The Performance-E STI and Performance-B STI concepts were revealed at the Tokyo Motor Show
Photography by Subaru
Words by Luke Barry
It may be 29 years and 11 months since Subaru first topped the rallying world, but the combination of blue and gold is still as iconic as the sport itself.
But Subaru hasn’t had a World Rally Championship program since 2008 – an absence that has starved rallying fans not just of a cult classic team, but some legendary road car spin-offs too.
Has Subaru finally answered our prayers?
There’s no promise of a rallying program beyond the ultra-successful operation in the US just yet, but unveiling two STI concept cars at the Tokyo Motor Show has well and truly covered the second box.
The Performance-E STI concept and Performance-B STI concept are, in a word, stunning. Purists may be triggered by the former with its electric powertrain, but just look at it! Said to be “spearheading Subaru’s new generation” with a “design that evokes the brand’s heritage”, it gets a big, fat yes from this writer.
The Performance-B is perhaps more like an Impreza would’ve been – both in drivetrain and design. It looks remarkably similar to the final World Rally Car Petter Solberg and Chris Atkinson drove those 17 years ago, and features two iconic Subaru features: a horizontally-opposed engine, and ‘symmetrical all-wheel-drive’.
Simply lovely.
Fair play if you’ve managed to read the words instead of just staring at the pictures. I’ll be quiet now and let you stare some more.
Let’s just all pray the word ‘concept’ is dropped from those titles in the near future…
Words:Luke Barry
Tags: Subaru, Subaru Performance-B STI, Subaru Performance-E STI, Tokyo Motot Show
Publish Date October 29, 2025 DirtFish
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