The previous generation special edition WRX was called Saigo - Japanese for ‘the last’. Now there’s another one.

SOME sort of pun about propensity for WRX fans to see red likely applies with this car: Subaru has gone for it being a red-hot rarity. 

Whether that status really applies to the AKA edition announced today will be up to history to decide. 

For the most part, truly collectible editions have been those created by Subaru Technical International, particularly cars from the period when it ran in world rally championship. So long ago, now.

However, Subaru NZ has always been pretty good at making low-volume editions of their only sporting sedan sound too tantalising to pass up.

So it goes with the AKA, available from now, which takes its name from the Japanese word for the colour red.

And that’s it? Well, no. 

While the hue seems to be a standard colour, used by other models including the XV that is in process of returning as the Crosstrek, thought this is the first time a WRX has been offered with it.

Another allure of the derivative is that it is only available to the New Zealand market.

Just 10 are coming - five in with what’s marketed as Subaru Performance Transmission - which in translates to ‘constantly variable transmission’ - and five with an actual gearbox, the type that has consistently brought out the best from this car. An old-school manual.

The latter version might be the more popular, because Subaru NZ boss Wallis Dumper is suggesting - but not outright saying - that it could be the last of its kind.

Speaking of that status, in respect to the WRX, wasn’t that the Saigo, the previous special edition WRX that came out respectively in STi form in 2020 as standard WRX in 2022? That’s a Japanese word that literally translates as “the last.”

With that in mind, does that make the AKA the first since the last? If there’s any irony there, it’s not being felt by Subaru NZ, which is giving the usual “hurry up or miss out message” with this car.

Says Dumper: “Just like the Saigo (which translates from Japanese as the last) WRX, and Saigo STI limited edition models that were released in 2020 and 2021 respectively, these AKA WRXs won’t be made again. We only have 10 limited edition models, which means they will be solely available to those who act fast.”

Aside from its colour, the edition is technically identical to the standard car, with no tweaking of the 202kW/350Nm 2.4-litre turbocharged engine. The doppelgänger status also holds for pricing; it’s lineball with the standard car at $59,990.

For all that, it has more kit. The AKA takes sports seats and some stuff from the STi parts shelf - the 18 inch black alloy wheels, the body kit, the mesh grille, cross-drilled front rotors (only for the manual), the under bonnet strut brace, the gear shifter and the push button starter. Buyers also get a presentation key box and numbered limited edition keyring.

The local distributor concedes some of the add-ons are purely cosmetic, but agues others provide performance benefits. The strut brace, it says, provides extra stiffness between the strut towers which enables better handling and stability when cornering, ensuring less body roll.   

“The STi cross drilled rotors ensure the brake pads and rotor surfaces remain clean and clear of dirt, and moisture. This increases brake bite and helps keep the brake performance in tip-top shape.” 

The sports bucket seats not only add to the performance car vibes, they also provide great support and stabilisation for the driver’s and passenger’s bodies.

Even the key box is different, as it has moulded compartments akin to a jewellery box.

Dumper says the derivative offers “huge bang for buck.”

“We have priced this special edition model competitively and truly believe there is nothing else on the market that can deliver on performance, price, and spec.”

In respect to spend. While the price won’t alter after July 1, the impost on buyers will increase as that’s the day when Clean Car rebates decrease and penalties go up. No prizes for guessing that WRX doesn’t earn a Government cheque in the mail.

Dumper is of course recommending WRX enthusiasts act quickly.

“The Government has revised the … fee which will see the WRX attract several thousand dollars more for the customer to pay at the point of registration. To avoid paying these extra fees, the WRX AKA must be registered before July 1,” he says.

Meantime, he is also confident the AKA cars might be worthy investment choices, saying that has been the case with the Saigo cars.

“We saw their values skyrocket over the course of a year, as they were resold to Kiwis keen to capitalise on their rarity.”