The 2019 Subaru STI S209 is the first-ever limited-edition S-car STI has homologated for sale in the U.S. It’s extremely exclusive, with only 209 cars available. That doesn’t sound like such a tough sell, does it? But there’s a catch.
You wouldn’t think Subaru would have any trouble selling all 209 of its limited-edition cars, as it’s the highest performance version of the very popular and very capable Subaru WRX STI. Typically when companies have an exclusive, high-performance car, demand is through the roof.
But the catch with the S209 is that, at the end of the day, it’s a tuned STI, and it’s the most expensive new Subaru ever at $63,995, or $64,880 including destination fees. That’s over $27,000 more than the starting price of a regular WRX STI, and a big stretch for your average Subaru buyer.
Are there actually 209 people in the U.S. who would pay a $27,000 premium for a Subaru? While the car drives great, the consensus seems to be that the S209’s biggest issue is its whopping price tag.
So to help with that, Subaru is awkwardly advertising a “special” financing deal for the S209, according to CarsDirect. Subaru is offering 3.49 percent APR for up to 63 months, which would ultimately amount to around a $1,131 monthly payment for a total payout of $71,231 once it is paid off.
While 3.49 percent isn’t a bad shake, as it’s below the average interest rate for financing over 60 months, Jalopnik Car Buying expert Tom McParland says it’s not exactly enough to move the needle towards attracting a buyer who may be on the fence. As CarsDirect points out, other regular WRX models are offered with 1.9 percent, 72-month financing.
While it’s not necessarily a bad deal, it’s also not a great look to be offering special financing deals on a one-year, limited edition car you only need to move 209 units of. But this is probably Subaru listening to its fanbase and attempting to make the car seem slightly more accessible.
Is the S209 worth the money? Is it going to appreciate in value and 209 of you out there will be laughing all the way to the bank over this? I don’t think it will, but you never know!
Leave a Reply
Leave a Reply
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
