for the first time to earn a Top Safety Pick award. Most of winners for both awards qualified on the basis of optional upgrades. IIHS in October began evaluating the passenger side of vehicles in its small overlap front crash test after it said it became clear that automakers were neglecting that side of the vehicle as they focused on improving driver-side protections. IIHS first began conducting driver-side small overlap crashes in 2012. It began measuring both how well low and high beams illuminated the road and the amount of glare they produce for oncoming vehicles as part of its ratings in 2016. The Top Safety Pick+ winners are listed below. The list doesn't include any minivans, pickups or minicars, which don't appear on either list of awardees. Small cars Kia Forte Kia Soul Subaru Impreza (sedan and wagon) Subaru WRX Midsize cars Subaru Legacy Subaru Outback Toyota Camry Large luxury cars BMW 5 series Genesis G80 Genesis G90 Lincoln Continental Mercedes-Benz E-Class sedan Midsize SUVs Hyundai Santa Fe Hyundai Santa Fe Sport Midsize luxury SUV Mercedes-Benz GLC The full list of Top Safety Pick winners is available here.Related Video: Image Credit: IIHS BMW Genesis Hyundai Kia Lincoln Subaru Toyota Safety Crossover SUV Wagon Sedan crash test

Japan is the only country to get this WRX S4 tS

Before the Impreza switches to a new platform, Subaru is wringing more limited editions out of the old one. The most recent, the Subaru WRX S4 tS, is a Japan-only special that is based off of the WRX S4 model released a few years ago. Underneath the hood, the WRX S4 tS gets the same modified 2.0-liter turbocharged flat-four from the WRX S4 that generates 296 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque. The modified engine produces 28 horsepower and 37 pound-feet of torque more than the standard WRX, and is only five horsepower off the turbocharged 2.5-liter Boxer engine in the WRX STI, while making more torque. The handling has been improved thanks to a similar setup to the one on the WRX STI S207, another Japan-only model released last year, that features adjustable DampMatic II front suspension from Bilstein, along with other goodies. The exterior gets 19-inch BBS forged aluminum wheels, red pinstripes on the front grille and rear bumper, and a large front spoiler. On the inside, the WRX S4 tS benefits from Recaro bucket seats and a luminescent speedometer. The sedan is also equipped with Subaru's advanced safety features in the form of EyeSight. Japanese enthusiasts can also choose a more hardcore option with the NBR Challenge Package that commemorates the automaker's victories in the SP3T class of the Nurbrugring 24 Hours in 2015 and 2016. The sportier model gets 19-inch wheels from BBS, a carbon-fiber rear wing, special badging, and a suede-lined steering wheel on the inside. We reached out to Subaru to see if the vehicle would be sold in the US, but the spokesperson refused to comment. With the WRX S4 and the S207 being Japan-only models, we doubt the new limited edition WRX S4 tS would be offered outside of Japan. Related Video: