Subaru WRX to bow out with special-editions

The next-generation Subaru WRX will debut in concept form in mid-2021, with production vehicles expected to roll into Aussie showrooms soon after.

The burning question is, how will Subaru farewell the current fourth-generation WRX?

Despite the popularity of utes at present, the chances of seeing a Subaru pick-up to farewell the current WRX – which has been in production since 2014 – are virtually zero.

But it doesn't stop us frothing at the prospect of a reborn high-performance Subaru Brumby, and this render from Rain Prisk whets our appetite for more car-based utes like the upcoming Ford Focus pick-up.

How about a cheeky two-door WRX that pays homage to one of the greatest Subarus of all time – the super-rare 1999 Subaru WRX 22B STI? Well, Prisk has produced a render of what that vehicle could look like too.

It's understood the brand is preparing one or two special-edition Subaru WRX models as a last hurrah for the current generation, but mechanical changes or power boosts are highly unlikely.

As we reported previously, a special-edition Subaru WRX is expected to arrive later in 2020 but it's understood it won't deliver wholesale changes to the vehicle. Indeed, cynics might call it a 'parts bin special'.

The all-new fifth-generation Subaru WRX and Subaru WRX STI models are expected to arrive in Australian showrooms from 2022, along with a new Levorg (aka WRX wagon).

Last month, Subaru Australia managing director Colin Christie said a manual transmission was all but certain to return to the WRX, despite two in every three buyers opting for the automatic CVT.

"We haven’t seen the final plans around what will come to market but I’d be surprised if there’s not a manual transmission option for performance vehicles," he stated.

The Subaru Australia boss wouldn’t be drawn on powertrain options for the MY22 Subaru WRX, with speculation split between a newly-developed 1.8-litre turbo boxer four producing around 220kW/300hp and a more potent (298kW/400hp) 2.4-litre flat turbo four from the Subaru Outback.

In terms of power output and design, the new WRX sounds like it's locked and loaded... now we just have to play the waiting game.

"We get to see the cars in clay and have our input in terms of design language, performance or output. But that doesn’t mean you get exactly what you want," said Christie.

"We’ve got a really close relationship with Japan, they do a lot of work trying to understand the customer demands in each market."