It’s easy to peg the 2008-2014 Subaru GR chassis hatch WRX STI as a future classic, or any WRX STI for that matter.

In most part, the only thing humans rely on when trying to predict the future is to shine a spotlight on the past. In this case we must shine a spotlight on the 80s, and the recent past.

The 80s brought us an onslaught of flared wheel arched hatchbacks that raced on the rally stage completely changing people’s perspectives on what a “super car” looks like or what it encompasses. All the sudden kids tore Ferrari posters off the wall and put ones up of these new “supercars” that looked like mom’s car but with flared wheel arches, boxed fenders, car hips, whatever you want to call them. For example, the now classic Audi Quattro, Lancia Delta Integrale, E30 M3 the list goes on. They looked like day-to-day cars that parents had, but were pinnacle in motorsports, and all that changed aesthetically, were vents and scoops and flared arches.

No exotic illustrious v12s here, just 4 cylinders typically 2L in displacement, but boosted to the moon with swooshing and swashing turbos. The kids LOVED IT. More Ferrari posters came off the walls.

Why did we fall in love with 80s Rally cars? Maybe because they looked more attainable than the exotics, they looked normal but with superpowers, we can relate to them and see ourselves In them. Also, where they were driving, and how they were driving looked unreasonably, and senselessly insane. The Rally stage made road racing look as easy going and relaxed as a SPA Day that someone else paid for.

So what’s not to love about these cars? They were heroic, manly looking, brawny machines that had all the practicality of mom’s car. Most were hot hatches. A car that already revolutionized the enthusiast car scene the decade prior.

Enter the 2008-2014 Subaru Impreza WRX STI - GR hatch. It’s the Lancia Integrale of the 21^st century, and for once, us North Americans got it. And boy did we eat them up, especially here in Canada where snow covered our streets and made us hide our fun cars. Snow covered parking lots became gymkhana stages for anyone with a WRX STI - you can now be fast in the cold for slightly cheaper than you could with an AUDI S4. The UEL exhaust note was matchless, and for the first time you can have it in hot hatch form, with a wide body. And no, the GG WRX was a wagon, and a narrow body, so please don’t start that argument.

Now, the year is 2009, you just finished watching the latest Ken Block video, you put your North Face jacket on and make your way to the Subaru dealer to take delivery of your flat 4, turbo charged, 6 spd manual, widebody hot hatch.

14 years and a couple of short blocks later you have yourself a future classic.

We noticed that here at Lakeview Automotive and are currently hoarding all the Subaru WRX STIs with blown engines that we can find. They will all get a mechanical restoration and a variant of IAG Performance forged short block for added power capacity and reliability.

Why?

Because we recognize that as millennials age, we are going to reminisce at the scene in the snowy parking lot and the distinct burble of that turbo flat 4. Soon after that thought, nostalgia is going to have its way and you’ll be making your way down for one of Lakeview Automotive’s Forged Series Subarus.

We are primary focusing on the GR hatch mostly to the fact that it was the only WRX STI that was a hot hatch. If history is correct in telling the future, hot hatches make good classics.  

As the years come and go, you can be sure that Lakeview Automotive is holding on to clean Subaru shells and will be releasing them in “Forged Series” variants, stay tuned.