5EAT for WRX STI

So here's an interesting tidbit. Appearantly, the Aussie WRX STI will be available with a 5-speed auto.

 

http://www.autoblog.com/2010/07/07/subaru-wrx-sti-gets-five-speed-automatic-option-down-under/#continued

 

So now for the interesting questions....

 

Is it better than our 5EAT, and if so why, what parts would be swappable?

And with that I unleash this thread to the 5EAT crowd.

Don't get too excited. This came up before, with this news being for the Japanese market. It is a glorified 5EAT which means no such features as front LSD and DCCD. JUst cause it may have the STI engine trim it does not make it a better car nor will it make it the EVO X 6-speed DSG equivalent.

http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1706685

 

It is not a tiptronic, not a dsg, just the same 5 eat found in the older LGTs and Tribeca with fancy paddle shifters. The auto tranny that should have been on the turbo Foresters, Legacy and WRX - to permanently replace the 4EAT. But it is not worthy of the STI machine and I would not think of the A-line as anything but a plain WRX with a better auto tranny.

Agreed that's its nowhere near on par with a dual-clutch auto.

 

At the same time Subaru its going to be selling a 5EAT with full factory warranty in a 300+ HP car.

I'm just curious if Subaru where Subaru would've felt the need to upgrade the 5EAT to hold those power levels for 60k+ miles. If there's only minimal changes to the 5EAT, that implies that our 5EATs should reliably hold Stage II power levels, and maybe show an upgrade path.

Agreed that's its nowhere near on par with a dual-clutch auto.

 

If there's only minimal changes to the 5EAT, that implies that our 5EATs should reliably hold Stage II power levels, and maybe show an upgrade path.

 

People have been reliably holding Stage 2 levels for 5 years now.

^ with the valve body upgrade or at least the transmission cooler for the most part. I think the majority of the people running stage 2 on the 5EAT are running at least one of those two upgrades. Myself soon to be included.

Subaru would sell every single automatic STI with the quickness.

 

The American public would snap those up happily

here we go: same horsepower, significantly down on torque. And no LSDon the front - and by the way it makes a world of difference. Naysayers will not believe it and I was one of them, but I converted after I had mine installed.

 

http://motorimage.net/SG/showroom/STI/MY08/?pg=datasheet&id=specifications

 

WRX STI

2.5 6MT

A-Line 2.5 E-5AT

PERFORMANCE MAX. output kW(PS)/rpm

221 kW (300 PS) / 6,000 rpm

221 kW (300 PS) / 6,200 rpm

MAX. torque Nm(kgfm)/rpm

407 Nm (41.5 kgfm) / 4,000 rpm

350 Nm (35.7 kgfm) / 2,800 - 6,000 rpm

Interesting that it holds the torque from 2,800 to 6,000

It's really quite sad Subaru has not been able to source a DSG type transmission.. I just sold my 2005 5EAT Wagon and bought a 2010 GTI with DSG ( I needed to downsize my vehicle, not upsize). The DSG really is awesome.

^ and god bless you with your DSG. My friend's 08 GTi is on his third DSG transmission replaced under warranty. Its not so much the cost rather than hassle. On top of that, I don't know how he's going to live with it out of warranty.

Trying to stay on-topic here . I think it's pretty obvious that the time is coming soon when if you want to sell a "sporty car" it will have to have some kind of DSG as the technology slowly becomes cheaper and more widespread. Subaru seems behind the ball here. Sure they are complex, but so is a 5EAT.

 

PS my Subaru blew it's headgasket(s) at 80k ($2.2K) after meticulous maintenance - no car is perfect.