Say Hello To The 'STI-Enhanced' Subaru Forester TS

Here it is: the new Subaru Forester STI. Sort of. It’s actually called the tS (yes, with a lowercase ‘t’), and it’s said to be ‘STI-enhanced’, a bit like how Mercedes produces the ‘engineered by AMG’ A250. So, it’s not really a full-fat STI, but what have Subaru’s performace experts done to the standard 2.0-litre petrol Forester to jazz it up? Quite a bit, it turns out.

There are the obvious visual additions - 19-inch alloy wheels, restyled front and rear bumpers, a roof spoiler and a smattering of STI badges - but the changes under the skin are the most interesting.

A set of 17-inch Brembo brakes have been added with four-pot callipers on the front and two-pots at the back, while the suspension has been thoroughly overhauled with a 15mm drop, a strut tower brace and flexible rear subframe support. The VDC (Vehicle Dynamics Control) system has been recalibrated, and the 2.0-litre turbo boxer engine has a tweaked ECU and now delivers 276bhp.

However, it’s not all good news. Firstly, like the less powerful standard petrol Forester, you still have the CVT auto gearbox to contend with - which we can tell you from experience is rather lethargic - and just 300 will be sold, all in Japan. Boo.

If you live in Japan and are tempted, you’ll need 4,350,000 Yen (£23,400) to buy one.