The Subaru Forester XTI is not just any Forester. It may be at a concept at the moment, but it offers a combination of Forester utility with WRX STI performance. Although the latest model of Forester is larger and loks more SUV-ish than ever, this Forester takes style to a whole other level, wearing the STI’s optional silver 18-inch wheels, STI’s dash and center console, as well as the STI’s Alcantara-covered Recaro sport seats. Subaru claims that the Forester XTI “combines the versatility of the Forester 2.5XT with the all-out street performance of the rally-bred Impreza WRX STI. The automaker’s Subaru Performance Tuning team literally combined the two cars as an experiment to see how many STI parts would fit.

SPT started by taking one Forester and one STI, stripping each to the metal, and adding STI pieces to the Forester bit by bit. Since the two cars share a platform, the engine, six-speed manual transmission, and STI drivetrain weren’t too difficult to swap over. The new exhaust system freed up another 10 hp and 10 lb-ft of torque compared with the stock STI, so the XTI is good for 315 hp and 300 lb-ft.

Subaru estimates that the XTI can hit 60 mph in five seconds or less.  With the chassis and drive settings in their most aggressive positions—the SI-Drive system in Sport Sharp and the Driver Controlled Center Differential (DCCD) set for maximum rear torque bias—the XTI can keep up with stock WRX STI. Although the Forester XTI may never go into production, it is one exciting SUV.