Stunning Cosworth Impreza STI unveiled

With a limited run of just 75 cars the Cosworth Impreza STI is set to become one of the most exclusive cars available when it goes on sale in June. It's not cheap, with an eye-watering price tag of £49,995 - amost double that of the standard Impreza WRX STI - but it promises supercar performance.

That's thanks to the Cosworth-tuned turbcharged 2.5-litre engine which is boosted to an immense 400bhp - an increase of 100bhp over the standard version. And this gives it a 0-62mph time of just 3.7 seconds which is as quick as a Porsche 911 Turbo and quicker than an Aston Martin DBS.

The engine has been upgraded with a host of new components and the overall result is a huge increase in torque higher up the rev range, along with significantly improved in-gear acceleration.  This is designed to make the Impreza more tractable for day-to-day road use.

The six-speed manual gearbox has been reworked to handle the extra power while the all-wheel drive system with front and rear limited slip differentials ensures the Cosworth Impreza is able to put all that power down. The exterior styling is tweaked with xenon headlights, while a lowered ride height and wider track give the car a more aggressive stance. There is also a front bumper that incorporates fog lights, a new front lip spoiler, and upper and lower mesh grilles.

Inside it gets new Recaro front seats, rear seats and a steering wheel which are all trimmed in Cosworth-branded black leather.  Also distinguishing the CS400 is a Piano Black centre stack and privacy glass. Standard features carried-over from the WRX STI model include LED tail lamps, front and rear electric windows, a six-disc CD stereo, satellite navigation, Smart-entry and push-button start, plus front, side and curtain airbags.  

The super hatch will be available only in the UK in right-hand drive and comes in a choice of three colours Spark Silver, Dark Grey and San Remo Red. It goes on sale in July.