2023 Subaru WRX rally car ready to flick and fly in the American woods
After we (very briefly) drove the 2023 Subaru Prodrive WRX Prototype, we wrote that the 300-horsepower, Blue Pearl-hued four-door “reinforced something we already knew: This latest iteration of Subaru’s compact chassis came from the factory practically begging for a hotter treatment; it can take this and so much more.” Well, we have our own version of Prodrive in the U.S. called Vermont Sports Car (VSC), and we have our own series where rally cars can do their thing, called the American Rally Association (ARA) Championship. More to the point, Subaru Motorsport USA and VSC have given the WRX that hotter treatment. With two races left in this year’s American Rally Association Championship, the local competition arm introduces its brand new WRX-based racer for the Open 4WD class.
Built on the bones of the first WRX sold in the U.S., every important bit has been remade. Class rules mean the custom-built, turbocharged 2.0-liter boxer four is limited to 22 psi of boost breathing through a 33-millimeter restrictor plate, but the mill still makes 320 horsepower and 380 pound-feet of torque. Some portion of those numbers undoubtedly come from the custom VSC exhaust manifold and quick-change exhaust system. The engine’s fed by a 21.7-gallon Kevlar fuel cell where the gas tank used to be.
There’s no CVT to be found, power routed through a Tilton racing clutch to a close-ratio SADEV six-speed sequential transmission. From there, fancy software apportions power to all four wheels through a SADEV custom propshaft and SADEV differentials front and rear, and GKN custom driveshafts. Four-piston Brembos clamping 11.8-inch rotors manage the reverse of speed.
A fully seam-welded body is additionally stiffened by VSC crossmembers in front and back. The extra rigidity lets the R53 competition suspension focus on damping a quartet of 15-inch wheels wearing Yokohama Advan rally gravel tires.
Inside, carbon fiber’s been woven into the dashboard, door cards and co-driver footrests. The FIA/USAC-spec roll cage is rolled from T45 steel. Sparco developed the ADV Prime seats in the rallying WRX with the help of M-Sport, which is Ford’s partner in the World Rally Championship.
Total weight comes to the regulation minimum 2,900 pounds thanks to strategically placed ballast. Excellent specs, all. And a good time to admit the Prodrive Subaru does have two things going for it over the VSC WRX. First, the English prototype is road legal and there’s a chance it could see production; a small chance, sure, but even that means infinitely greater odds than getting a streetable version of the WRX fighting in the ARA. Second, the carbon fiber widebody VSC WRX went to the Ferrari school of beauty, the rule there being that any car that wins is beautiful. Outside victory circle, the Prodrive is the looker.
Subaru Motorsport USA and Vermont Sports Car have been testing the WRX rally car for 18 months. The car’s first taste of competition comes later this month at the Ojibwe Forests Rally August 25-25. Defending series champion and current championship leader Brandon Semenuk will pilot car #180 with co-driver Keaton Williams. He’ll be joined by another late entry to this year’s championship, Travis Pastrana returning to the Subaru family after a year away from the ARA. Enthusiasts who don’t want to wait can check out Subaru’s six-part video series called “Next Stage” that Subaru says will provide a “comprehensive behind-the-scenes look at the 18-month process of designing, building, and testing the new car.” The first episode airs on Subaru’s YouTube channel on Wednesday, August 9.
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