When you think Subaru, you think flatulent-sounding rally rocket specials with some vaping flat brim Kyle-looking brat behind the wheel, don’t you? It’s okay…the amount of WRX and STI models I see with a certain energy drink’s trademark plastered all over the bumper covers and back window reinforces that stereotype. But at least Subaru has a performance background to lean on…there are plenty of great memories of Colin McRae and the 555 Subaru Impreza rally cars that he made dance in rally stages the world over, and there is a solid group of tuners the world over who strive to get every last bit of horsepower out of the EJ engines as they can. I’ve ridden in a couple of cars that were more than ready to pin the back of my head to the headrest and keep it there until the next shift, and the grip that some of these Scoobies have is unreal.

J-Spec Performance’s WRX STI is a time-attack build: an EJ25 pushing 600 horsepower, a six-speed sequential, turbo upgrades and an exhaust system by Tomei that is going to please your eardrum. The growl as this car climbs the tachometer is beautiful…its the kind of auditory stimulation that demands fast driving and encourages you to keep your foot buried longer and longer just to see if you can find the end of the rev range. But the best thing about this car? The gauges work…including the poor speedometer, who never saw this kind of punishment coming, we’d wager!