2008 Subaru Impreza WRX STI

When pictures of the new STI surfaced on the Internet, I have to admit, I wasn't too fond of it. It was downright funky looking. Gone was the familiar sedan silhouette in favor of a new round hatchback design that looked, dare I say, Ford Focus -like. Gasp. Wheeze. What was the world coming to? How could Subaru take the venerable STI moniker and gimp it to domestic status?

Then I saw it in person. What looked like a goofy George Wallace in low-res spy shots, more closely resembled a muscular George Foreman-the pre-grill, World Heavyweight Champ, Foreman-up close. The functional vents, rear spoiler and widebody front fender and rear quarter panels give the '08 STI a brawny, nocked-out-all-the-fat look that Big George himself would be proud of. Throw in the dual twin exhaust outlets, optional 18-inch forged BBS wheels, hand wraps and loves and the all-wheel-drive-brawler looks ready to take on Ivan Drago.

The STI packs a serious donkey-sized punch, too. The 2.5L four-cylinder boxer engine now boasts Dual AVCS, adding variable valve timing controls to the exhaust valve to last generation's intake-only. A really trick feature on the new STI is the SI-Drive-by altering the engine ECU maps and the electronic throttle, SI-Drive offers three distinct driving modes ranging from fuel efficient, "Intelligent" (I), to "Sport" (S), to all-out raw performance in the "Sport Sharp" (S#) configuration. Think APEX'I PowerFC with three different tunes. At its peak, the electronically enhanced EJ now spits out 305 hp at 6,000 rpm (12 hp increase over the '07) and 290 lb-ft of torque at 4,000 rpm (400 rpm earlier than the '07), all while sitting a gravity-friendly 10mm lower to the ground.

Clutched to a short-throw six-speed transmission, power from the flywheel is divided to all four wheels via a helical-type LSD up front, Torsen LSD in the rear and with Subaru's Driver Controlled Center Differential (DCCD) in the midsection. With three automatic and six manual settings, the DCCD allows you to lock the center differential up to 41:59 front/rear torque distribution depending on road and handling conditions. Paired with Subaru's traction control-altering VDC, the STI allows even the most untrained contender accessibility to all of its power.

Where the Subaru has lost some of its Mike Tyson ear-chomping bite-for the better if you ask me-is the interior. Although less Spartan than its predecessor, the cavernous '08 STI accoutrements still boast higher-quality interior materials, including double-stitched fabrics and high-grade plastics worthy of a car starting much higher than its mid $35k price range ($37,640 with BBS package and delivery). Performance is one thing in a sports car, but for daily drivability, elements like 60/40 fold-down rear seats, side curtain airbags, Alcantara-clad interior, tilt and telescoping steering wheel and supportive yet comfortable seats are what count on the road. The new STI even has a nifty Incline Start Assist function that will hold the car for about a second during steep hill starts. For hill-weary pansies (me): No more holding onto the e-brake.

While the new STI feels more refined in the cabin, take it out on the track and you'll appreciate it for what it was born to do: Rally performance. Correction: Rally-winning performance. So what of the five-door hatch design? Shorter overhang for improved performance; trunks tend to get in the way of trees, bushes and other kinds of foliages on tight, dirt roads. Even though it looks smaller, the '08 actually has a longer wheelbase and wider track than the previous STi, as well a stiffer chassis. A fact when combined with the new double-wishbone rear suspension is much appreciated when whipping the car from turn to turn...and into more turns.