EARLIER TODAY, Subaru released a single silhouetted teaser image of the upcoming 2011 Subaru Impreza WRX STI. Moments later, the keen enthusiasts at TMR launched into a debate on whether the updated WRX STI will be 'little more' than the existing five-door hatch with a wing, or an STI version of the newly-flared WRX sedan.

Before bets are made and someone loses the family home, we decided to prepare some overlay images and put it to the readers. In all likelihood, the car is as most suspect: the hatch with a Subaru rally-inspired wing. Still...

At the top of this article, we have today's sheeted photo, with the 2009 WRX STI hatch and a 2009 WRX sedan laid over the top. We've worked to align all three cars as closely as possible: the overlaid images aligned by their headlights, rooflines, door handles and panel lines. Sadly, there are no perfect profile photos of the 2011 WRX available.

Also above, for your reference, is the unaltered photo.

Directly above, the hatch overlaid in blue. We can see that the roofline - particularly the rear window - is a good match. However, the sheet clearly hangs out at an angle from the 'big wing', suggesting that Subaru might be working to obscure a sedan rear deck and bumper. This point is the main argument of the "it's a sedan" camp in TMR.

Now below, the WRX sedan overlaid in red. While the rear deck seems a decent match with the rear wing, the rear window doesn't quite line up. That said, neither of the rear windows lines up perfectly. An imperfect overlay is one answer, but we may also be looking at a small rooftop spoiler in addition to the larger rear wing.

So we put it to you: hatch, or sedan?

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• reply ” like !

  Steven Poyser says,
  2 years ago

  I reckon hatch. They want us to think sedan though...
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  Jake02 says,
  2 years ago

  I reckon it's the hatch, but I'm hoping for the sedan - I like cars with all variants in all bodystyles available
  
  It'd also please the Rex faithful, seeing that the current STI is hatch only...
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  Ward Paterson says,
  2 years ago

  Better look different to the new WRX body shape, or at least have a major boost in power, because soon you will be able to get a WRX looking STi and spend 2 grand on power upgrades, stickers and badges and bingo - you got yourself an STi less the 20 grand outlay......
  • reply ” like !

    Ward Paterson says,
    2 years ago

    Oh i forgot to mention, its a sedan. Has to be as its clearly longer bumper to bumper, and the roof line doesnt match up as the antenna folded down gives the sheet more height :-p
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  Wheelnut says,
  2 years ago

  It could possibly look like this.. I mean if they made the STi a two door [be it coupe or hatch] that would be one way of stopping those who buy an RS or WRX from making their cars look like a STi.... What do you think Ward

  
  
  • reply ” like !

    Ward Paterson says,
    2 years ago

    Wheelnut, it it looks like this, I'm trading in ASAP! I seriously dont think Subaru has been hiding a Coupe from us. Someone would have seen it on the N Ring
    
    
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  Super Mattthew says,
  2 years ago

  If it's a hatch, aren't there laws in most countries that the wing on a road car isn't allowed to stick out further than the bumper bar??