Unveiling the Power and Passion: Subaru's New WRX Rally Car Roars to Life

You know, the history here speaks loud and clear. I mean, the name of the car itself carries some weighty significance—Subaru says it's short for World Rally eXperimental. And just a little while ago, they pulled the curtain off their freshest contender for the rally circuit: the Subaru Motorsports WRX Rally car. They've really put their heart into crafting this special ride, geared up for some action in the Open 4WD category of the American Rally Association (ARA) Championship. And the whole shebang has been a tag team effort with Vermont SportsCar, Subaru's right-hand tech partner.

Meet the WRX Rally Car

Now, let's talk nitty-gritty. The ARA rules put a leash on the turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine. It's got a mandatory 33mm restrictor and can't go beyond 22 psi for the boost. So, that's how it's capped at 320 horses and 380 pound-feet of torque. All that power finds its way to each of the four wheels through a slick SADEV six-speed close-ratio sequential transmission. Mind you, don't be fooled by those seemingly average power numbers—they reckon this Rally car's gonna show some serious hustle.

The ride rocks a fully seam-welded body, and the suspension setup? Well, that has been a joint effort by R53 and Vermont SportsCar. Unlike your regular Subaru WRX, this rally version takes a more minimalist approach on the inside. They've stripped it down to the basics, leaving you with only the must-haves: a pair of Sparco ADV Prime competition bucket seats and an FIA-spec roll cage to keep the driver-duo safe and sound.

Form and Function: Designing the Ultimate Rally Car

Now, racing's all about getting the job done, but the Subaru WRX Rally manages to serve up both style and substance. Subaru's got the lowdown on the carbon-fiber widebody—it's all designed fresh from scratch, following the latest ARA aerodynamic rules. And boy, that rear wing's not playing shy, it's right there in your face, making sure everything sticks to the ground when you're tearing up the dirt at high speeds.

Countdown to Ojibwe Forests Rally Debut

Alright, here's the scoop: this Subaru rally beast is making its grand entrance at the Ojibwe Forests Rally on August 24th and 25th. The ones steering the ship? Brandon Semenuk takes the wheel, backed up by co-driver Keaton Williams. And there's more to come—Subaru's cooking up a second rally car for the 2024 season, and guess who's gonna be behind the wheel? None other than Travis Pastrana, making a triumphant return to the scene.

Now, here's the bummer part—the hype train for this fresh Subaru WRX competition car has only made us crave a new STI edition of the regular road car even more. No official word from Subaru yet, but we'll make sure you're in the loop if something exciting breaks loose.