Subaru Forester XTI Concept
If you're the type who prefers canyon carving to scaling mountains, however, not to worry -- a visit to the Subaru stand at SEMA won't disappoint. For the XTI concept Subaru is giving its modest family hauler the full STI treatment, starting with the addition of a JDM body kit that includes side skirts, a rear skirt and gate spoiler, along with a mesh grille from the automaker's accessory catalog. New, 18-in. forged alloy wheels wear Yokohama Advan performance tires, an adjustable coil-over suspension helps hug the road, and Brembo brakes with four-piston front calipers (and two-piston rear calipers) are borrowed straight from the Impreza WRX STI to help harness the XTI's added power.
Oh yes, about that power -- to aid in showing other CUVs its taillights, the XTI includes the entire engine and drivetrain from the STI, along with added go-fast goodies like a custom stainless steel cat-back exhaust system boost the 2.5L turbo up to 315 hp and 300 lb-ft of torque. The standard Forester transmission is replaced by a close-ratio six-speed manual, and a Driver Controlled Center Differential system offers three performance modes and six manual center differential-locking settings. Of course no super-quick tall wagon would be complete without a little something extra in the cabin, too, so the XTI adds leather and Alcantara sport seats along with a new instrument cluster, dashboard, and leather-wrapped steering wheel for a more businesslike feel.
Presently Subaru isn't releasing specific performance numbers for its XTI Concept, but with its relatively low weight (3447-lbs in stock 2.5XT form), the automaker claims this go-fast Forester can hit the 60 mph mark in under five seconds. There's no word on whether or not the Japanese automaker will actually build this family-hauling beast, but if you've just had a kid and want something that keeps up with your single buds' Camaros and Challenger SRT8s, you might want to give Subaru and ring and let them know you're interested.