Subaru’s 2.0-liter engine, aka the EJ20, in Subaru terms, has been around since 1989 when it was introduced in the JDM-spec Subaru Legacy. Now, after 30 years, it’s time to lay a legendary engine to rest, so Subaru has decided to produce a special edition WRX STI known as the EJ20 Final Edition. It will be limited to just 555 models, but that doesn’t matter, because this beauty is available in Japan only at the price of 4,110 million Yen – about $38,000 at current exchange rates. Subaru will stop taking orders on December 23rd, but there’s a lot more to it than that, so let me fill you in on the finer details.

2020 Subaru WRX STI EJ20 Final Edition

Specifications
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  • Model: 2020 Subaru WRX STI EJ20 Final Edition
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What Makes the 2019 Subaru WRX STI EJ20 Final Edition Special

At first glance, I was kind of disappointed in Subaru for using some lackluster special edition to celebrate what is, in all honesty, a legendary engine. Over the years, it has been offered in a number of different models as a naturally aspirated mill or one that’s force-fed. It has been what one could call a jack of all models. But, those days are over, and it’s time to celebrate the EJ20’s long and illustrious career.

That’s part of why I was so disappointed. At first, the EJ20 Final Edition doesn’t appear to be that special at all. At a glance, it looks just like any other WRX STI, but then I started looking closer. There are a few bits here and there that set it apart, including the extra front lip under the fascia, and it even has the red stripe on the front grille. There’s also a stripe on the rear fascia and a revised diffuser. Gloss black elements round off the exterior look. At this point, I’m torn as to whether I should call Subaru lazy for putting little effort into this special edition or commend it for not going overboard and doing something ridiculous.

Then I realized that there’s more to the EJ20 Final Edition than I previously thought. The engine has also been tuned to deliver 227 kilowatts and 422 newton-meters of torque – that’s about 304 horsepower and 311 pound-feet or just a hair shy of the S208’s 324 ponies and 319 pound-feet of torque. The EJ20 is sending its power to all four wheels for the last time through what many would proclaim as the best six-speed manual transmission ever made. Serious; I’m not making that bit up, either.

According to Subaru, the engine itself has been tweaked beyond the power upgrade, as has the clutch and flywheel. There’s also a “generous” amount of safety equipment. We know that the next-gen WRX will make its debut before the end of 2020 and we’ll find out more then, but the Levorg Wagon goes on sale earlier next year with a 1.8-liter engine that could represent the basis of the EJ20’s successor.

If you’re in Japan and are hoping to get your hands on an EJ20 Final Edition, expect to hiding more than 4.1 million Yen, or in the neighborhood of about $38,000. You only have until December 23rd to place your order, even if the full production run hasn’t been completed, so you better hurry up – this baby won’t last long.