2011 Subaru Impreza WRX STI

Subaru has been quite open about the fact that it intends to distance itself from its previous reputation as a manufacturer of high-performance cars, but that hasn't stopped the company from introducing a 2011 model-year version of the Impreza WRX STI.

Actually, it won't be called that. In an unusual move, Subaru has dropped the word "Impreza" from the title, so the car will be known simply as a WRX STI. An even more important piece of information is that, as well as being sold as a five-door hatchback as all Imprezas have been for the last three years, this one will also be available as a four-door saloon (as pictured here).

Although the saloon won't be as flexible a load-carrier as the hatch - not that that is likely to be a problem for most customers - there are a couple of advantages. Subaru itself points out that the saloon's bodyshell is more rigid, and we suspect that the smoother airflow round the rear of the car will help performance. That may not be significant at lower speeds, and indeed Subaru quotes a 0-62mph time of 5.2 seconds for both types, but it's worth noting that the top speed of the saloon is 3mph greater at 158mph.

The 2.5-litre turbo petrol engine continues to produce a maximum of 296bhp, but it now develops more power in the lower reaches of the rev range, it meets Euro 5 exhaust emission standards, and its exhaust has been tuned to make it sound better.

Other alterations include higher-quality interior trim, new Recaro bucket seats and a revised SI-Drive system, which lets the driver choose from three engine characteristics according to road conditions.

Keyless entry, push-button start, hill start assist, climate control air-conditioning, a new audio system with ten speakers, AUX and USB jacks, Bluetooth connectivity and cruise control are all included in the list price of £32,995, which applies to both the saloon and the hatchback.