The VB Subaru WRX offers a really strong performance value, especially today when value of any kind seems hard to find in the new car market. For instance, at 30-grand, you can get a turbocharged AWD WRX with a manual transmission… with enough room for a bike rack on top & enough doors for baby seats in back. That’s still a good 15-grand shy of what you’re gonna spend on any of the GR Corolla, Type-R, Type-S, Golf R, or GT badges these days. And that’s before all the dealership markups & inventory excuses. Yep, 30-grand will have a WRX in your garage today in whatever color you prefer. And can’t the argument be made that: Isn’t that what it’s all about anyway?? Since when did we want the manufactures to mod our cars for us. When did all that get so out of hand? Let me explain…

This VB WRX belongs to Dylan Grace…

He’s in his early 40s, so he grew-up in the 90’s car scene. Tuner magazines, FAFO rice mods, NOPI Nationals… all that beautiful stuff was engrained into him. But then, life happens. The energy of the sport-compact craze kinda fell off. The youth seemed to sober up and/or go on antidepressants. Dylan settled down, got a real job, started a beautiful family – and life just happens. He wouldn’t trade it for nuthin’… but you end up kind of doing ‘the sensible thing’ until it becomes habitual.

Eventually, Dylan got to a spot where he really missed fun cars…

He was missing that part of life. From Dylan’s perspective, the Subaru WRX is one of the last cars born in that era that’s still holding out. In a lot of ways, its DNA hasn’t changed much: 4-doors, a flat-4 turbocharged engine, all-wheel-drive, a manual transmission, and electronically free in a lot of ways. So…

Dylan took the new VB WRX on a test drive, and his ‘90s teenage brain took over…

Needles to say, the WRX came home with him. He put some miles on it & added some basic fun bolt-ons and tunes. And to his pleasant surprise, the car started pushing some real horsepower. Dylan had really been wanting to get out & DRIVE the car unrestrained, so took the WRX to a Jzilla track day, and the bug bit him hard. As usually happens, more & more track-time made Dylan start to reassess some of his previous mods, and got him dialing the car in from a true performance/results standpoint. Then, at 11,000-miles in turns 10A & 10B of Road Atlanta, the new WRX transmission up-and left the chat.

As you’ve probably heard by now…

Subaru has a reputation for not concerning themselves with pesky warranties on even slightly modified cars. Dylan gave it the good ol’ college try, but of course he got the DENIED stamp. The cost of a new VB WRX transmission (installed) was about $11,000… coincidentally the same as the mileage in which it failed. Nah. That kinda felt like a road Dylan didn’t wanna go down again. So…

Dylan went to the aftermarket with his new VB WRX…

He contacted Dana Palmer from Speed Foundry… and they decided to pursue an STI drivetrain instead of a new VB WRX replacement. For those of you who may or may not know, the STI transmission is substantially stronger. And – it bolts right up to the VB WRX (with a few minor adjustments). Speed Foundry snagged the whole STI drivetrain, complete with STI axles & diff, including the DCCD front/rear bias adjustment. And at that point, they took the opportunity to upgrade to a carbon driveshaft for better power delivery.

All-in, guess what, the price ended up right around $11,000. But now the drivetrain is substantially stronger & no longer the weak-link to worry about. Dylan says the STI swap could definitely be done cheaper, but they chose a low-mileage (10,000-mile) STI drivetrain for the swap. That way it kept everything roughly the same mileage, almost as if it was purchased from the dealer that way. And here’s something more to consider…

There is no STI version of the new WRX…

Rumor is – it’s death was emissions related (go figure). Subaru just couldn’t make the STI engine work with the evermore-&-more oppressive I mean stringent emissions regulations. But here’s the thing: The last model 2015-2021 WRX ran a 2-liter turbo. And that corresponding generation’s STI still ran the legendary EJ 2.5. But now in the current generation VB WRX, the engine has grown from a 2-liter to a 2.4. So there’s no STI… but the argument can be made that regular WRXs now come with what’s essentially a modernized marriage of a WRX & STI engine combined.

Hypothetically, if there was a current STI, it would likely be running the same 2.4, possibly with some stronger internals, and likely with a larger turbo and more aggressive tune. The point is: with Dylan’s STI drivetrain upgrade, upgraded brakes, and 350whp/370tq tuned horsepower, he arguably created a new STI in the aftermarket. And that’s still on the stock turbo (see the spec-sheet at the end).

And here’s the cherry on top of this funky VB WRX sundae…

Dylan’s into this WRX (ermm STI??) TOTAL… for about the cost of a Civic Type-R, GR Corolla, Mustang GT, Golf R, or slightly used Supra or BMW M thing. And like I said in the opening paragraph – isn’t that kinda what it’s all about?? At this particular point-in-time, premium performance models have gone off the rails. We’re looking at $50,000 Civics & Corollas. $70,000 Mustangs & Tacomas. And $100,000 Jeeps. Go back to your ’90s tuner frame of mind. What would that guy do? Remember the MAX BOOST comics in the old Import Tuner mags? Where they boosted Civic hatchbacks in their garage, beat the quarterback in his Mustang, and stole his girl?

So you bought a fast expensive car… cool. But is it YOURS?? As performance-potent as these modern performance platforms are… they’ve turned into their own worst enemy: turn-key, store-bought, fast cars. Even if you choose to modify ’em, you’re under (social media) peer pressure to modify them acceptably & appropriately. That’s not a culture, it’s a credit card. And your ’90s brain knows it.