The Subaru WRX STI is leaving Europe

So, news of the sun setting on the Subaru WRX STI isn't exactly fresh. We learned a little while ago that the Final Edition special will be the last one sold in the UK.

A Subaru spokesman has now confirmed the WRX STI is pulling out of Europe all together. Call it WRX-it. Perhaps.

"The 18MY WRX STI is the last model that will be launched in Europe," Subaru's head of European sales, David Dello Stritto, told us. "The discontinuation of the model is applicable to Europe only."

Which suggests other markets - Japan and the US, most likely - will get whatever sports saloon is spun from the bold Viziv Performance Concept. But we won't. At least not for a while.

Subaru WRX STI Final Edition review here

"Recent media reports stating a future WRX STI model will come to Europe with a new hybrid powertrain are purely speculative," Stritto continued. "We have denied this information. There simply is no information available at this stage on a potential re-launch of the model in Europe."

So what will Subaru - who once had the Impreza Turbo right at the very core of its range and brand image - work on instead?

"Our current priorities centre on maximising the marketability of competitive products that will ensure the brand stays compliant with EU’s tight emission regulations."

That suggests a couple of things. One, SUVs are taking centre stage. Two, it's the EU's emission regulations that have stopped the WRX STI from continuing here for a little while yet. Perhaps when the UK is no longer part of the EU, we can restart the petition to bring the STI back...

Image: Alex Tapley