The objective was clear: to take less than seven minutes on a lap of the Nürburgring in a four-door car. Currently, the production model Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio holds this record with a time of 7′ 32″. To achieve this, Subaru turned to the WRX STi, its current model with more performance.
But it has little or nothing to do with the production model. In reality, this WRX STi is an “old acquaintance”.
It looks different, got a new name – WRX STi Type RA – but it's the same car that broke the Isle of Man record in 2016, with Mark Higgins at the wheel. In other words, it is a “devil's” machine. Prepared by Prodrive, it is equipped with the well-known four-cylinder boxer 2.0 liter capacity. What is unusual is the 600 horsepower extracted from this block! And even being supercharged, Prodrive claims that this thruster is capable of reaching 8500 rpm!
The transmission to the four wheels is carried out through a sequential gearbox, from Prodrive itself, with gearbox changes between 20 and 25… milliseconds. The only component that remains original is the active center differential, which distributes power between the two axles. The suspension has the same specifications as the rally cars and the ventilated discs are 15 inches with eight-piston brake calipers. Slick tires are nine inches wide and. finally, the rear wing can be adjusted electronically via a button on the steering wheel.
Rain, damn rain!
The Subaru WRX STi Type RA (from Record Attempt) seems to have the right ingredients to get less than seven minutes to “Green Inferno”. But Mother Nature had other plans. The rain that fell on the circuit prevented any attempt to reach the proposed objective.
It was not an impediment to taking the car to the circuit as the images document. At the wheel is Richie Stanaway, a 25-year-old New Zealand driver. Adverse weather conditions have dictated that the record attempt will have to wait for another day. “We'll be back,” assured Michael McHale, Subaru's Communications Director.
Remember the rear wing that denounced the future Subaru BRZ STi?
Well then, forget about it. We were all misled. There won't be a BRZ STi, at least not yet.
The rear wing image belongs to the production WRX STi Type RA which will be unveiled on June 8th. In other words, Subaru intended to conquer the Nürburgring record for four-door saloons and associate this record with the new version.
Well, it didn't go very well. Not only did he fail the record, half the world is now looking forward to the BRZ STi and not the WRX STi Type RA.
On the other hand the Subaru WRX STi Type RA promises. Carbon fiber roof and rear wing, revised suspension with Bilstein shock absorbers, forged 19-inch BBS wheels and Recaro seats will be part of the new machine's arsenal. Subaru also talks about engine upgrades and gear ratios, but at the moment, we don't know what that means. Let's wait!
