Subaru Motorsports USA Unveils All-New WRX Rally Car
Subaru Motorsports USA has revealed the all-new WRX rally car for competition in the Open 4WD class of the American Rally Association (ARA) Championship.
The No. 180 team of driver Brandon Semenuk and co-driver Keaton Williams will pilot the car in its racing debut at Ojibwe Forests Rally on Aug. 24-25. Subaru also announced that Travis Pastrana will join in a second car in the 2024 ARA season.
Subaru will also be giving a behind-the-scenes look at the all-new WRX rally car on the Subaru YouTube channel with its “Next Stage” miniseries. The six-episode video series will document the 18-month process of designing, building, and testing the new car. The first episode of “Next Stage” will go live Aug. 9.
Built for competition by technical partner Vermont SportsCar, the new rally car has been engineered from the inside out for maximum performance under current ARA Open 4WD specifications and regulations, the manufacturer said. Starting with WRX number, the new car was designed, built, and tested over a period of 18 months before its debut. It is powered by a custom-built turbocharged and intercooled 2.0-liter 4-cylinder boxer engine that meets the requirements of its class, including a mandated 33mm restrictor and 22psi boost limit. To spec, the engine produces 320 h.p. and 380 lb-ft. of torque, while a SADEV six-speed close-ratio transmission sends the power to all four wheels. Springs and dampers are from R53 Suspension, working with VSC-designed crossmembers, links, and hubs to manage wheel movement of the Yokohama 15-inch ADVAN A053 gravel rally tires.
Much of the development of the new car focuses on the safety of the driver and co-driver, starting with a fully seam-welded body shell and an FIA/USAC-spec roll cage constructed from T45 steel, Subaru said. The stock WRX gas tank is replaced by an 82-liter Kevlar fuel cell, and Sparco ADV Prime competition seats feature HANS (Head and Neck Restraint System) devices, a self-extinguishing fabric liner and FIA approved energy absorbing padding.
The carbon fiber widebody was designed in accordance with the latest ARA aerodynamics ruleset. The car is finished in a matte WR Blue Pearl and livery reminiscent of classic Subaru rally cars.
