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The Drive
10 hours ago
- Automotive
- The Drive
Subaru Motorsports Rudely Teases Us With Street-Legal WRX Rally Car Mockup
The latest car news, reviews, and features. These days, there is no shortage of talented artists dreaming up cars that don't exist, but should, and sharing them online. That's to say nothing of the folks who will punch fake vehicle names into AI image generators for predictably horrible results. But these renders of a Subaru WRX rally car in street clothes hit differently, because they came from Subaru Motorsports itself. Earlier in the week, Subaru's U.S. rally team, which is operated by the fine folks at Vermont SportsCar, shared images of its WRX ARA25 rally car in stark white and blue with no liveries and gold rims and the caption 'What if the Subaru WRX ARA25 was sold as road car?' The resulting comments were predictable, from some people offering to donate their kidneys for the cause, to others predictably begging for a new STI. But this thought exercise is so much more extreme than just about any Impreza or WRX the company's ever sold, including the vaunted 22B. The era of homologation specials—race cars that had to be sold as road cars, to be eligible for competition—has long since passed. Three or four decades ago, we might've gotten something like these images. The 22B STI, though it shared many visual similarities to Subaru's WRC car of the late '90s, was really a Type R chassis with flared fenders and many mechanical changes. Subaru built it because it chose to, to celebrate its rallying success—not because it had to. Classic WR Blue Pearl or simple white? Subaru Motorsports USA via Facebook Similarly, anything like this pie-in-the-sky ARA25 road car would have to come about because Subaru wanted to build it. Like everyone else, we wish it did. The VB WRX's design has warmed up on me since its initial unveiling, but I still don't love it. There's just too much cladding, and the rear end design is very narrow and cinched in an unflattering way. But flare those fenders, tuck in the body just behind the front wheels, bolt on a big-ass wing, and swap all that black plastic out for genuine carbon fiber and, suddenly, you've systematically dismantled every possible criticism I though I had with the current-gen sport sedan. Race cars just have a knack for doing that. As much as I avoid getting caught up in daydreaming like this, it's a different story when it's the OEM itself (or, its racing team) inviting us to do it. The STI may have gone on a hiatus, but it's clear that there is still an appetite for a true giant-killing WRX to battle the likes of the Civic Type R, GR Corolla, and Golf R. Commercially, Subaru is killing it these days thanks to its SUVs, and the optimist in me is hopeful that increases the chances the automaker simply decides to blow a whole lot of money on a flagship performance car again. That's the glass-half-full take, anyway; the pessimist in me is wondering why the Subaru rally team chose violence with such a cruel tease. Got a tip? Email us at tips@
Yahoo
11-04-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
All-New Subaru Motorsports USA WRX ARA25L to Debut at Olympus Rally
SHELTON, Wash., April 11, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The all-new WRX ARA25L from Subaru Motorsports USA makes its racing debut at Washington State's Olympus Rally this weekend. Piloted by extreme sports legend and Subaru Motorsports USA driver Travis Pastrana, the WRX ARA25L will compete within the fast-paced and accessible American Rally Association (ARA) Limited 4-Wheel-Drive (L4WD) class. L4WD competition cars are heavily modified compared to their stock counterparts but must adhere to specific parameters and restrictions. As such, they remain closely related to the WRX models on the showroom floor – particularly when compared to the cars found in the Open 4-Wheel-Drive (O4WD) class, where Subaru Motorsports USA driver Brandon Semenuk and co-driver Keaton Williams are currently chasing a fourth straight ARA championship. Expertly designed and assembled by performance partner Vermont SportsCar, the WRX ARA25L showcases what is possible with a much closer to stock Subaru WRX while offering drivers the chance to compete with Travis Pastrana at a significantly lower price point than that of the O4WD class. The heart of the WRX ARA25L is its turbocharged and intercooled 2.4-liter Subaru FA24 BOXER engine. With its factory turbocharger, ARA L4WD class-mandated 33mm restrictor and 2.5-bar absolute boost limit, the ARA25L's engine produces roughly 315 horsepower and 460 lb-ft of torque. Power is sent to all four wheels via a 6-speed sequential gearbox with a 3-plate carbon race clutch. Suspension duties are handled by R53 motorsport springs and dampers along with a combination of OEM and VSC hardware, and the WRX ARA25L's 15-inch O.Z. Competition wheels wear Yokohama ADVAN A053 rally tires. Brembo 4-piston brake calipers and 300mm brake rotors front and rear bring everything to a halt. According to Pastrana, fresh out of the car on day one of testing, the WRX ARA25L is "a really fun car to drive" with "less downforce than the open car, which adds even more to the fun factor. It drives like a 125cc 2-stroke – you're always shiftin' and movin'!" The anticipation for Pastrana's 2025 ARA debut has been building, and now with the reveal of the WRX ARA25L and Subaru Motorsports USA's participation in L4WD there are more reasons than ever to go spectate – or enter – a rally. Look for Pastrana and the WRX ARA25L at ARA events all season long, including some Super Regionals like July's Rally Colorado, and for the latest news and updates be sure to follow Subaru Motorsports USA on Facebook, on Instagram @subarumotorsportsusa, and TikTok @subarumotorsportsusa. About Subaru Motorsports USASubaru Motorsports USA is directed by Subaru of America, Inc., managed by Vermont SportsCar and proudly supported by MOTUL, Yokohama Tires, R53 Suspension, Triple-R Lights, DirtFish Rally School, and Sparco USA. Follow the team online at Subaru Motorsports USA on Facebook, on Instagram @subarumotorsportsusa, and on TikTok @ Subaru of America, of America, Inc. (SOA) is an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of Subaru Corporation of Japan. Headquartered at a zero-landfill office in Camden, N.J., the company markets and distributes Subaru vehicles, parts, and accessories through a network of more than 630 retailers across the United States. All Subaru products are manufactured in zero-landfill plants and Subaru of Indiana Automotive, Inc. is the only U.S. automobile manufacturing plant to be designated a backyard wildlife habitat by the National Wildlife Federation. SOA is guided by the Subaru Love Promise, which is the company's vision to show love and respect to everyone, and to support its communities and customers nationwide. Over the past 20 years, SOA and the SOA Foundation have donated more than $300 million to causes the Subaru family cares about, and its employees have logged nearly 88,000 volunteer hours. As a company, Subaru believes it is important to do its part in making a positive impact in the world because it is the right thing to do. For additional information visit Follow us on Facebook and Instagram. James TateMotorsports Marketing ManagerSubaru of America, Inc.(856) 488-8622jtate@ Dominick InfanteDirector, Corporate CommunicationsSubaru of America, Inc.(856) 488-8615dinfante@ View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Subaru of America, Inc. Sign in to access your portfolio
