Though it’s true that most of them are found only in Japan, there are no shortages in special edition Subaru WRX STIs in the world. We all need to remind ourselves of that because Subaru is releasing another special edition version of its power-packed performance sedan, and it’s once again exclusive to the Japanese market. It’s called the WRX STI Type RA-R, and it’s essentially a lighter and more powerful version of the WRX STI Type RA, one of the few special edition versions that made its way in the U.S. market.

What makes the Subaru WRX STI Type RA-R so special?

Developed to commemorate STI’s 30th anniversary, the Subaru WRX STI Type RA-R is the personification of what a lightweight, performance-based Subaru WRX STI should be all about. It doesn’t look any different from its special edition precursors, but that’s largely out of design. Simply looking at this special edition Subie doesn’t do justice to its special edition label. For that, you need to step inside and take it for a spin.

The Subaru WRX STI Type RA-R is special for two reasons: it’s lighter and has more power than the already potent Type RA. Look back at some other recent special edition WRS STIs, and you’ll realize that the “less-weight-more-power” cocktail is prevalent in all of them. That includes the WRX STI S208, another special edition Subie that was available only to, you guessed it, the Japanese market.

On the matter of weight, the Type RA-R weighs 30 kilos (66 pounds) lighter than the S208. That weight saving was achieved thanks to the prevalent use of carbon fiber on the body, most notably on the roof and the side mirrors.

Aesthetically, the Type RA-R doesn’t carry a lot of distinguishable features, but it does have Cherry Blossom red accents just under the mesh-type front grille and the rear bumper. The sedan also features a black side garnish with an STI emblem, an RA-R rear ornament, and an STI 30th Anniversary rear ornament. It’s not much, but it’s better than nothing. Subaru is also opening the option to buy the Type RA-R without the rear wing in the back. If you’re the type, who wants to be low-key on what your SE Subie can do, ditching the rear wing might be a good idea. The wheels, on the other hand, have to remain in the car. The set has been downsized to 18 inches in the Type RA-R, smaller than the 19s that were used on both the Type RA and the S208.

There don’t appear to be any significant changes to the sedan’s interior, but it does have fabric-covered front sports seats and normal rear seats with red stitching. The instrument panel gets its own high-gloss black decoration with the RA-R logo while the door trims, armrests, and console lid are all covered in simulated leather and, once again, red stitching.

As muted as the upgrades are on the Type RA-R’s interior, you can’t say the same for its 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine. This is where the special edition Subie plants its flag as a better and more evolved special edition model that the Type RA and S208. Thanks to some careful tuning and tweaking of the ECU unit by Subaru’s renowned engineers, the Type RA-R packs a tidy 324 horsepower and 318 pound-feet of torque. The numbers aren’t going to blow anybody’s mind away, but remember, the Type RA that we have here in the U.S. “only” carries 310 horsepower and 290 pound-feet of torque. Do the math and the Type RA-R has around 14 ponies and 28 pound-feet of twist over its U.S.-spec cousin.

To maintain its driving dynamics in the face of its lighter weight, Subaru worked on improving the sedan's suspension unit by installing inverted struts and rear dampers, as well as lowering the car's coil springs. A performance exhaust system with lowered backpressure is also featured in the SE Subie, same as a performance muffler and a tuned rear exhaust pipe.

Rounding out the modifications to the Subaru WRX STI Type RA-R are Brembo brakes in the front and rear that carry six-piston calipers and two-piston calipers, respectively.

There are equal parts good news and bad news when it comes to the Subaru WRX STI Type RA-R. The good news is that the performance sedan has the makings to be a better version of the Type RA. If you own the latter and attest to its ridiculous drive, imagine if your car lost more weight and added more power. It’s a mouth-watering thought that’s only burdened by the fact that not only is the WRX STI Type RA-R limited to just 500 units, but all 500 units will be sold exclusively in Japan. That means that we don’t get one in the U.S. If you’re living in any other country that isn’t Japan, you don’t get one, either. We can all share in that misery.

Fortunately for our friends over in the Land of the Rising Sun, they have all 500 models to themselves. Even better, the WRX STI Type RA-R costs a tick under 5 million yen, including taxes. That converts to around $45,000 based on the current exchange rates. The Subaru WRX STI Type RA-R looks like a car's that meant to be driven in America's roads, but that won't be the case unless someone finds a way to import one from Japan. But for the rest of us, all we can do is enjoy what we're seeing and hope that it's as good as advertised.

References

Read our full review on the 2018 Subaru WRX STI Type RA

Read our full review on the 2018 Subaru WRX STI S208.

Read our full review on the 2018 Subaru WRX STI.

Read more Subaru news.