high-boost 305-horsepower turbocharged/intercooled Boxer engine teamed with a six-speed manual transmission.

With a top speed of 158 m.p.h. in the four-door sedan version (the five-door hatchback gets 155 m.p.h.), there's no doubt this is a car built for speed. Yet a sense of refinement is present as well, thanks to the Subaru Intelligent Drive technology found only on the WRX STI. The driver selects among three modes: "intelligent," with a more relaxed throttle response; "sport," which, as expected, delivers quicker throttle response; and "sport sharp," which tweaks the engine's electronic throttle mapping for even faster throttle response.

The STI's handling is fairly phenomenal when compared to the 2010 model. That point was reinforced during some track time at the Aspen Motorsports Park. The lowered ride height and new pillow-ball bushings in front and stiffer bushings for the rear subframe, which supports the double-wishbone suspension for improved camber and toe stiffness. Both the front and rear suspension systems employ higher-rate springs and thicker front and rear stabilizer bars than the 2010 model did.

As odd as it sounds, Subaru has transformed the WRX STI into a daily commuter through interior refinements. As one Subaru exec joked, it's no longer just a toy for boy racers. It has a leather-wrapped tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel that features control switches for Bluetooth hands-free phone function. You can also get leather seats and a sunroof--something previous-gen owners didn't care about.

Subaru even points out that, thanks to the compact layout of the double-wishbone rear suspension, which helps minimize intrusion into the cargo area (or trunk, as we mere mortals call it), the four-door version of the WRX STI can hold three professional-size golf bags. What is this world coming to? Golf clubs and the STI mentioned in the same sentence outside of a police report about a road rage incident?

Safety features abound in the STI. It has both stability and traction control operated through a multi-mode vehicle dynamics control that can entirely turn off both controls (but you don't dare with the STI).

Other standard safety features include brake assist, three-point seatbelts for all seating positions, advanced frontal airbag system, side-curtain airbags, front-seat side-impact airbags, front seatbelt pre-tensioners, force limiters and headrests for all three rear-seat positions, and safety pedal system.

One point I need to emphasize is that the WRX STI is a powerful vehicle. It's not for the inexperienced driver (a class that includes some folks in their forties... so I'm not just targeting teenagers). Invest in a