Americans love the Indy 500. NASCAR too. Very few have ever heard of the WRC though. No, not the Wrestling Reindeer Channel, it’s the World Rally Championship. This is racing at a more organic level. Shut down some roads and let the action begin. The demanding courses traverse a variety of surfaces with tight twists and turns to challenge a racing team. Rally driving requires a lot from both a car and driver. 

Most of us Yanks don’t understand how big Subaru and its all-wheel drive vehicles are on the rally scene. Check it out on Speed channel. Then if you want to play the home version, bop on down to your local Subaru store. The Impreza WRX STI I’m driving this week is about as close to an off-the-showroom-floor race car that money can buy. For the folks who think Subaru only makes dependable all-wheel drive family station wagons like Outback and Forrester, this is a big surprise. A good surprise to be sure. The WRX STI is about maximum performance for minimal cash outlay. 

You don’t have to drive it to understand its mission. Spoilers, low profile tires, Brembo Super Sport anti-lock brakes visible through 18-inch BBS wheels, bulging fenders and a hood scoop big enough to put your head into all practically shout "drive me hard." Those performance pieces have a purpose and that purpose is to wrinkle blacktop. There are cars knocking around that are more show than go but the all-wheel drive WRX STI is not one of them. There’ve been some complaints on the styling of the Impreza that the STI is based on. Take a look at the outgoing model before passing judgment. I’ll take the new one, thank you very much.

Zero to 60 flashes by in just under five seconds if you’re a good driver that launches a powerful car well. This performance is courtesy of a 2.5-liter intercooled turbocharged 4-cylinder Boxer engine that cranks out 305 horsepower. Now featuring a Dual Active Valve Control System, there are 12 more horses than the previous model and 22 only pounds more car to lug around. A 290 lb-ft. torque peak remains the same but comes up at 4,000 rpm, which is 400 rpm earlier for better response. Choose between an expensive feeling 6-speed manual and a, uh … well, that’s the only shift box, no automatic. No plans either as far as Subaru is hinting. Incline Start Assist keeps the Impreza from rolling back when driven away from a stop on an incline.

NWCN

Zero to 60 flashes by in just under five seconds if you're a good driver that launches a powerful car well.

This car can be tailored to road conditions like few others can. First there's SI-Drive with its three modes of throttle response. Intelligent mode improves fuel economy by up to 10 percent by making the gas pedal less responsive to eliminate jack rabbit starts. This smoother drivability is best for stop-and-go city driving. In Sport mode the throttle responds quicker to input. Finally, there’s Sport Sharp, giving the STI hair trigger reflexes.

Next up is DCCD. An STI exclusive, Driver Control Center Differential allows a driver to tune the all-wheel drive system to perform best on changing road conditions. Normally the rear wheels of the car get 61 percent of the power, good when zipping around on smooth dry pavement. It can be manually adjusted to 50-50 when the surface gets loose or slick or set to automatic. DCCD now integrates with the stability and traction control system (itself with three levels of saving your bacon). A good driver will like the flexibility these systems provide. Less skilled pilots, who will appreciate the computers keeping them out of major trouble, can simply set everything to "auto" and have fun.

Every turn the STI slices brings a smile along with it. Body roll? You must be kidding. This car stays as flat as Kansas in the twisties. There's a supreme sense of control in this machine. Sure, all those electronics help, but Subaru starts with a specially tuned suspension that features a new double-wishbone rear. The uber Impreza runs on Dunlop SP600 245/40R18 performance tires for maximum pavement grip. The previous generation STI had a ride quality best described as punishing. The new one is very firm but no longer masochistic. STI’s nemesis, Mitsubishi’s Lancer Evolution X, is also new for 2008 and it seems like they got a hold of each other's playbook.  Both are now larger and more comfortable to broaden their appeal. Wise move.

The business-like interior is not intended for the luxury crowd. Subaru says it's inspired by the swoopy Tribeca cabin and while I can see the styling cues, it's not nearly as dramatic. The gauges provide a great light show on start-up with seeping needles and glowing red backlight. Larger folks will like the moderately bolstered driving seats with grippy Alcantara inserts, but skinny drivers will rattle around in them a bit. They will be comfy with auto climate control and entertained by the great sound system though. For the first time, the WRX STI has a navi system option. New side-curtain airbags are always welcome. 

Rear passengers have a decent amount of room to work with. There are belts for three, and that’s realistic if passengers are on the slimmer side. An STI first, the seatbacks split and fold. The trunk, with its handy hatchback design, can swallow five jumbo packs of Costco toilet paper. That’s standard for a car this size.

My biggest gripe with the Impreza WRX STI is fuel economy.  I’m seeing 16 miles for every gallon of required premium (93 octane is suggested for maximum performance). Of course I’m not driving it lightly either. Few will get worse mileage than me.  

The question on everyone's mind is which is better, Evo or STI. They’re both great cars. I like Mitsu’s Twin Clutch transmission a lot, plus the Recaro seats hold me more snugly in hard cornering. Those living in the real world will appreciate the more useful hatch design of the Sube and a larger cargo hold. In the end the manual transmission versions are so very close in grins per dollar that I suspect buyers will simply stay brand loyal. Those who don't belong to either camp right now will have a tough time deciding. 

I’m not sure how popular WRC is here in the states, but the WRX STI is a rock star. Driving it around town certainly gets the attention of the Playstation 3 crowd. With its new refinement it offers an olive branch to those less tolerant of a rock hard ride. Starting at $35,640, Subaru's WRX STI is no poseur. It can do everything its winged and blistered body suggests.