I had been waiting for the call for a few years but it never came.
It had been bugging me a little why they didn't call, but I kept the faith.
Then, out of the blue, I the call came. It took me a little by surprise at first, but I was finally going to the game. I was going to get to test drive the new 2011 Subaru Impreza STi.
Now there may be a few of you out there who don't know what an Impreza STi is or its significance, but all you need to know is, when you get the call, you don't turn it down.
When I got to 5th and Carney Subaru as Steve Reeser led me out of the side door into the parking lot, there it was, standing on its own amid several rows of lesser vehicles. It was almost as if the other vehicles knew their place and moved back to give this wonderous beast the room it deserved.
It looked hard and sporty, tight and lean. It looked like it needed to be tamed and I figured I was the one that was going to make it sit up and beg.
At rest it looked like it could bite my hand off if I didn't treat it right, so I oohed and aahed a bit before resting in its supportive sporty seats. One turn of the key and I knew I was right. This was a ferocious animal.
No matter what gear you are driving in there is a constant growl coming from the STi, almost as if it is always pissed off. This is just to remind you of what is under the hood. Although the STi comes with a 2.5-litre four-cylinder engine, it puts out a whopping 305 horsepower.
But this growl is not from any little lap dog you may find perched beside some old lady with purple hair on a rocking chair. Nor is it a dog whose bark is worse than its bite. A dog you know you could easily punt over the back fence if push came to shove.
This is a pitbull, rottweiler, English bull mastiff cross who has just had his manhood unceremoniously sliced off with a blunt spoon by some cackling back-alley feminist vet who has a vengeance for anything of the male species. He is mad an he is ready to rip apart anyone who is not his owner, and rightly so.
But, if you are his owner he is willing to do just about anything possible on the road to put a smile on your face.
Forget the ads for the special creams and ointments that claim they will make you look and feel younger. This is the crme de la youthful cream. It will not only make you feel younger, if your butt is not tighter and sitting higher in your pants by the time you get out of the STi then you are indeed a lost cause.
You can see the power of the STi in the huge 747-rear fin and the STi decals. You can feel it in the tight steering and suspension. You can hear it in the heavy metal notes from its twin, dual exhaust pipes and you can almost smell it in the air when you hammer the gas pedal.
You can tell how the STi will handle just by sitting in it. You can tell how quickly it will move just by listening to it. And it does not disappoint in any manner.
It is fast, very fast. It is more than agile, and I don't know if it came with a stereo, other than the one attached to the tail pipes, but if it did, it is absolutely redundant.
The road to Westlake was eaten up with aplomb and the STi never put a foot wrong. Its rally race-bred bloodlines come to the fore with any semblance of spirited driving, and the clutch is as easy in the STi as it is in the very base model Impreza.
For those who believe they are better drivers than their friends are, the STi comes equipped with Subaru Intelligent Drive allowing the driver to match the driving mode to the driving mood. Intelligent Mode "delivers smoothness in low-traction conditions and boosts fuel economy." Sport Mode "provides linear throttle response for everyday driving conditions and extra power when needed," and Sport Sharp Mode "exploits the full capability of the STi, delivering instant throttle response for maximum enjoyment.
There are also four modes for the centre differential allowing the driver to "ensure precise handling in all conditions."
But no matter what setting you prefer for the differential or what driving mode you employ, after driving the Subaru Impreza STi you will be in the best mood you have been in for a long time.
Subaru Impreza STi
6-speed manual
2.5 litre four cylinder
Horsepower 305 @ 6,000
Torque 290 @ 00
Mileage: 12.400 km 23 mpg City 8.8 l/100km 32 mpg Hwy
Price $40,195
