Strange Subaru WRX STI Convertible Is Back on Sale for Double the Price

Drop-top Subarus don’t come along every day, but this one costs a pretty penny.

byLewin Day|
For Sale photo
Patriot Nissan of Salem
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If you love the Subaru WRX STI, but have always longed for a convertible version, your prayers have been answered. Just such a car has turned up at Patriot Nissan of Salem, New Hampshire. It's not the first time we've seen this car up for sale, either.

The vehicle in question is a 2011 Subaru WRX STI with an aftermarket convertible top fitted. It packs a 2.5L flat four under the hood, good for 305 hp out of the factory. It's paired with a six-speed manual transmission and Subaru's famous all-wheel-drive system. The car is finished in Plasma Blue Pearl, with Carbon Black interior.

The convertible top was installed by Newport Specialty Cars in California. Reportedly, only five convertible STI models were built by the company. This example is claimed as one of just four remaining, with the fifth having been totaled.

It's a pretty straightforward conversion, with the roof hacked off a sedan model to create the convertible. Notably, the B pillar remains in place, so it's not the sleekest look out there. However, there appears to be a bit of roll-over structure still there, which should provide peace of mind to lairy drivers out there.

The top has a tiny rear window, obscured further by the STI's large rear wing. On a car like this though, the top is really just for protection from surprise showers. It's really built for blasting around top-down to a soundtrack of boxer noises with your friends cheering from the back seats. Anyone wanting a better enclosed driving experience would be best served with the regular hard top model.

Priced at $59,980 with 11,433 miles on the clock, the listing claims the convertible is a "one-owner" car. Interestingly though, this very same car was up for sale in 2017. Back then, it had under 10,000 miles on the clock and and was listed at just $26,967. Of course, there's every chance the car simply failed to sell in 2017 and remained with the same owner, but it bears noting.

$60,000 is a steep price for a decade-old STI, even moreso for a modified example. Used car prices are still crazy right now, but to see the car double in price after aging five years is a bit much. It would be a large chunk of change even for a pristine, showroom-fresh example from the same year.

If you want a convertible WRX STI and you need one this week, this car is probably your only option. However, if you've got $60,000 lying around with time to spare, you could probably have your own built on a newer body for the same money. It's up to you!

Got a tip? Let the author know: lewin@thedrive.com

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