some of my responses got included in the quote. Please read through. Thanks.

 

 

The 6 speed in the STI is MUCH closer geared than the corvette 6 speed. I'd bet their 6th gear isint as tall as our 5th. You really have to row through the gears in them.

That was very noticable the one time I drove my friend's STI when I still had my VR4, which has comparable gearing.

 

Didn't really mean to imply these were you're numbers, sorry. However, they seem to be the gospel according to this thread.

I would agree there may be some gearing advantage. That's why I asked for an explanation. If it wasn't obvious, I don't agree with the numbers. There's something fishy about them.

Another poster also stated the top speed is 155 mph. Maybe that should be KPH, because none of this adds up. If the STI has the gearing to overcome less horsepower, I seriously doubt it could get to 155 MPH

I know the STI is a quick car, but I doubt any of the one's on the street are running stock boost either. Is this just Subaru hype?

There must be something important about this subject that it has garnered 160+ posts. I've tried to summarize what I've gotten out of this thread. Someone explain it (leave the bashing out of it)

 

I have never driven one, but I'm sure even with much lower gears that it could get to 155. They have a six speed too. My car has soo high a sixth that it would go 250mph before it ran out of RPMs, if it had the power to do it. The vette will do 145 in fourth. So the STI could have a lot lower ratios and still get to 155 before running out of RPM. Anyone know what their red line is? One thing that has not been mentioned is that the STI (pictured ealier in the thread) is pretty rare to see driving around. The slower standard WRX is a lot more common...I think. anyone know the performance and visual difference between the two?

 

Wow.... My "crapbox" STi has never seen a shop for anything in 21000 miles. My 03 Vette with 21000 miles, that I am the second owner of has had two window motors replaced as well as the trim around the radio. This was from the warranty history from the Chevy dealer. So generalizing as a "crapbox" is way out there.

And the OP was saying compaired to his Vette, and gave any car as an option. The ZO6 is a incredable car in all respect, and the STi is also for bang for the buck in my opinion.

 

I owned a 2005 APS turbo STI 450awhp, and I own a 2003 Vette H/C car among other cars. Except for top end the STI was scary fast and a better quality car than the M-3 I sold to get it. It was easy to strip 150lbs. out of it. I took a friend for a snappy ride and he literally soiled his pants,an average driver can do things in an STI that would get them killed in a Vette. The STI is the ugliest car I've ever owned. The Vette is the apple of my eye & my all time favorite,but the Soobie is#2 and I've had lots of cars. I understand what stock is but don't usually like what stock does.

 

Yes a STI will get to 155, but I dont know how much of 6th is left after that.

Yes a STI is quicker in the 1/4 mile than a non Z06 vette because of several reasons. It's got 300 HP so it's not like it's miles behind vettes. It's got AWD which is godly for that first 60 foot and 0-60 mph times, that's really where it wins. They have 1000 more usable RPM. They dont weigh a lot like most all other AWD cars (comparable to the EVO, but everything else AWD is like +700 lbs). And the 4th gear in a vette is almost as tall as their 6th gear, so it's a huge gearing advantage till it's top speed.

That being said, it probably does not take much to make a 350 hp vette faster in the 1/4, and they're already a LOT faster top end. We dont even use our 6th gear to get there. Z06's are already faster. And STI's wont do 226 + MPH when modified with the stock drive train.

If you need a 4 door or live where the AWD is a big plus, then the STI is a great option. The reason I own, and even if I sell this car, will continue to own corvettes in the future is simple though. They're a well balanced car, with wonderful racing engineering built into all of them. Easier to maintain than any boosted car I've owned. They dont loose 15% of their power on hot days. And they demand respect. There is no 150 HP cheapie version. ALL vettes are fast. Hell the stock base model C6's do what, 186 MPH now? 175 for the C5's in 5th gear?

Hopefully this helps and we can stop







If you got a problem with those pesky STI's being faster in the 1/4 then call a performance shop, get a couple easy bolt on's, then not only can you show them your tail lights at the 1/4, but they'll never see anything but those tail lights again lol. Just hope they dont go get a boost controller