• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

AutoNews.NZ

  • Home
  • News
  • Reviews
    • Medium-sized cars
    • Small cars
    • Large cars
    • 4x4s
    • People-movers
    • SUV-large
    • SUV-luxury
    • SUV-medium
    • SUV-compact
    • Sports cars
    • Luxury cars
    • Hybrid cars
    • Ute
  • Cars & Watches
  • Bike World
  • Tech
  • About Us
  • Videos
    • Spy videos
Home » $100,000 for go-fast Subaru that year ago sold new for $67,990

$100,000 for go-fast Subaru that year ago sold new for $67,990

March 18, 2022 by Alastair Sloane

The collectors’ market for the few petrol-powered performance cars that don’t cost the earth is heating up as ever tightening emissions regulations move automotive companies towards an electric future.

One such recent example is the limited edition Subaru Saigo WRX STI, 20 of which landed in New Zealand last year. Saigo can mean both ‘most recent’ and ‘final’ in Japanese.

The signature model (above and below) signed off on the life of the fourth-generation WRX STI. All 20 sold quickly, each priced at $67,990. Now a used one has sold in Auckland for a reported $100,000.

What price the remaining 19 now that Subaru has confirmed Saigo will be the last STI (Subaru Tecnica International) model, at least with petrol power?

Subby-Saigo4

Saigo badge aside, what price the fourth-generation WRX STI anyway, especially one in tip-top condition, its boosted 2.5-litre flat-four engine delivering 221kW/407Nm? The owner of one such example with a six-speed manual gearbox is said to be wanting $80-85,000.

The range first went on sale here in 2015, priced between $59,990-$64,990. The few models now listed online sit between $63,990 and $69,990.  The signs for a continued price hike are there.

Remember the ultra-exclusive WRX STi 22b of the late 1990s? The factory made only 399. Subaru NZ imported two, each selling at $120,000. A handful of used examples were imported privately too. A pristine 22b these days can fetch $500,000.

Already the arrival in a matter of weeks of the fifth-generation 2022 WRX has whipped up further interest in never-again models. It too is likely to be the last WRX with petrol power, in this case a boosted and more fuel efficient 2.4-litre flat-four delivering 202kW/350Nm. The Japanese domestic WRX is apparently tuned for 375Nm.

What is likely to lure investors/collectors to the new model is a Downunder exclusive – New Zealand and Australia are the only two countries to get a wagon variant along with the sedan. WRX exhaust emissions rule the car out of the European market.

Subby-Saigo2

The wagon will be badged WRX GT and the sedan WRX 2.4T. Subaru NZ managing director Wallis Dumper is particularly pleased with the options. “Performance wagons have a special place in New Zealand’s Subaru history,” he said. “Before WRX moved globally to sedans only, we used to sell about 50/50 sedans to wagons.”

Meantime, the Japanese carmaker has left the door open for a return of the WRX STI badge at a later date, perhaps once the new WRX generation meets its end around 2030. Subaru added in its recent statement that it is “exploring opportunities for the next-generation Subaru WRX STI, including electrification.”

It pointed to its electric concept model with the STI badge, the STI E-RA, an experimental design aimed, among other things, at challenging the lap record for the Nurburgring circuit in Germany next year. E-RA stands for electric record attempt. The battery-electric car has four electric motors at each wheel generating 800kW.

  • Subaru NZ also landed 18 examples of the Saigo STI’s sibling, the WRX Saigo, at $55,990. One listing on Trademe at a buy now $72,500 has 8600km on the clock.

 

 

Filed Under: Highlights, Industry news, Latest news Tagged With: Subaru WRX

Primary Sidebar

  • Facebook
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Search

The Good Oil

French carmaker Renault has won the 2025 European Car of the Year award with the all-electric R5 supermini (pictured). It’s the brand’s second win in a row, following the new Scenic’s gong in 2024. The R5 led the vote count from start to finish from the 60 jurors in 23 countries. It received 353 points, beating the Kia EV3 (291 points) and the Citroen C3/e in third place with 215 points. It’s Renault’s eighth win in the 62-year history of the Coty award. The R5 goes on sale in the UK this month. There are two main drivetrains: a 90kW motor/40kWh battery model with a 300km range, and a 112kW/52kWh example with a 400km range. The R5 starts in price at £22.995, or $NZ50,000.

EU carmakers seek trade deal with Trump

BMW and Mercedes-Benz are among carmakers urging the European Union to get a favourable trade deal with US President Donald Trump. The European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA) wants to keep open trade with both the US and China. It fears Trump, who promises heavy tariffs on Chinese imports to the US, will look unfavourably on countries that continue to trade freely with Beijing. Ola Kallenius, president of the group and chairman of the management board of MB, said in a letter to EU leaders:  “Overall, it is essential to recognise that trade with China and the US is most vital for the prosperity of the European economy.The EU should seek a grand bargain with the US and attempt to avoid a potential trade conflict.”

Diesel fuels EV concept for US military

A  go-anywhere EV concept for the US military uses an onboard 12kW diesel generator to top up the batteries on the move.  The all-wheel-drive has 800-volt technology and a 200kWh battery pack to power three electric motors, two in the rear and one up front. Claimed output is 745kW/15,590Nm, or 1000hp and 11,500 ft-lb of torque.  The four-seater was developed by the defence division of General Motors and is based on the platform of the Hummer SUV. It rides on Fox performance shock absorbers and 37-inch tyres and comes with “exceptional” approach and departure angles for off-road mobility. Maximum range using the generator to keep things ticking over is said to be around 500km.

We are the World

The outside temperature in Midland, Texas, was 40.5C when staff at the local office of the US National Weather Service set out to show the cabin of a closed car can literally get baking hot in summer. They mixed up a batch of chocolate chip cookies and laid them on the car’s dashboard – the surface of which showed a temperature of 87.7C. A little over four hours later the cookies were ready to eat. “Even though ours weren’t golden brown, we can confirm that they are done and delicious,” the staff wrote on Facebook.

Footer

Electric G-Wagen takes you for spin

https://youtu.be/NwHbJ7HN1sU

Recent

  • Spoilt for choice: plug-in sales up 150.0%
  • Kia eyes further growth with $52,690 4WD ute 
  • Early morning glory on ice, Audi style
  • Volkswagen tackles Chinese with new ‘people’s car’ 
  • ‘I bought this car before Elon lost his mind’

Tags

Aston martin audi bentley BMW Car reviews Citroen Electric cars Electric vehicles Ferrari Fiat Chrysler Ford Ford Mustang Holden honda hyundai jaguar jeep kia land rover latest news Lexus Lotus Maserati mazda Mclaren mercedes Mercedes-Benz mini Mitsubishi Nissan NZ car sales peugeot porsche range rover skoda spy Subaru suzuki Tesla tips and advice Toyota videos Volkswagen volvo VW

Copyright © 2025 · WordPress Hosting by WPhost