24-hour Nurburgring is the proving ground for 2015 Subaru WRX STI

The Nurburgring is the proving ground for the 2015 Subaru WRX STI and has been for 20 years and counting.

Subaru WRX STI has been in the U.S. since 2004, but the testing started over 20 years ago for the development on the new-generation 2015 WRX STI. This new performance model has been developed with over 20 years of being tested and proven on the Nurburgring. It’s the best testing ground that Subaru can use to develop their iconic sports car, the WRX STI.

The Nurburgring course is a beast with its 300 meters of elevation change and 170 twisty corners. It tests both driver and machine and its been the proving ground for all Subaru cars for 20 years. The legendary race is held in May or June every year on the famed Nurburgring in Germany. The 24-hour race combines two racing circuits into one, the Nurburgring Grand Prix track, and the infamous 20 km “Nordschleife.” course.

The Grand Prix circuit is smooth with wide turns with plenty of run-off, but the Nordschleife portion of the course is much more demanding. The Nordschleife features narrow, curvy mountain-style roads, rough surfaces, blind corners, blind crests, areas of minimal light, and many sections where race cars literally jump clear off the track surface. Subaru says its “like a trip around the world squeezed into one lap.” It’s the perfect challenge for the 2015 Subaru WRX STI.

This is where STI can test every component of a race car as it’s subjected to immense pressures and loads when participating in the race at high speed over 24 hours. Subaru took the first WRX STI to the 24 Hours Nurburgring race in 2008. The performance WRX STI has participated with Subaru Tecnica International’s (STI) very own development program every year since 2009.

All WRX STI models since have been taken to the Nurburgring 24-hour and have completed the race, with STI coming in first in the SP3T class (up to 2-liter turbo models) in 2011 and 2012, before suffering a setback in 2013, finishing in second place.

Subaru says that all of their vehicles will benefit from the grueling race that features every type of road found around the world. “It’s the standard to which all Subaru vehicles, racing and production are measured.”

The Nurburgring 24-hour and the Nordschleife aligns perfectly with the ideals of Subaru. It pushes the build quality of the WRX STI to the very limit. What better way to develop the performance production car? STI has been challenging Subaru to keep pushing the envelope and developing parts and vehicles that performance enthusiasts will have confidence in.

The all-new 2015 WRX STI is the basis for the WRX STI NBR Challenge race car, “a purebred competitor” designed to handle the rigors of the famous Nurburgring Nordschleife circuit. The race car shares more than 95 percent of its parts with the production 2015 WRX STI. The Nurburgring 24-hour race coming up on June 21 is the proving ground for the 2015 Subaru WRX STI and has been for 20 years and counting.

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