car and driver tests for the 09-10 wrx vs 09-10 wrx sti 1/4 times clock the wrx at 13.5 and the sti at 13.6.
the wrx
Power (SAE net): 265 bhp @ 6000 rpm
Torque (SAE net): 244 lb-ft @ 4000 rpm
the sti
Power (SAE net): 305 bhp @ 6000 rpm
Torque (SAE net): 290 lb-ft @ 4000 rpm
but the sti is about 200 pounds heavier and has an extra gear to go through.
i'm not knocking the sti whatsoever...its almost a perfect car that has been over engineered, but the base wrx is coming too close to sti numbers. so the options are to either phase out the sti (especially since subaru is no longer in the rally business) or substantially bump up the numbers for the sti. one can easily purchase a base wrx, get a turboback exhaust and walk all over the sti.