All-New Competition WRX Wins Its Debut Rally

In early August, Subaru Motorsports revealed their all-new WRX rally car to compete in the Open 4WD class of the American Rally Association (ARA) Championship. Weeks later, the car landed first place in the Ojibwe Forests Rally in nearby Northern Minnesota. The #180 car was driven by Brandon Semenuk and Keeton Williams. Twin Falls Subaru is excited and wants to give you some details 

Regulations Keep Power in Line

The new WRX competition vehicle was built by technical partner Vermont SportsCar over an 18-month period of design construction and testing. It is powered by a custom-built turbocharged and intercooled 2.0-liter 4-cylinder boxer engine with a mandated 33mm restrictor and 22 psi boost limit to meet the regulations of the ARA Open 4ED class. As configured, the engine produces 320hp and 380 lb-ft. of torque. A six-speed close-ratio transmission built by SADEV Transmission out of Mooresville, NC, sends the power to all four wheels. 

Springs and dampers are from R53 Suspension out of Warwickshire in the UK, working with VSC-designed cross members, links, and hubs to manage wheel movement. Meeting the ground are Yokohama 15-inch ADVAN A053 gravel rally tires.

Subaru’s Safety Focus Extends to its Competition Cars

Dressed in classic Subaru rally blue, or more specifically, matte WR Blue Pearl, the widebody is 100% carbon fiber, as is the large rear wing. Inside the car, the focus was on keeping the driver and co-drivers safe. Starting with the Sparco ADV Prime competition seats with integrated HANS (Head and Neck Restraint System), which includes a self-extinguishing fabric liner and FIA-approved energy absorbing padding. They are then surrounded by a fully seam-welded body shell and an FIA/USAC-spec roll cage constructed from high-strength T45 steel. An 82-liter Kevlar fuel cell replaces the stock gas tank.

Driver Perspectives

“The release of the new car will bring an exciting future along with it. Says Brandon Semenuk. This platform has been completely reengineered and the car looks and feels more dynamic, which will translate to an even better show for the fans!

Though not available for the first rally, established Subaru driver and extreme sports legend Travis Pastrana will also compete for Subaru in a second identical car in the 2024 ARA season. About which Semenuk added: “We will also have Travis coming back to the championship next season, which I’m looking forward to. Not only is it more fun having a teammate, but you learn so much more with a two-car team and this will be important for the ongoing development of the platform.”

Pastrana added: “The release of the new car will bring an exciting future along with it. This platform has been completely reengineered and the car looks and feels more dynamic, which will translate to an even better show for the fans! We will also have Travis coming back to the championship next season, which I’m looking forward to. Not only is it more fun having a teammate, but you learn so much more with a two-car team and this will be important for the ongoing development of the platform.”

With an all-new car, talented drivers, and already one win in the can, this looks to be a great rally season for Subaru. As for a WRX, you will be able to find here at Twin Falls Subaru, in addition to the current models, a sharper and more enthusiast-focused 2024 WRX TR will debut at Subiefest Florida on October 7 at Daytona International Speedway.