SUBARU has dropped yet another teaser hinting at the STI’s return – just days before the Tokyo Auto Salon.
The cult favourite car brand stopped the much-loved WRX STI in early 2022, announcing they wouldn’t produce a next-gen model on the new WRX platform due to emissions challenges.
But rumours of its return have been rife throughout 2025 and in October the brand teased fans ahead of the Tokyo Motor Show by unveiling two striking new concept cars – one electric, one petrol-powered.
And now the manufacturer has dropped another WRX STI teaser on its Japanese channels, signalling a reveal on January 9 2026 – perfectly timed for the Tokyo Auto Salon.
The 12‑second clip opens with an obscured blue WRX, but the STI badge on the grille is unmistakable.
Furthermore, the soundtrack carries the racy burble of an iconic boxer four climbing the revs.
There are also flashes of what looks like a larger bonnet scoop than the standard WRX, body cladding on the rear quarter and even snowy forest cutaways that nod to Subaru’s rally roots.
It ends with the car streaking past the camera in a blur with an overhead angle that shows a rear window – suggesting it remains a saloon rather than a hatch.
The teaser, which clearly points to something based on the current‑generation WRX, notably doesn’t hint at hybrid or electric power.
Some fans reckon this could merely be an STI Performance Pack – with visual and minor dynamic tweaks rather than a full‑fat new WRX STI.
But if Subaru does commit, then January could mark the long‑awaited return of an icon.
This comes as legendary British car brand Caterham look close to fully unveiling its very first electric car – some two years after it was first revealed to the world.
The sports car maker, best known for the Seven, is set to take the wraps off a near-production version of its first EV, the Project V, also on January 9 at the Tokyo Auto Salon.
This first rolling prototype marks a significant step forward in development.
The firm has been relatively quiet since October last year, when it revealed a partnership with Yamaha for the car’s electric motors.
And according to Auto Express, Caterham will now assess Yamaha’s rear-mounted motor, along with battery safety and performance and the chassis’s durability, as part of its testing programme.
The famous manufacturer, which has been around since 1973, is today owned by VT Holdings, the Japanese company that has imported the Caterham Seven since 2009 and acquired Caterham in 2021.
