Me too - but make that the RS3.

The RS3 is interesting but all the money. Not sure I'd spring for one even if it had a stick.

This is surprising. Counts of NEW vehicles found on autotrader with distance set to "ANY"

WRX STI: 566
Focus RS: 1,190
VW Golf R: 0 (yes ZERO)

Thinking maybe VW dealers don't use autotrader, I searched for a Jetta and got 13,000. So that's not it.

In terms of sales volume, it seems it's roughly:

WRX STI: 2600/month
Focus RS: 500/month
VW Golf R: 360/month

That is weird. There aren't any at either of the big volume dealers near me that had double digit inventories when I bought mine.

My guess is that they build them in batches? Maybe they've sold out the 2017s and the 2018s aren't here yet.

EDIT: They have a metric fuckton of GTIs, though.

EDIT to EDIT:

http://forums.vwvortex.com/showthrea...ly-Here/page46

Sounds like the launch of the 2018s is...not going well? Or is being delayed? Or no one knows.

That is super weird.

That is pretty interesting, I was just reading on the Audi R8 forum that they haven't released the 2018 models yet either and some cars have been sitting at the ports since October :dunno:

After work I drove an '18 WRX, '18 WRX STI, then '18 Toyota 86.

The STI was a pleasant surprise. I liked it a lot. The WRX & STI suspensions are surprisingly similar so there's very little harshness penalty moving to the STI. And the STI shifter is better, it doesn't have the ridiculous 1-2 rev hang (still has the twitchy throttle though), the brakes are better, steering is better, exhaust sound is better, and has a superior AWD system. I feel like the STI makes more sense as a package. If you're going to accept the road noise and lack of refinement of a car like this, it might as well go zoom zoom. (And go 30% less far on each gallon of gas)

In terms of engines, the STI didn't feel much faster than the WRX, which was expected since I couldn't rev much past 4500. Then I looked up the torque curves. It seems the WRX is underrated to protect the aging STI . It reminds me a little of an RX8 - V8 fuel economy but without the low-end torque.


The 86 (aka BRZ) was interesting. i liked the car quite a bit, but given the short test drive I'm not sure what it would be like to own. I knew it would have no torque but what surprised me was how much noise the engine made while you're still not going anywhere. :lol: But I really liked the size and feel of the car, the shifter (better than the STI). Brakes were mediocre, but the BRZ performance package fixes that. I felt right at home in it and could see enjoying beating the crap out of one. I'm not so sure if I'd learn to love that engine though.


Side note: Subaru dealers don't care if you beat on their brand new cars. Multiple salesmen told me it was fine to floor it and rev it out, with 4 miles on the car. I just couldn't do it.

First time I drove a WRX, salesman blew a gasket when I'd give it a little gas and threatened to pull the key out if I revved past 4k.

Guess times have changed since fall 2001.

I have a test drive somewhere listed on the STI vs. WRX, this was the hatchback generation, and back to back. I loved the STI shifter and the center diff dial, but the power difference was minimal. In that generation so the 09 to 2013 or so, it seemed to make no sense to for the STI.

Agree on the BRZ. My test drive in it was unbelievably fun, drifts and all. Felt like a baby cayman, but yeah no go at all. Does not feel like a good, modern engine.