Oh yes, this is Subaru USA’s new 316bhp WRX rally car

What a sight that is in the images above: a proper high-performance Subaru saloon transformed into an all-out, blue and gold-liveried rally car attacking a forest stage. It gets better too, because that’s actually an all-new WRX rally car. Hurrah!

It’s the work of Subaru Motorsports USA and its technical partner Vermont SportsCar, with the car being designed for the Open 4WD class of the American Rally Association (ARA) Championship.

As a result, the technical specs are as follows. There’s a 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbocharged boxer engine that makes 316bhp and 380lb ft of torque. That power is sent to all four wheels through a SADEV six-speed sequential gearbox, while the springs and dampers come from R53 Suspension.

Subaru USA says that it took 18 months to design, build and test the new car, and it gave Vermont SportsCar the best chance of completing development in time by supplying it with the very first current-gen Subaru WRX to roll off the production line. 

Other major mods for the rally car include a fully seam-welded body shell, an FIA-spec roll cage, an 82-litre Kevlar fuel cell and Sparco bucket seats. And of course there’s that carbon fibre widebody with a bonnet scoop, roof scoop and giant rear wing. We approve. 

Oh, and the best news of all? Extreme sports legend and Family Huckster pilot Travis Pastrana is returning to race for Subaru in the 2024 ARA season.

“So excited about the 2024 ARA rally championship,” said Pastrana. “The new Subaru platform is amazing and the chance to battle again with two-time and defending champion Brandon Semenuk is going to be so much fun. 

“When Brandon joined the team, I was the veteran. But the tables have turned and I’m looking forward to learning a lot and hopefully getting back to the top. I’ve only been away from the sport for a year but a lot has changed and I’m ready for the new challenge.”