When Lightning Meets Thunder: Alex's Subaru WRX

More often than not, the question being asked is "Evo or STi", not "Evo or WRX". And the reason being is that up until 2015, most of the WRX's (non-STi trim) were powered by the 2.5 liter EJ25's smaller brother, the two liter EJ20. But now with the EJ motors being over 20 years old, Subaru surprised us with the new FA20-DIT. This new turbocharged flat four is the boxer engine that powers the current 2015+ WRX's, and a non turbo, higher compression variant (FA20-D4S) powering the Subaru BRZ, Scion FR-S, and Toyota 86. With a much higher tuning capability, the current generation WRX is a force to be reckoned with.

I had met Alex a few years ago when he still had a black 350Z HR sitting on SBC Enkei RPF1's. Since then, the Nissan Z is long gone, but his passion for cars still remains unscathed. This car may be one of the easiest cars to spot, but it's far from an eyesore.

Most of you who know me probably know that I'm a pretty simplistic/minimalistic type of guy. I'm not usually a fan or follower of trends, I just build my cars the way that I think looks clean and to my standards. I don't typically like big wings, crazy colors, or even most supercars to be honest with you. Alex's car did a bit of a color transformation, as it started off being a simple white paint job from Subaru. However, a wrap by Headline Auto Design changed the look completely to a bright yellow. As stated prior, I'm typically not a fan of car colors like this, but when it's executed so perfectly, it's hard not to admire.

Don't let this is all smoke and mirrors though, this car has the bite to match the bark.

Under the hood may not look very impressive yet to the untrained eye, and you might even think something is missing. And you're completely right. Alex has recently converted the top mount intercooler to a front mount (as seen through the lower grill on the second picture), allowing ambient air from the road to more efficiently cool the charge air going from the turbocharger to the engine, as well as basically eliminating the heat soak issues that so many Subaru owners face. In addition, an E85/E60 tune from Phattbotti Tuning allows the 2.0 liter flat four to reliably pump out 360 all-wheel horsepower, which is right in the ballpark of 430 horsepower at the crankshaft.

Rounding out the back end is one of my favorite small mods on the car, the Subispeed gurney flap. It's not too over the top, but definitely looks clean. A set of taillight tint overlays and a WRX STi exhaust give the car an aggressive look, without getting too rowdy, in addition to the PRL license plate frame, just so people know what they're messing with.

Subaru: The premium choice for rally drivers, lesbians & people who vape. Sadly, Alex is none of those.

Power in this car is very easy to live with for daily driving. Having all wheel drive allows for quick acceleration off the line, and the new twin-scroll turbocharger allows for quick spool times so you aren't waiting all day to spool up. Personally, I'm more used to top end power, so being in Alex's WRX was a refreshing change of pace being able to simply ease into the throttle and pull bus lengths on any Mitsubishi Evos in a 30 mile radius.

Being a daily driven car, the interior is simple & clean, but still sporty. Which is perfectly fine. Not every car needs Recaro seats, gutted interior & a roll cage. It's a nice daily driver that still retains the factory air conditioning, power steering & stereo, but still rips! Trunk space in this car is also great, as it's a normal sized trunk. You can fit several luggage bags, backpacks, wheels & tires, etc...without even needing to fold down the rear seats.

I've always been a fan of the WRX platform. If the car didn't have the protruding fender outlines, fender vents, hood scoop, and aggressive front end, the car in itself would for the most part look like most other sedans on the road. But this platform has that touch that lets people know in an ever so subtle way that this car means business.

I wanted to note, if you were wondering about the ride height & wheel choice, Alex didn't skimp on those either. A mild drop on BC Racing coilovers gives the Subie a clean, yet functional stance, and a beautiful set of 18" Rays 57DR's give a timeless look.

"iF yOu DoN't lOoK baCk aT iT, yOu bOUgHt tHe WroNG Car"

Overall, I was impressed with this car far more than I thought I would be. I've always had the impression that the new 2015+ WRX is too big, too much money, and too heavy to still handle well. I've felt it's a far cry from the original GC8/22B WRX, and it's just Subaru giving in to what the "average" commuter wants (lane keep assist, braking assist, & all the bullshit on modern cars that becomes intrusive for driving a sports car like it's meant to be driven). However, even with minimal mods, Alex's WRX just feels right. Very little body roll, excellent acceleration, and killer looks, this Subie turned heads left and right in the few hours we hung out to shoot. With the Evo being dead & gone for several years now, I'd say that the WRX should be a strong candidate for someone who needs the functionality of a sedan, but still wants the performance of a sports car. As for Alex's car, he doesn't have much in mind for the near future, with the exception of some suspension bits to help get around the corners a little faster. Huge thank you to Alex for waiting on my near 4 month lead time on writing this article (school sucks sometimes), I'm excited to see how the car progresses.

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Owner: @amartinez_109

Words: @fittedchop

Photography: @fittedchop