Subaru announced a new Subaru WRX STI GRC Supercar for 2017. What will happen this season?
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Subaru is developing a new WRX STI GRC Supercar but it won’t be ready until 2017. Subaru Rally Team USA will participate in the 2016 GRC season for eight of the twelve rounds but with an eye towards 2017. Subaru Motorsports is gearing up to get more podium finishes and ultimately make a serious run at winning Drivers and Manufacturer’s championships in 2017.
How will they do it?
Subaru Tecnica International (STI) and Subaru technical partner Vermont SportsCar are working on a new WRX STI that will be able to compete in the tough Red Bull Global Rallycross Championship. Up until now they have had little success because of various mechanical issues with their current WRX STI GRC cars. The issues have kept them off the podium. It’s a competitive sport and Subaru is tired of losing.
Subaru is tired of losing to Ford and VW
Subaru says they will “Intensify their technical efforts to target winning the series’ Drivers and Manufacturer’s championships in 2017.” Does that mean 2016 will be a wash? It’s likely STI will be testing new equipment this season in their existing WRX STI GRC cars. Team drivers Bucky Lasek and Sverre Isachsen will still be behind the wheel. Subaru also reports, David Higgins will increase his role with the team as the lead test driver.
This is good news for Subaru fans who follow the Red Bull Global Rallycross Championship. Subaru has been less than spectacular the last three seasons. The new 2017 WRX STI will need to be special because Ford, VW and now Honda teams are producing some impressive machines.
STI will play a key role
Lance Smith, Vermont SportsCar Team Principal says, “Vermont SportsCar is working closely with STI in 2016 to take this program to the next level and I'm really looking forward to the future. We are taking some important steps this season to increase our technical and engineering efforts.”
Subaru SRT USA will skip the first two races this weekend in Phoenix and then join the Red Bull GRC grid in Dallas for round three on June 3-4 at Fair Park, Dallas, Texas. Sverre Isachsen will be the only driver as Bucky Lasek will compete in the skate competition at Summer X Games. Lasek and Isachsen will both race in the Red Bull GRC BASE on July 2-3 for rounds six and seven. Can Subaru’s new 2017 Subaru WRX STI GRC Supercar win? Stay tuned.
Source: Subaru
Image source: Subaru
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I disagree. I'd say Subaru
I disagree. I'd say Subaru should make a new 2.5L variant of the FA20 series. Something similar to the EJ257 except utilizing some more modern tech would be perfect. Perhaps a port and direct injection system similar to the FA20. I figure this would help the new STI put out a reliable 350hp/tq and achieve these numbers a little faster than in the current setup. Trying to throw more than 300hp into the FA20 is definitely achievable, but if the power isn't available until 5k RPM, then it's not really great for street use. Subaru has to step up their game if they want to keep up with the segment where 300 horses just isn't enough anymore.
The FA20 engine is far more
The FA20 engine is far more superior in design then any of the EJ2.5 engine! The 2.5 only produced more HP/TQE from displacement only! The 2.5 engine is a oversqaure utility designed engine that is very unreliable at the higher horsepower levels at best. The new FA engines are very reliable even on the limits to produce the 600+ HP required to race in GRC. It is the weight/parasitic losses that's hurting the wrx/STI/GRC car's. In tight technical courses the extra length/weight/width is killing them in lap time. If the courses were longer/hi speed cornered they would be far more superior. But the EJ series engine's days are numbered and was a poor design for performance anyway! A closed deck engine is the only correct way to build reliable big Hp#S without detrimental problems with gaskets etc.