A new Subaru WRX STI will battle the Supra for attention

Think the Toyota Supra will have things all its own way at the Detroit Auto Show next week? Well, it probably will. But those of a Japanese performance car persuasion might have their heads turned by the star of the Subaru stand. Temporarily, at least.

This is the Subaru WRX STI S209. Or rather, it’s the Subaru WRX STI S209 before anyone’s slotted some coins into the electric meter. It appears Detroit will be our first chance to see it with some actual light illuminating its body.

A body that – shock! – looks set to be strewn with additional aero bits. There’s a gigantic rear wing, some naughty little dive planes up front and – hurrah – something resembling gold wheels if the teaser video above is anything to go by.

What lies beneath all of that is even more mysterious. The S200 series of STIs are traditionally ‘proper’, though, with reworked engines and some suspension mods. They’re not just stickered-up specials.

And to answer the inevitable, it won’t be coming to the UK. No WRX STI has for a while now, but the S200 cars have never officially crossed our borders. Boo, and indeed, hoo.