Subaru's all-new WRX rally car is ready for the stages
Travis Pastrana's new toy is a VB chassis WRX rally car
Subaru may have been long gone from the World Rally Championship, but that does not stop them from developing cars built for the rally stages.
In the United States, Subaru Motorsports USA has revealed the all-new WRX rally car that will compete in the Open 4WD class of the American Rally Association (ARA) Championship.
Based on the current VB chassis that utilizes the Subaru Global Platform, Vermont SportsCar re-engineered the new rally car from the inside out, maximizing performance while remaining compliant with the ARA Open 4WD regulations.
While it still bears some resemblance to the standard WRX, the body was fitted with a carbon fiber widebody kit and a giant rear wing for optimum aerodynamics. As a neat touch, Subaru gave the WRX rally car its iconic WR Blue Pearl in a matte finish and the yellow four-pointed stars, reminiscent of the classic Impreza rally cars that competed in the WRC.
There's a full seam welded body shell and an FIA spec roll cage to ensure the safety of the driver and co-driver. Furthermore, the stock WRX fuel tank was replaced by an 82-liter Kevlar fuel cell, plus the competition seats are courtesy of Sparco.
Underneath the hood is a custom-built 2.0-liter, four-cylinder turbocharged and intercooled boxer engine that's fitted with a 33mm restrictor and 22 psi boost limit to keep power figures to 320 PS and 515 Nm of torque. The engine is paired with a SADEV 6-speed sequential close-ratio transmission that puts down power to all four wheels.
Meanwhile, springs and dampers from R53 Suspension ensure the WRX has plenty of suspension travel to go over any surface that the 15-inch Yokohama Advan A053 gravel rally tires encounter.
The Subaru WRX rally car is set to debut on the Ojibwe Forests Rally with driver Brandon Semenuk and co-driver Keaton Williams this August. And on the other hand, extreme sports legend Travis Pastrana will pilot the sister WRX at the 2024 ARA Season.
