Subaru's all-new WRX STi has been caught testing on the Nurburging again, this time with almost no camouflage.
The regular WRX's much maligned egg crate grille - reportedly the subject of a hurried redesign already - makes way for a simpler mesh-style design. New front fenders are heavily flared to cover the STi's wider track, and an aggressive new front fascia feature features a deeper front spoiler.
The rear fenders and doors are also new, again to cover the car's wider track. A new, more aggressive rear fascia has been redesigned to accommodate the quad-outlet dual exhaust. The rear spoiler is as functional as one can be on a hatchback, but will not please fans of the current STi's massive spoiler.
The STi's dumpy styling lacks the visual flair of arch-rival Mitsubishi's next-generation Evolution X. But for Subaru fans, performance is probably more important that looks. Power is reputed to be in the 300 horsepower ballpark, close to that of Evo X.
Subaru will offer the STi only as a hatchback, with the vehicle arriving sometime in the middle of 2008 after making its debut at one of the many auto shows held in the early months of the year.