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This or That: 2005 Dodge Ram SRT-10 vs. 2005 Subaru WRX STI [w/poll]

Some cars, due to ultimate desirability, particular rareness, or spectacular performance/prestige eventually become collectible. It's darn near impossible to know which ones will make it into the rarefied stratosphere of collectibility – why is a late 1960s AMC AMX so affordable these days, whereas prices for late '70s Pontiac Trans Ams are soaring? – but there are some useful indicators to keep tabs on. We're not exactly experts on investing, but we do know cars. As such, we've decided to take our non-expertise on one hand, combine it in the other with our knowledge of all things automotive, wad it up, throw it out and ask for your forgiveness. Or something like that. I've challenged Senior Editor Seyth Miersma to choose a car he thinks will become a future collector's item that's not more than 10 years old, and for no more than $25,000. I've done the same, and we vigorously argued for and against each other's picks. I feel good about my choice, but I don't have the best track record in these contests (I've lost three times, won twice, but they've all been pretty close), so, while I'm not going to beg (please vote for me!), I do hope you find my argument convincing. But first, let's hear from Seyth: Miersma: Ten-years old or newer makes this challenging. At that age most vehicles feel like a plain old used car to me, few hit the "classic" button. But the Subaru WRX STI has always been a special car, and the 2005 cutoff year proves to be very attractive for the parameters of our contest. It's rare; with fewer than 5,000 STI models sold that model year. It's probably the best looking WRX STI ever sold in America; narrowly avoiding the dreadful "horse collar" front fascia. And it's got one of the more die-hard car-geek followings out there. For $25,000, you can also still find examples that have reasonable miles, are in good condition, and haven't all been molested by grown-up Initial D wannabes. With the street racers hacking up collectable examples every day, I like my odds for steep appreciation by way of conservation. I couldn't agree more. It really is difficult to predict what cars will catch the eye of collectors, and the WRX STI seems like a pretty good choice. But I think mine is even better, and I can't let him know that I'd love to park just such an STI in my very own garage. And so goes my argument: Korzeniewski: I like your choice as a driver, Seyth. I'm less convinced of its status as a sure-fire collectible.

2015 Subaru WRX leaks out ahead of debut [w/video]

The car you see above could, possibly, be the 2015 Subaru WRX, a car that isn't supposed to reach the public eye until next week's Los Angeles Auto Show. The leaked image has been circulating around the web, along with a brief teaser video of the new sports sedan (which you can see below).
The image, which AutoWeek reports may be (probably) a render, appeared on the Clubrz Facebook page, a Subaru fan group. It does fit somewhat with the teaser image we showed you yesterday, while featuring certain styling cues from the WRX Concept shown at the last New York Auto Show.
Now, we'd advise you take this with an appropriately sized grain of salt. We won't know for certain what the next WRX looks like until we're parked in an uncomfortable chair at the LA Convention Center. Still, take a look up top and let us know if the new WRX - which, we'll point out, has neither gold wheels, a big wing or World Rally Blue paint - fits with what you wanted to see. We've also got a very short teaser of the car that plays on the teaser image posted yesterday, which you can see by scrolling down.

Why I chose a Subaru WRX over a BRZ

It was early 2012, and I was ready to get a new car. Not just any car, but the car I had dreamed about for no less than a decade: the Subaru Impreza WRX. There was something about this car that always appealed to me, even before the WRX was sold stateside; originally it was the Impreza 2.5RS that caught my eye. What was so special about the WRX? Well, I loved the idea of having a small car with all-wheel drive and good power, all in a relatively affordable package. It was one car that could do it all. Oh, and that fresh rally blue paint and signature boxer rumble were easy on the eyes and ears. It was a long time coming. I was just about ready to place an order with my Subaru dealer. But wait. What's this? A new kid on the block. Subaru was releasing its long-time-coming, rear-wheel-drive sports car: the BRZ. I was enticed early on when it was announced that Toyota and Subaru would jointly develop a lightweight sports car, and my interest was piqued once I saw the beautiful FT-86 concept. Now I kind of had a tough choice. I still wanted the WRX, but also liked the idea of having a proper sports car with a low center of gravity and low weight. Very different cars, I know, but both offered the fun I craved. I didn't get to drive a BRZ, but I did sit in one and enjoyed the low seating position and crisp feel of the shifter. I could tell it was one car that would feel connected to the road, a true driver's car. After some deliberation and research, I ended up ordering the WRX, my original goal. Why? For one thing, the BRZ was so new that I couldn't get invoice pricing. Plus, with the winters here in Chicago, I really wanted AWD; I was pretty much tired of FWD, and didn't want to risk driving RWD in snowy/icy conditions. Further, the WRX provided usable back seats and plenty of cargo space in the hatchback version (which is the one I chose). To top it off, I loved the power I'd get with the WRX, even though it wouldn't handle quite like the low-slung BRZ. Long story short, it came down to what I mentioned earlier: one car that could do it all. The WRX is a jack of all trades. It offers a nice blend of performance and practicality. Do I have any regrets? Not at all. If my financial situation allowed for it, I would love to have an AWD daily driver and a RWD sports car for occasional use (either a BRZ, MX-5, or S2000), but since I could only afford one vehicle, the WRX was the right choice for me. I liked it so much, in fact, that I upgraded to a 2016 WRX.