With no new STI in sight, we look back through the automaker’s speediest and coolest rides
There’s no doubt that Subaru has earned a reputation over the years among those seeking all-wheel-drive performance, which is why enthusiasts all around the world gasped in disbelief when the automaker announced the next-generation WRX STI will be placed on hold.
Between its US and Japanese factory-backed teams in the World Rally Championship, Rally America, Canadian Rally, Rallycross, and SuperGT, the automaker has well over 100 podiums to its name.
It’s that success that’s bred a ton of cool performance cars over the years. While other automakers deliver sleek, low-slung sports cars that can cut through a circuit with ease, Subaru seems unwilling to compromise on its proven formula of success. As a result, many of their coolest cars are closer to road-ready rally cars than anything else, designed and engineered while demystifying a tricky off-road stage in the middle of a forest.
Hopefully you’re already well-acquainted with the Impreza compact car, as that sets the foundation for a number of these speed machines. But don’t forget the Subaru Legacy and even the Forester, which had their own special hair-raising models. Let’s run through the list and you can spot any similarities.
Based on: 1989 Subaru Legacy
Powered by: a turbocharged boxer engine
Drive Wheels: All of them
Was there a North American Model? Yes
Why is this on the list? A land speed endurance record and a cool nickname in Europe
Back in 1989, Subaru was just finding its all-wheel-drive traction to success in North America. While it offered all-wheel-drive, the automaker pushed the envelope to prove it had the goods to compete on a global scale. The Legacy RS used a turbocharged four-cylinder engine making 217 horsepower, along with four powered wheels. Subaru brought three of these cars to the FIA test track in Phoenix, Arizona, and spun them around the track at an average speed of 223.4 km/h over roughly 19 days, adding up to 100,000 kilometres. This stunt earned Subaru a new world record for land speed endurance. Subaru earned a few fans that day, but perhaps the most telling legend of the Legacy RS Turbo is that it was dubbed the Lunacy by the Europeans. Think about all the epic names in automotive history: Godzilla, Rambo Lambo, the Goat, Screaming Chicken… I petition we throw the Lunacy into the mix.
Based on: 2006 Subaru Legacy
Powered by: a turbocharged boxer engine
Drive Wheels: All of them
Was there a North American Model? Yes
Why is this on the list? It had the performance of the WRX STI without the shouty looks
Let’s stick with the Legacy, as most of Subaru’s best performance cars featured four-doors, and why not talk about the bigger ones. In 2006, Subaru made 500 examples of the Legacy 2.5GT Spec.B, which used the same motor from the fan-favourite hot-hatch Subaru Impreza WRX. That means 250 horsepower, but as everybody knows power isn’t everything. It featured sporty suspension and a Torsen limited-slip differential along with the brand’s SI-Drive, a feature that allowed for tighter control of the engine response.
Based on: 2003 to 2008 Subaru Forester
Powered by: a turbocharged boxer engine
Drive Wheels: All of them
Was there a North American Model? No, kinda
Why is this on the list? It was a performance-oriented crossover well before they were cool like today.
In a perfect world, everyone would be able to get their hands on a 265 horsepower, manual-transmission, practical boxy crossover like this, but that world only exists in Japan. For a short period, the Japanese automaker offered a high-performance version of its square crossover, and it was something else. Lowered, stiffer, louder, and with better braking, this could keep up with anything on the road. The North American market got something close with the Forester XT, which wasn’t as powerful, but looked just as cool as the STI. Eventually, the Forester name became known for less exciting, family-friendly crossovers, and the memories of this STI faded away.
Based on: 2018 Subaru BRZ
Powered by: a naturally-aspirated boxer engine
Drive Wheels: Rear Wheels
Was there a North American Model? Yes
Why is this on the list? Subaru’s modern RWD coupe deserves some love.
The Subaru BRZ is a weird one, even today. A coupe designed by Toyota and built by Subaru, the BRZ felt out of sync with modern Subaru, which is known for its practical, boxy, family-friendly and go-anywhere kind of vehicles. Yet, the automaker flexed its engineering know-how and delivered a fun-to-drive and affordable rear-wheel-drive coupe. In 2018, Suburu expanded on it with 500 examples of the tS, which are said to be “tuned by STI,” though without forced induction as the performance arm is known to do. It features more grip with bigger tires, tuned suspension, and tweaked aerodynamics. This meant it responded quicker on the track, providing tons of confidence and speedier lap times. It’s always easy to get faster results with more power, but making it happen without engine tweaks at all showed the expertise of Subaru’s performance minds.
Based on: 2011 Subaru Impreza
Powered by: a turbocharged boxer engine
Drive Wheels: All of them
Was there a North American Model? No
Why is this on the list? Nearly 400 horsepower, under 4-second 0-100 km/h time, only 75 made.
In 2011, British tuning company Cosworth added its special flavour to the Impreza WRX STI. A pinch of extra power at the time meant that this limited-edition compact featured 395 horsepower via different pistons, new connecting rods, a redesigned head gasket, and a new turbo. That much horsepower allowed for a 0-100 km/h time of 3.8 seconds, which sounds terrifyingly awesome. Throw in the special Eibach springs, Bilstein shocks, and the adjustable rear anti-roll bar, and this Impreza could cut through the apexes on whatever track you threw it. Only 75 examples of this wild compact were made, and they were quickly gobbled up by the most dedicated enthusiasts.
Based on: 2018 Subaru Impreza WRX STI
Powered by: a turbocharged boxer engine
Drive Wheels: All of them
Was there a North American Model? Yes
Why is this on the list? Inspired by a Nurburgring record-setting lap time, track-ready performance over rally-bred.
In 2017, Subaru snagged another record by lapping the infamous Nurburgring in just 6:57.5, making it the fastest four-door to do so at the time. Granted, it wasn’t a production car that did the trick, but a tricked-out fancy race car. But Subaru was cool about it and made a production car inspired by its hero — one that could be purchased by anyone! And by anyone, we mean just 500 people, because that’s how many were made. Compared to other 2018 STIs, the Type RA featured a bit more power to go along with a revised third-gear ratio, a short-throw shifter, inverted Bilstein front struts, suspension tweaks, and a lightweight carbon-fibre roof, a huge carbon-fibre rear wing, and lighter BBS wheels. Of course, it was sweet to drive, carving through the corners of every track you could get it to. Unsurprisingly, it’s best enjoyed on the track — but that’s kind of the point of a list of the best performance cars.
Based on: 2012 Subaru Impreza WRX STI
Powered by: a turbocharged boxer engine
Drive Wheels: All of them
Was there a North American Model? No
Why is this on the list? Inspired by a 24-hour Nurburgring Class win, another track-bred speed machine
The 2018 Type RA wasn’t the first time Subaru used its Nurburgring exploits to sell a car. Back in 2011, the automaker achieved a class win at the 24 Hours Nurburgring endurance race, which conveniently helped it promote the new S206. The Subaru S-Series was hand-built by the automaker’s Subaru Technica International performance division, and this was among its most badass models. Those with a thing for vents and scoops and carbon fibre, here you go. It rolled wicked-huge Brembo brakes (six-piston calipers up front!) to show that Subaru was paying attention to its race cars.
Based on: 2020 Subaru WRX STI
Powered by: a turbocharged boxer engine
Drive Wheels: All of them
Was there a North American Model? Yes
Why is this on the list? The first time Subaru brought the S-Series to North America, it was incredibly balanced between road and track performance.
Subaru finally gave the US market a taste of the special edition S-Series sauce in 2020 with the S209. It was about time! For years, North Americans caught glimpses of what Subaru was capable of through video games like Gran Turismo, but the automaker delivered the goods with another special-edition model that was as fine as could be. It’s the most powerful car the STI division has ever built, putting out 341 horsepower and 330 lb-ft of torque. This was a track-bred beast, with a beefy rear stabilizer bar, Bilstein dampers, and an innovative two-piece strut tower bar and flexible front/rear draw stiffeners which helped the S209 deliver excellent grip, stability, and responsiveness. At this point, the fourth-generation WRX STI was feeling a bit stale, yet Subaru was able to push the limits of this vehicle to unimaginable limits on the track and street.
Based on: 1999 Subaru Impreza
Powered by: a turbocharged boxer engine
Drive Wheels: All of them
Was there a North American Model? No
Why is this on the list? Celebrated three consecutive FIA World Championship titles, with the coolest Subaru of them all.
The big daddy of Subaru’s performance is the 22b, and there are no doubts about that. Adorned with blue paint and gold wheels, the 22b featured a 2.2-litre turbocharged boxer engine that Subaru claimed had an output of just 276 horsepower, although it turned out to be much more in reality. It featured sodium-filled exhaust valves to go along with its wider track, completely revamped suspension, an adjustable rear wing, huge brakes, and fat tires. Interestingly, there are a few other similar models to the 22B, like the 2001 WRX STI P1 and the Type R STI (not to be confused with Honda’s Type R Civics), but the gist is that these models were practically supercars in compact car clothing.
The federal government is ordering the dissolution of TikTok’s Canadian business after a national security review of the Chinese company behind the social media platform, but stopped short of ordering people to stay off the app.
Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne announced the government’s “wind up” demand Wednesday, saying it is meant to address “risks” related to ByteDance Ltd.’s establishment of TikTok Technology Canada Inc.
“The decision was based on the information and evidence collected over the course of the review and on the advice of Canada’s security and intelligence community and other government partners,” he said in a statement.
The announcement added that the government is not blocking Canadians’ access to the TikTok application or their ability to create content.
However, it urged people to “adopt good cybersecurity practices and assess the possible risks of using social media platforms and applications, including how their information is likely to be protected, managed, used and shared by foreign actors, as well as to be aware of which country’s laws apply.”
Champagne’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment seeking details about what evidence led to the government’s dissolution demand, how long ByteDance has to comply and why the app is not being banned.
A TikTok spokesperson said in a statement that the shutdown of its Canadian offices will mean the loss of hundreds of well-paying local jobs.
“We will challenge this order in court,” the spokesperson said.
“The TikTok platform will remain available for creators to find an audience, explore new interests and for businesses to thrive.”
The federal Liberals ordered a national security review of TikTok in September 2023, but it was not public knowledge until The Canadian Press reported in March that it was investigating the company.
At the time, it said the review was based on the expansion of a business, which it said constituted the establishment of a new Canadian entity. It declined to provide any further details about what expansion it was reviewing.
A government database showed a notification of new business from TikTok in June 2023. It said Network Sense Ventures Ltd. in Toronto and Vancouver would engage in “marketing, advertising, and content/creator development activities in relation to the use of the TikTok app in Canada.”
Even before the review, ByteDance and TikTok were lightning rod for privacy and safety concerns because Chinese national security laws compel organizations in the country to assist with intelligence gathering.
Such concerns led the U.S. House of Representatives to pass a bill in March designed to ban TikTok unless its China-based owner sells its stake in the business.
Champagne’s office has maintained Canada’s review was not related to the U.S. bill, which has yet to pass.
Canada’s review was carried out through the Investment Canada Act, which allows the government to investigate any foreign investment with potential to might harm national security.
While cabinet can make investors sell parts of the business or shares, Champagne has said the act doesn’t allow him to disclose details of the review.
Wednesday’s dissolution order was made in accordance with the act.
The federal government banned TikTok from its mobile devices in February 2023 following the launch of an investigation into the company by federal and provincial privacy commissioners.
— With files from Anja Karadeglija in Ottawa
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 6, 2024.
The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.
LONDON (AP) — Most people have accumulated a pile of data — selfies, emails, videos and more — on their social media and digital accounts over their lifetimes. What happens to it when we die?
It’s wise to draft a will spelling out who inherits your physical assets after you’re gone, but don’t forget to take care of your digital estate too. Friends and family might treasure files and posts you’ve left behind, but they could get lost in digital purgatory after you pass away unless you take some simple steps.
Here’s how you can prepare your digital life for your survivors:
Apple
The iPhone maker lets you nominate a “ legacy contact ” who can access your Apple account’s data after you die. The company says it’s a secure way to give trusted people access to photos, files and messages. To set it up you’ll need an Apple device with a fairly recent operating system — iPhones and iPads need iOS or iPadOS 15.2 and MacBooks needs macOS Monterey 12.1.
For iPhones, go to settings, tap Sign-in & Security and then Legacy Contact. You can name one or more people, and they don’t need an Apple ID or device.
You’ll have to share an access key with your contact. It can be a digital version sent electronically, or you can print a copy or save it as a screenshot or PDF.
Take note that there are some types of files you won’t be able to pass on — including digital rights-protected music, movies and passwords stored in Apple’s password manager. Legacy contacts can only access a deceased user’s account for three years before Apple deletes the account.
Google takes a different approach with its Inactive Account Manager, which allows you to share your data with someone if it notices that you’ve stopped using your account.
When setting it up, you need to decide how long Google should wait — from three to 18 months — before considering your account inactive. Once that time is up, Google can notify up to 10 people.
You can write a message informing them you’ve stopped using the account, and, optionally, include a link to download your data. You can choose what types of data they can access — including emails, photos, calendar entries and YouTube videos.
There’s also an option to automatically delete your account after three months of inactivity, so your contacts will have to download any data before that deadline.
Facebook and Instagram
Some social media platforms can preserve accounts for people who have died so that friends and family can honor their memories.
When users of Facebook or Instagram die, parent company Meta says it can memorialize the account if it gets a “valid request” from a friend or family member. Requests can be submitted through an online form.
The social media company strongly recommends Facebook users add a legacy contact to look after their memorial accounts. Legacy contacts can do things like respond to new friend requests and update pinned posts, but they can’t read private messages or remove or alter previous posts. You can only choose one person, who also has to have a Facebook account.
You can also ask Facebook or Instagram to delete a deceased user’s account if you’re a close family member or an executor. You’ll need to send in documents like a death certificate.
TikTok
The video-sharing platform says that if a user has died, people can submit a request to memorialize the account through the settings menu. Go to the Report a Problem section, then Account and profile, then Manage account, where you can report a deceased user.
Once an account has been memorialized, it will be labeled “Remembering.” No one will be able to log into the account, which prevents anyone from editing the profile or using the account to post new content or send messages.
X
It’s not possible to nominate a legacy contact on Elon Musk’s social media site. But family members or an authorized person can submit a request to deactivate a deceased user’s account.
Passwords
Besides the major online services, you’ll probably have dozens if not hundreds of other digital accounts that your survivors might need to access. You could just write all your login credentials down in a notebook and put it somewhere safe. But making a physical copy presents its own vulnerabilities. What if you lose track of it? What if someone finds it?
Instead, consider a password manager that has an emergency access feature. Password managers are digital vaults that you can use to store all your credentials. Some, like Keeper,Bitwarden and NordPass, allow users to nominate one or more trusted contacts who can access their keys in case of an emergency such as a death.
But there are a few catches: Those contacts also need to use the same password manager and you might have to pay for the service.
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Is there a tech challenge you need help figuring out? Write to us at onetechtip@ap.org with your questions.
LONDON (AP) — Britain’s competition watchdog said Thursday it’s opening a formal investigation into Google’s partnership with artificial intelligence startup Anthropic.
The Competition and Markets Authority said it has “sufficient information” to launch an initial probe after it sought input earlier this year on whether the deal would stifle competition.
The CMA has until Dec. 19 to decide whether to approve the deal or escalate its investigation.
“Google is committed to building the most open and innovative AI ecosystem in the world,” the company said. “Anthropic is free to use multiple cloud providers and does, and we don’t demand exclusive tech rights.”
San Francisco-based Anthropic was founded in 2021 by siblings Dario and Daniela Amodei, who previously worked at ChatGPT maker OpenAI. The company has focused on increasing the safety and reliability of AI models. Google reportedly agreed last year to make a multibillion-dollar investment in Anthropic, which has a popular chatbot named Claude.
Anthropic said it’s cooperating with the regulator and will provide “the complete picture about Google’s investment and our commercial collaboration.”
“We are an independent company and none of our strategic partnerships or investor relationships diminish the independence of our corporate governance or our freedom to partner with others,” it said in a statement.
The U.K. regulator has been scrutinizing a raft of AI deals as investment money floods into the industry to capitalize on the artificial intelligence boom. Last month it cleared Anthropic’s $4 billion deal with Amazon and it has also signed off on Microsoft’s deals with two other AI startups, Inflection and Mistral.
The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.
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