The Limited-Edition Subaru WRX S4 tS Is Here, But You Probably Can't Buy It

Remember that awesome limited-edition S207 WRX STI Subaru revealed last year? The boffins at Subaru Tecnica International have now taken a WRX and festooned it with many the S207’s fancy chassis bits, while leaving the under-bonnet gubbins mostly standard. The result is this: the S4 tS.

So what we’re looking at is a cut-price S207, something that’s quite a tempting proposition. Except there’s another key aspect the S4 tS shares with the S207: it’s only available in Japan, at a price of ¥4,968,000 (£38,000).

If you haven’t just closed this browser window in disgust and would like to torture yourself with more details about this delicious piece of forbidden fruit, let us fill you in. We’re looking at a whole host of STI parts, including ‘DampMatic II’ adjustable front dampers, STI-tuned rear dampers, a beefier strut brace, uprated rear suspension links and four-piston Brembo brakes.

Fancy some shoutier details on the outside? The ‘NBR Challenge Package’ gives you exactly that, with 19-inch forged wheels and a bloody great carbonfibre rear wing. Oh, and a suede steering wheel. Lovely

The 218bhp, 2.0-litre turbocharged boxer engine is - as mentioned - left pretty much alone, save for some unnamed “modified air intake/exhaust parts” which give a 10 per cent increase in torque under hard acceleration.

The big surprise though is what that boxer is attached to: a “Sport Lineartronic” transmission. Translate the marketing speak, and that’s a CVT gearbox. Fitted to a racier WRX. With no other transmission option available. Actually Japan, maybe you can keep this one…