Robert_K
08-29-2005, 04:10 PM
http://www.spdmag.com/article.asp?section_id=2&article_id=2025
Easy Street Motorsport's Signature Edition WRX STi
By Edward Loh
Photography by Marc Urbano
May/June 2005
In 2001, Subaru unleashed its rally bred Impreza WRX upon America and changed the sports-car and performance-sedan market as we know it. As a thank you for making the WRX a smash hit, Subaru gave us the STi, the highest performing vehicle in its line-up and in U.S.-spec, the most powerful WRX in the world.
But for Ali Afshar, the STi wasn’t enough. Afshar is a WRX drag racer, sponsored by Subaru and its performance accessories division, Subaru Performance Tuning (SPT). He’s also a card carrying Hollywood actor who has had a string of successes in the past few years appearing in such movies as Three Kings, Godzilla, and The Siege — usually as a Middle Eastern heavy. In the same span of time, his Subaru/SPT/ESX team has done remarkably well, amassing six NHRA “Wally’s” with his 9.44-second/148.7 mph WRX and establishing a solid reputation for his North Hollywood, California-based tuning shop, Easy Street Motorsports.
Easy Street Motorsports (aka ESX) offers several upgrade packages for the WRX and WRX STi. Kits range from simple bolt-on packages worth a few horsepower, all the way up to 740-bhp fully-built race engines from Australia (where WRX tuning development goes back a dozen years). But now Afshar and Subaru are ready to go one step further. By the time you read this, Easy Street Motorsports will offer the Ali Afshar Signature Edition Easy Street Motorsports WRX STi (ESX STi for short). Only 40 will be made; each specially badged, numbered and covered by Easy Street Motorsports’ two-year warranty (not Subaru’s). Two versions will be offered for sale at a handful of Subaru dealers nationwide; the 365-bhp Street Spec ESX STi that is 50-state emissions legal, and the 425-bhp Track Spec ESX STi that is for “off-highway use only.” In a fit of intense unoriginality, we tested the Track Spec version at our local track and then flogged the Street Spec on, you guessed it, the street. Here’s what we discovered:
Even with roughly 425 bhp split among all four wheels, the hardest thing about launching the Track Spec ESX STi is getting it to hold traction. Easy Street’s technicians informed us that full power was available at 5200 rpm, and that their drag technique of choice was blipping the throttle to 5500 rpm before dumping the clutch. We tried this and a few other techniques involving the STi’s Driver Controlled Center Differential (DCCD) system, but could only achieve either smoky, four-wheel burnouts or pitiful bog. Neither resulted in good acceleration times, and short of slipping the clutch, the best we could manage was a 4.4-sec. zero-to-60-mph sprint — only 0.1 sec better than stock. Top end performance was more impressive, as the ESX STi clocked a 12.8-sec., 106.4-mph quarter-mile ET — a half second quicker than stock.
On the butt dyno, the Street Spec ESX STi fared much better. Stock STi’s are rated at 300 bhp, measured at the crankshaft at 6000 rpm. Easy Street claims its STi makes 365 bhp at the wheels along with 80 additional lb.-ft. of torque at 3500 rpm (approximately 420 bhp at the crank). While we didn’t actually verify it, our subjective evidence gives credence to their claims. Unsuspecting passengers, even those familiar with the stock STi’s brutally quick acceleration, aren’t prepared for the neck snapping power increase. In every gear, the Street Spec ESX bites harder and pulls stronger. Floor it and wicked acceleration is immediate. It’s a raucous ride too, from the rumble of the exhaust note at idle to the whoosh and sneeze of the turbo and wastegate at every upshift.
So where does all the extra juice come from? For the Street Spec ESX, most of the gains come from revised engine control unit (ECU) calibration. Ali and his crew spent many hours on their four-wheel dyno figuring out how to wring the most power from the stock turbo setup. In addition, they replaced the top-mount intercooler with a higher capacity version and worked closely with Injen, an established manufacturer of aftermarket intakes and exhausts, to develop a cold air intake and cat-back exhaust. A high volume fuel pump rounds out the Street Spec upgrades. Track versions make 425 bhp at the wheels by combining the Street Spec bolt-ons with an upgraded turbocharger, downpipe with high-flow catalytic converter, 730 cc/min fuel injectors, and more aggressively configured ECU.
While praise for the tuning upgrades was unanimous, consensus could not be established about the exterior styling. With its high deck rear wing and tsunami-sized hood scoop, the stock STi is already visually polarizing. Easy Street’s additional styling tweaks drew a range of responses from around our office, everything from “Dude, that thing looks awesome,” (staff photographer) to, “Shame about the stripes and that massive wing...” (race-car driver/writer). Funny thing is, Easy Street didn’t do that much, adding only wheels and vinyl stripes, and removing a few STi logos and Subaru badges. Turns out, modifying bodywork or suspension mandates additional crash testing — an expensive proposition when building only 40 cars.
The lack of suspension changes surprised everyone who drove the ESX STi, since it rode noticeably smoother than stock. This was especially true at high speeds on the freeway, where the stock STi seemed nervous and twitchy, especially over rain rutted asphalt and slotted highway concrete.
2005 Subaru Easy Street WRX STi (Track Model)
List Price/Tested Price: est. $55,000
Type: alum. block & heads, turbocharged flat-4
Valvetrain: dohc 4-valve/cyl
Disp/Bore x stroke: 2457 cc/99.5 x 79.0 mm
Compression ratio: 8.2:1
Horsepower (SAE): est 426 bhp @ 5200 rpm*
Torque: est 410 lb-ft @ 5200 rpm*
Redline: 7000 rpm
Layout: front engine/all-wheel drive
Brakes, front discs/calipers: 12.7-in. vented discs/ 4-piston fixed
Brakes, rear discs/calipers: 12.3-in. vented discs/ 2-piston fixed
Braking aids: ABS
Wheels: cast alloy; 18 x 8.5
Tires: BFGoodrich g-Force T/A KDW 245/35R-18 88Y
Steering: rack & pinion, power assist
Turns L-to-L, turn dia.: 2.7, 35.4 ft
Suspension, front: MacPherson struts, lower L-arm, coil springs, tube shocks, anti-roll bar
Suspension, rear: struts, coil springs, tube shocks, anti-roll bar
Curb weight: 3335 lb
Test weight: 3515 lb
Weight dist**, f/r, %: 58/42
Length: 173.8 in.
Width: 68.5 in.
Height: 56.3 in.
Wheelbase: 100.0 in.
Track, f/r: 58.7 in./58.9
Transmission: 6-speed manual
Gear ratios: 3.64/2.38/1.76/1.35/0.97/0.76
Speed in gears: 37/57/76/100/139/147***
Final drive ratio: 3.90:1
0-60 mph: 4.4 sec
0-1320 ft (1/4 mile): 12.8 sec. @ 106.4 mph
Braking 60, 80 mph: 117 ft, 212 ft
200-ft skid lat. accel: 0.90g w/moderate understeer
700-ft slalom speed: 67.1 mph w/mild understeer
ESX paint scheme w/ white racing stripes, grilles, custom interior, boost gauge, SPT short throw shifter, touch screen navigation, Injen intake, hi-flow intercooler, Injen cat back exhaust, hi-volume fuel pump, upgraded turbocharger, 730-cc injectors, Arceo Mesh wheels, upgraded brake rotors, SPT steel brake lines.
*Measured at wheels
**With driver
***Electronically limited
http://www.spdmag.com/assets/image/2005/0628200511145214.jpg
Easy Street Motorsport's Signature Edition WRX STi
By Edward Loh
Photography by Marc Urbano
May/June 2005
In 2001, Subaru unleashed its rally bred Impreza WRX upon America and changed the sports-car and performance-sedan market as we know it. As a thank you for making the WRX a smash hit, Subaru gave us the STi, the highest performing vehicle in its line-up and in U.S.-spec, the most powerful WRX in the world.
But for Ali Afshar, the STi wasn’t enough. Afshar is a WRX drag racer, sponsored by Subaru and its performance accessories division, Subaru Performance Tuning (SPT). He’s also a card carrying Hollywood actor who has had a string of successes in the past few years appearing in such movies as Three Kings, Godzilla, and The Siege — usually as a Middle Eastern heavy. In the same span of time, his Subaru/SPT/ESX team has done remarkably well, amassing six NHRA “Wally’s” with his 9.44-second/148.7 mph WRX and establishing a solid reputation for his North Hollywood, California-based tuning shop, Easy Street Motorsports.
Easy Street Motorsports (aka ESX) offers several upgrade packages for the WRX and WRX STi. Kits range from simple bolt-on packages worth a few horsepower, all the way up to 740-bhp fully-built race engines from Australia (where WRX tuning development goes back a dozen years). But now Afshar and Subaru are ready to go one step further. By the time you read this, Easy Street Motorsports will offer the Ali Afshar Signature Edition Easy Street Motorsports WRX STi (ESX STi for short). Only 40 will be made; each specially badged, numbered and covered by Easy Street Motorsports’ two-year warranty (not Subaru’s). Two versions will be offered for sale at a handful of Subaru dealers nationwide; the 365-bhp Street Spec ESX STi that is 50-state emissions legal, and the 425-bhp Track Spec ESX STi that is for “off-highway use only.” In a fit of intense unoriginality, we tested the Track Spec version at our local track and then flogged the Street Spec on, you guessed it, the street. Here’s what we discovered:
Even with roughly 425 bhp split among all four wheels, the hardest thing about launching the Track Spec ESX STi is getting it to hold traction. Easy Street’s technicians informed us that full power was available at 5200 rpm, and that their drag technique of choice was blipping the throttle to 5500 rpm before dumping the clutch. We tried this and a few other techniques involving the STi’s Driver Controlled Center Differential (DCCD) system, but could only achieve either smoky, four-wheel burnouts or pitiful bog. Neither resulted in good acceleration times, and short of slipping the clutch, the best we could manage was a 4.4-sec. zero-to-60-mph sprint — only 0.1 sec better than stock. Top end performance was more impressive, as the ESX STi clocked a 12.8-sec., 106.4-mph quarter-mile ET — a half second quicker than stock.
On the butt dyno, the Street Spec ESX STi fared much better. Stock STi’s are rated at 300 bhp, measured at the crankshaft at 6000 rpm. Easy Street claims its STi makes 365 bhp at the wheels along with 80 additional lb.-ft. of torque at 3500 rpm (approximately 420 bhp at the crank). While we didn’t actually verify it, our subjective evidence gives credence to their claims. Unsuspecting passengers, even those familiar with the stock STi’s brutally quick acceleration, aren’t prepared for the neck snapping power increase. In every gear, the Street Spec ESX bites harder and pulls stronger. Floor it and wicked acceleration is immediate. It’s a raucous ride too, from the rumble of the exhaust note at idle to the whoosh and sneeze of the turbo and wastegate at every upshift.
So where does all the extra juice come from? For the Street Spec ESX, most of the gains come from revised engine control unit (ECU) calibration. Ali and his crew spent many hours on their four-wheel dyno figuring out how to wring the most power from the stock turbo setup. In addition, they replaced the top-mount intercooler with a higher capacity version and worked closely with Injen, an established manufacturer of aftermarket intakes and exhausts, to develop a cold air intake and cat-back exhaust. A high volume fuel pump rounds out the Street Spec upgrades. Track versions make 425 bhp at the wheels by combining the Street Spec bolt-ons with an upgraded turbocharger, downpipe with high-flow catalytic converter, 730 cc/min fuel injectors, and more aggressively configured ECU.
While praise for the tuning upgrades was unanimous, consensus could not be established about the exterior styling. With its high deck rear wing and tsunami-sized hood scoop, the stock STi is already visually polarizing. Easy Street’s additional styling tweaks drew a range of responses from around our office, everything from “Dude, that thing looks awesome,” (staff photographer) to, “Shame about the stripes and that massive wing...” (race-car driver/writer). Funny thing is, Easy Street didn’t do that much, adding only wheels and vinyl stripes, and removing a few STi logos and Subaru badges. Turns out, modifying bodywork or suspension mandates additional crash testing — an expensive proposition when building only 40 cars.
The lack of suspension changes surprised everyone who drove the ESX STi, since it rode noticeably smoother than stock. This was especially true at high speeds on the freeway, where the stock STi seemed nervous and twitchy, especially over rain rutted asphalt and slotted highway concrete.
2005 Subaru Easy Street WRX STi (Track Model)
List Price/Tested Price: est. $55,000
Type: alum. block & heads, turbocharged flat-4
Valvetrain: dohc 4-valve/cyl
Disp/Bore x stroke: 2457 cc/99.5 x 79.0 mm
Compression ratio: 8.2:1
Horsepower (SAE): est 426 bhp @ 5200 rpm*
Torque: est 410 lb-ft @ 5200 rpm*
Redline: 7000 rpm
Layout: front engine/all-wheel drive
Brakes, front discs/calipers: 12.7-in. vented discs/ 4-piston fixed
Brakes, rear discs/calipers: 12.3-in. vented discs/ 2-piston fixed
Braking aids: ABS
Wheels: cast alloy; 18 x 8.5
Tires: BFGoodrich g-Force T/A KDW 245/35R-18 88Y
Steering: rack & pinion, power assist
Turns L-to-L, turn dia.: 2.7, 35.4 ft
Suspension, front: MacPherson struts, lower L-arm, coil springs, tube shocks, anti-roll bar
Suspension, rear: struts, coil springs, tube shocks, anti-roll bar
Curb weight: 3335 lb
Test weight: 3515 lb
Weight dist**, f/r, %: 58/42
Length: 173.8 in.
Width: 68.5 in.
Height: 56.3 in.
Wheelbase: 100.0 in.
Track, f/r: 58.7 in./58.9
Transmission: 6-speed manual
Gear ratios: 3.64/2.38/1.76/1.35/0.97/0.76
Speed in gears: 37/57/76/100/139/147***
Final drive ratio: 3.90:1
0-60 mph: 4.4 sec
0-1320 ft (1/4 mile): 12.8 sec. @ 106.4 mph
Braking 60, 80 mph: 117 ft, 212 ft
200-ft skid lat. accel: 0.90g w/moderate understeer
700-ft slalom speed: 67.1 mph w/mild understeer
ESX paint scheme w/ white racing stripes, grilles, custom interior, boost gauge, SPT short throw shifter, touch screen navigation, Injen intake, hi-flow intercooler, Injen cat back exhaust, hi-volume fuel pump, upgraded turbocharger, 730-cc injectors, Arceo Mesh wheels, upgraded brake rotors, SPT steel brake lines.
*Measured at wheels
**With driver
***Electronically limited
http://www.spdmag.com/assets/image/2005/0628200511145214.jpg