Differences between WRX TR and 2.5i

Compression ratio! Someone else may have the exact specs but IIRC the turbo is somewhere in the 7's or low 8's. The 2.5L is up around 10.

You'd be hunting for gas with a high-enough octane rating to keep from beating the poor 2.5 to death with detonation.

Changing pistons isn't cheap.

It's impractical. You'd spend more than what you would've paid for the TR.

buying the car with a turbo is always a better idea then adding a turbo on an engine that was not designed for a turbo.

Aside from that the suspension is (slightly) stiffer on WRX and gear ratios are possibly different also.

There's also an LSD in the back. It's probably cost you around $1k in parts and labor to install that on the basic impreza.

You'll get your $4-5k worth when you buy a TR. Probably even more so if the FHI put their house in order for the upcoming 08 model.

Sorry for being a newbie here but what's an LSD and an FHI? Also, what do you know about the 2008 model? I ran search for it online and some site said that it would have new "sheet metal" and a more powerful engine at about 325 hp! The article wasn't clear on whether they were talking about the STI or the basic, but that has to be the STI right? Don't 2008 models start popping up as early as Sept 2007? If so it might be worth it to wait.

limited slip diff and fuji heavy industries. the former being the device for limiting the wheelspin in some corner cases and the latter being the maker of subaru cars.

Yes. STI

There is no official photos let alone first driving impressions yet. There were no availability dates announced either.

You could check out news&rumors thread at

Carl