Good News For Next-Generation Subaru WRX STI Styling

The problem many performance fans had when the current-generation Subaru WRX STI arrived in 2015, was the styling didn’t look like the wildly popular WRX Concept. Masahiko Kobayashi was the design chief at Subaru Corporation and he was criticized for not bringing exterior changes that were more extreme. Subaru has always been conserved in its styling. Look at the Forester and Outback which had minor design changes for the new-generation models.

But there is good news for WRX STI enthusiasts who have been asking for more aggressive styling on the next-generation performance models that are in the works now at Subaru. Masahiko Kobayashi is out as design chief and Mamoru Ishii is now the head of the company’s design department.

VIZIV Tourer Concept is Ishii’s design philosophy

Kobayashi was Subaru's design chief for 20 years and designed the original Outback, Legacy GT, several WRX STIs and Foresters, and the subcompact Crosstrek. He’s now left Subaru and is an independent designer. With the switch to Mamoru Ishii, we can get an idea of his philosophy with the VIZIV Tourer concept introduced at the 2018 Geneva auto show. It represents a completely different approach to design.

In an interview at the Geneva Auto Show, Ishii talked with Digital Trends and told them he plans on taking Subaru’s design language (and the WRX STI) forward by “listening to what customers want and staying in tune with market trends.” That’s good news if he follows through on his plan. You could see a very different exterior styling compared with the current-generation model.

Fans want a new bolder design on the next-generation WRX STI

He told Automotive News, "We are moving to that next step, aiming for a product that the customer will buy because of the design, a design that has excitement, emotion, one that is solid and dynamic.” 

In order for the next-generation Subaru WRX STI to be a market force, Subaru Corporation will need to give performance enthusiasts something special. The WRX STI is still the flagship model with many Subaru fans and it represents what the brand is known for, fast, fun-to-drive cars developed from Subaru Tecnica International’s involvement in motorsports that carries over to its SUVs and wagon models.

Subaru motorsports influences the brand and especially the STI

Look for the next-generation Subaru WRX STI to arrive sometime late next year as a 2022 model year. Fans are hoping for a bolder exterior design and a return of the STI hatch. Stay tuned.

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Denis Flierl has invested over 30 years in the automotive industry in a variety of roles. All of his reports are archived on our Subaru page. Follow Denis on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Subaru Report. Check back tomorrow for more Subaru news and updates at Torque News!

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Photo credit: Subaru