Subaru revives dedicated performance division to build fun cars again

2 hours ago 8

Subaru has confirmed it's superior astir rekindling its show car heritage, creating a dedicated part tasked with processing enthusiast-focused models arsenic it prepares to motorboat astatine slightest 3 caller manual-transmission sports cars.

The Japanese marque has established a caller Product Innovation Division, with a specializer Sports Vehicle Planning Office sitting wrong it to absorption exclusively connected aboriginal show models.

The determination was confirmed by Subaru main method serviceman Tetsuro Fujinuki during an interrogation with Japanese work Best Car, successful which helium outlined a melodramatic displacement successful however the institution develops sports cars.

"The Sports Vehicle Planning Office specialises successful sports models," Mr Fujinuki said.

"We decided to wantonness the aged mode of doing things. Because it's boring. We'd person a confirmation meeting, past different meeting, and they'd bring retired akin materials again.

"So we tried processing it wholly digitally. And it turned retired we could bash rather a lot. As a result, our improvement velocity increased, and we were capable to bash much daring things."

The announcement builds connected Subaru's caller teaser of 3 manual-equipped show models – a WRX, BRZ, and an all-new show hatch – owed to debut earlier the extremity of 2026.

The instauration of a dedicated show readying bureau besides signals Subaru intends to support gathering petrol-powered enthusiast cars, contempt tightening emissions regulations and the car industry's displacement towards electrification.

According to Mr Fujinuki, accrued income of Subaru hybrid and electrical vehicles – including the Crosstrek and Forester Hybrids, and the Solterra, Unchartered and Trailseeker EVs – person fixed the institution much flexibility to proceed investing successful show models.

He said stricter emissions regulations had antecedently made it hard to warrant much almighty versions of Subaru's turbocharged petrol engines, but stronger-than-expected request for electrified cars has improved the company's fleet-average emissions position.

That has allowed engineers to revisit higher-output versions of Subaru's FA24 2.4-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol boxer engine.

Mr Fujinuki besides revealed Subaru inactive has the tooling required to physique the heavy-duty TY85 six-speed manual transmission antecedently utilized successful the WRX STI, contempt it being discontinued aft the last-generation exemplary ended accumulation successful 2021.

While helium stopped abbreviated of confirming outputs for aboriginal show models, helium noted the motorsport mentation of the FA24 already produces much than 350hp (261kW), suggesting there's importantly much show disposable than the existent road-going WRX offers.

Subaru has already confirmed 3 manual-transmission show models are successful development.

They see a revised WRX fitted with the stronger TY85 six-speed manual transmission, a much focused BRZ coupe based connected the Japan-only STI Sport Type RA, and an all-new five-door show hatch inspired by the Performance-B STI concept, which is expected to usage the WRX's 2.4-litre turbo boxer engine

Subaru has described the hatch arsenic a exemplary with "a caller personality" abstracted from some the WRX and BRZ, though it's yet to corroborate whether it volition revive the Impreza WRX hatchback look oregon deterioration an wholly caller nameplate.

While nary of the 3 models has been confirmed for Australia, the constitution of a dedicated sports car part suggests Subaru's renewed committedness to show vehicles volition widen beyond this archetypal trio.

It besides represents a notable displacement for a marque that, successful caller years, has focused heavy connected SUVs, EVs and hybrids, portion allowing iconic show models specified arsenic the WRX STI to vanish from its planetary lineup.

While the WRX is inactive offered successful Australian showrooms, priced from $48,890, the WRX STI hasn't been disposable since 2021, erstwhile last accumulation of the fourth-generation VA-series exemplary ended. Subaru confirmed successful March 2022 that a next-generation STI variant based connected the newer VB-series WRX would not beryllium built.