I think I speak for all of us when I say that at some point, we’ve all toyed with the idea of buying a sensible daily driver just so we can focus on wrenching away at our beloved project car. It’s a foolproof plan—until it isn’t. More often than not, that so-called “daily” ends up getting modified, and before you know it, you’re knee-deep in not one, but two full-blown projects.
Enter this Subaru Forester 2.0 S-Turbo, spotted at Heaven on Wheels in Anderlecht, Belgium. The owner originally picked it up as a practical runaround, allowing him to tear into his Subaru Impreza Wagon build without worrying about being stranded. But, as it so often happens, love has a funny way of rewriting plans. The Forester quickly stole his heart, and the parts he’d been stockpiling for the Wagon started finding their way onto his newfound obsession.
Once it was clear that the Forester was no longer just a daily, a proper vision took shape. The goal? Transforming this European-spec Forester into a rare, Japan-only S/tb STI edition—albeit with a stance aggressive enough to turn heads at a Stancenation event. A tall order, but one the owner was more than ready to tackle.
The build started with a full body kit from the S/tb STI version, including a front bumper, side skirts, and a rear bumper, all topped off with a bespoke grille featuring a custom logo. And then there are the wheels, staggeringly stunning Volk Racing C-Ultra three-piece alloys, tailor-made for this application. Measuring in at 18” x 9.7J all around and sporting an aggressively deep lip, they are, quite simply, a match made in heaven for this Forester.
To get the stance just right, an air suspension setup was installed, featuring Prazis struts and an Air Lift 3P management system. The result? A drop that’s both show-stopping and practical—well, as practical as things get in the world of stance builds.
Inside, the transformation continues with rare JDM Forester St-b interior components, Depo gauges, an XTRFRSH steering wheel and mats, and a backseat delete for that extra bit of weight savings and style. The owner has already hinted that this is just the beginning, with plenty more plans brewing for the future.
And so, the cycle continues. A car meant to be a sensible daily morphs into something much, much more. Which means, of course, that he’ll now have to find another daily. And we all know how that story ends…
Owner; Elle_e_79