Subaru Motorsports’ All-New Competition WRX Wins Its First Rally

Subaru Motorsports revealed their all-new WRX rally car to compete in the Open 4WD class of the American Rally Association (ARA) Championship in the first week of August. Subaru of Rochester is proud to announce that it was just weeks later when the car took first place in the Ojibwe Forests Rally here in Northern Minnesota (did any of you go see it?). Driven by Brandon Semenuk and Keeton Williams, the win secured their second straight American Rally Association (ARA) Championship win in the process. 

Engine Tuned to ARA Regulations

Built by Subaru Motorsports technical partner Vermont SportsCar, the new WRX competition car represents over 18 months of design, construction, and testing.  Powering the car is a custom-built turbocharged and intercooled 2.0-liter 4-cylinder boxer engine. ARA regulations for the Open 4WD class mandated a 33mm restrictor and 22 psi boost limit. As such, the engine produces 320 horsepower and 380 lb-ft. of torque. Controlling the power before it reaches all four wheels is a six-speed close-ratio transmission built by SADEV Transmission out of Mooresville, NC.

R53 Suspension out of Warwickshire, UK, developed the springs and dampers along with VSC-designed cross members, links, and hubs to manage wheel movement. The car meets the ground through Yokohama 15-inch ADVAN A053 gravel rally tires.

Subaru Safety Extends to the Rally Course

The carbon fiber body is dressed in classic Subaru rally blue with bright yellow graphics. The large rear wing also has carbon fiber construction. The interior notably lacks the Dual 7-inch SUBARU STARLINK® screens but does retain Subaru’s safety focus. Both driver and co-driver are strapped into Sparco ADV Prime competition seats with integrated HANS (Head and Neck Restraint System) and include a self-extinguishing fabric liner and FIA-approved energy-absorbing padding. Surrounding the occupants is an FIA/USAC-spec roll cage constructed from high-strength T45 steel and a fully seam-welded body shell.  The WRX gas tank is replaced by an 82-liter Kevlar fuel cell.

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!

Travis Pastrana will also compete for Subaru in a second identical car for 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 the 2023 Championship behind them. 2024 looks to be a great rally season for Subaru. While not quite ready for ARA, the 2023 WRX you can find in the Twin Falls Subaru inventory, packs a turbocharged 2.4-liter boxer good for 271 horsepower and 258 lb-ft, with its own 6-speed manual controlling the power before the Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive sends it to all four tires. An even more performance-focused  WRX TR will debut at Subiefest Florida on October 7 at Daytona International Speedway.