2020 Subaru WRX STi EJ20 Final Edition: Sayonara to a rally legend
With only 555 units built, the EJ20 Final Edition celebrates the engine that defined Subaru’s rally legacy for three decades
There are fast cars. There are legendary cars. And then there's the WRX STi EJ20 Final Edition, the final evolution of the rally machine which was meant to be a farewell letter to the legendary EJ20 flat four engine. A full stop at the end of one of the greatest performance engine stories ever written.
Only 555 examples were built, exclusively for Japan, and every single one represented the end of the EJ20, Subaru's iconic 2.0 litre turbocharged boxer engine, the final chapter of a 30 year saga that shaped rallying, tuner culture, and the very identity of Subaru itself, minus the vape jokes.
Based on the WRX STi Type S, the Final Edition featured a meticulously balanced EJ20 engine with tighter tolerances for pistons, rods, crankshaft, flywheel, and clutch cover, giving it a level of mechanical precision normally reserved for racing engines.
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Unsurprisingly, demand exceeded supply by an enormous margin.
From the outside, our review unit in black is still instantly recognizable due to the black and gold combo. Finished in Crystal Black, sitting proudly on forged 19 inch gold BBS wheels, accentuated by cherry red STi highlights and an enormous rear wing, it looks like the hero car from every Gran Turismo menu you've ever scrolled through. It's loud without shouting while aggressive without trying too hard.
Inside, it remains wonderfully old school. Special alcantara steering, alcantara Recaros, a chunky manual gear lever, analogue dials and a cabin that reminds you that this truly is a collector's edition of the ubiquitous boxer legend.
Turn the key and the EJ20 comes alive with that unmistakable boxer rumble. Modern turbo engines are clinically efficient; the EJ20 is gloriously mechanical. There's vibration. There's turbocharged drama. There's induction noise. Every throttle input feels connected to pistons that genuinely want to escape the block.
It doesn't overwhelm you with numbers either. Around 304 horsepower and 422 Nm of torque may not sound earth shattering in a world where family SUVs produce more. But that's missing the point entirely. Magic isn't the destination. It's how violently enjoyable the journey becomes. Every generation of the WRX STi tends to bring out the boy racer in you, and this one is no exception.
The six speed manual is a joy to row through. The hydraulic steering tells you everything the tyres are doing. The symmetrical all wheel drive system claws into tarmac with almost supernatural confidence. It feels less like driving and more like aiming a missile.
You don't simply corner. You launch yourself between apexes. That's the joy of a turbocharged all wheel drive. This is a homologation hero that somehow survived into the modern era. The real star, though, remains the engine.
Introduced in 1989 beneath the bonnet of the first generation JDM Subaru Legacy, the EJ20 would evolve into one of the most celebrated four cylinder engines ever produced. Whether it was turbocharged, naturally aspirated, closed-deck, open-deck, it existed in countless forms, but the high performance versions became legends through the WRX and STi lineage. Over three decades, the EJ20 powered everything from the Legacy RS and Legacy GT to the Impreza WRX, WRX STi, Forester STI, Legacy B4, Exiga GT, and numerous limited production Subaru specials.
Its résumé isn't built solely on road cars. It conquered rough terrains. The EJ20 helped Subaru dominate the World Rally Championship throughout the 1990s and early 2000s. Behind the wheel of EJ powered Imprezas, legends like Colin McRae, Richard Burns and Petter Solberg delivered unforgettable victories, while Subaru secured multiple Manufacturers' Championships and Drivers' Championships. Long after its rally dominance, the engine continued proving itself in endurance racing, including successes at the Nürburgring 24 Hours.
Recognition followed naturally. Throughout its life, various turbocharged EJ20 derivatives were repeatedly featured in performance engine accolades, including Ward's 10 Best Engines recognition for Subaru's turbo boxer family in the early 2000s, while the engine itself earned an even greater distinction that no trophy cabinet can fully capture: universal respect. It became one of the world's most modified, raced and celebrated four cylinder engines, capable of comfortably producing enormous power while retaining the unmistakable character that made Subaru different.
That's why enthusiasts don't talk about the EJ20 using specifications. They tell stories. Stories about anti lag echoing through forests. Stories about blue and gold rally cars flying over crests. Stories about that unmistakable boxer rumble bouncing off tunnel walls. Stories about late night garage builds chasing impossible horsepower fueled by blood, sweat and tears.
The Final Edition captures all of that in one final, beautifully assembled package. No hybrid assistance. No fake exhaust speakers. No artificial drama.
Just pistons punching sideways, a turbocharger doing its best impression of a jet turbine, and a manual gearbox connecting driver to machine in a way that modern performance cars increasingly forget.
Therefore, the EJ20 Final Edition is a bona fide collector's piece. Values continue to climb because everyone understands the same thing. Subaru didn't just discontinue an engine, it closed the book on a bygone era.
The WRX STi EJ20 Final Edition is the final heartbeat of one of motorsport's greatest engines. The last final swan song which also pays tribute to legendary Colin McRae's 555 livery with 555 total units made which means you can be the sole custodian of a final thoroughbred rally machine for a cool Tk1.1 crore, brought to you by Dino Motors.
