Subaru has been teasing an STI version of its 2+2 seat BRZ sports car for the past several years. At the 2015 New York Auto Show, the company even unveiled a BRZ-based STI Performance Concept, which was touted as the basis for a commercially available production version. Now, the company has officially announced that it will finally be lifting the curtains off its brand new Subaru Brz STI next week, on June 8.

The long wait is over

Subaru USA recently posted the announcement on its official Twitter account, which included a picture of the car's rear wing complete with its STI logo.

Based on the rather tall rear wing, the BRZ will likely be coming with a slew of aerodynamic add-ons, which will extend to its front bumper, rear bumper, and side panels.

Extending to other markets

While the North American market hasn't yet received a souped-up version of the standard BRZ, the company actually released a special edition model called the BRZ TS in Japan back in 2013. The upgraded model was specifically tuned by STI, the performance division of Subaru. The vehicle received a slew of upgrades, including a full STI body kit, a larger drive shaft, and large Brembo brakes. The interior was also flushed with new components such as a new steering wheel, redesigned sports seats, new gauges, and several Alcantara fabric accents.

Unfortunately, the vehicle's engine didn't receive any upgrades.

Expected changes

The upcoming 2017 Subaru BRZ STI is expected to come with the same relative upgrades as the BRZ TS in Japan. However, additional tuning will likely be included, specifically to its engine and its Suspension System. Subaru has been tight-lipped about the specifics of the engine's upgrades, but it did confirm that the STI was going to have a more powerful engine.

The current BRZ's naturally-aspirated 2.0-liter flat-four cylinder engine generates 200 horsepower and 151 lbs-ft of torque. That figure is expected to be increased with the STI version, which is likely going to be in the 230 to 250 horsepower region. Aside from the slightly more powerful engine, the STI is expected to come with a tighter suspension with retuned dampers and a larger drive shaft.

The 2017 Subaru BRZ STI is going to be the company's range-topping variant when it finally arrives. Subaru has yet to announce the official pricing and release date for the new model, but that information should be revealed at the official unveiling next week. Seeing as the current standard model costs around $30,000, the STI could easily reach the $40,000 mark with all options selected.
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