As some of you may or may not know, I love time attack.  Everything about this motorsport discipline greatly intrigues me.  I’ve been following along with several time attack prepped Subaru builds for quite some time.  One that has stood out to me is the STi Type-RA NBR.  I know it’s not a Global or Redline Time Attack competitor, but it was built to break its own record at the Nürburgring – hence the RA which stands for Record Attempt.  In my book, that qualifies as a time attack car.

If you are unfamiliar with the Nürburgring, it is an extremely famous and legendary 12.9 mile race track/road course in the Eifel Mountains of Germany.  Subaru has set records and tested there previously, but nothing like what happened in the summer of 2017 when they set a time of 6:57.5 with Le Mans driver Richie Stanaway behind the wheel.  To put that into perspective, the STi Type RA NBR was faster than the Lamborghini Avendator SV, and half a second slower than Porsche’s 918 Spyder hypercar.  All things considered, those are production cars and this was a one-off race car built for this track in mind.  But seriously, it’s kind of cool to say a Subaru whooped a Lamborghini’s time on the ‘ring.

This car was originally built for the Isle of Man challenge of 2016.  After Mark Higgins crushed that record, they stripped the car back down, and with the Nürburgring in mind as the next plan of attack – they started building an engine.  Prodrive is the lead builder and creator in this project of the record attempt car.  They came up with a WRC-Spec, 600 horsepower 2.0 liter Boxer engine which revs to an astonishing 8,500 rpm, but Prodrive says it’s probably capable of a 9,000 rpm redline.  That is unheard of in the world of Subaru Boxer engines.

After watching videos all about the car, it makes me appreciate the engineering and testing that went behind this once stock, stateside Subaru WRX STi that much more.  I’m not going to explain the majority of the crazy modifications on this car, since the list is just too long.  In the video, he explained the purpose and engineering of the hydraulically activated rear wing, which I found very fascinating.  It allows either the driver to raise it or lower it in milliseconds or allows the ECU, which gets determined by speed, brakes, steering angle, and the accelerator.

To make the car as efficient and as light as possible, modifications such as a relocated windshield wiper motor in the passenger footwell shows the extent they went to get everything as low as they could.  The majority of the body panels have been replaced with carbon-fiber panels, and the full FIA-Spec cage is what gives the car most of the structural rigidity.

Hours on hours have gone into this one-of-a-kind Subaru, which weighs in at 2,425 pounds.  So much of this car gives me inspiration for my own.  Not in terms of the car itself necessarily, but the way it’s been executed.  Everything done to the STi NBR has a purpose – it reminds me that some things matter more than others when all you’re trying to do is go fast.

By Zach Osborne – @momentum.rs

Image Sources:

http://goo.gl/yb8hnH

http://goo.gl/kJezJM

http://goo.gl/3oZZJ2

http://goo.gl/t1hW5K

http://goo.gl/u5s77P

http://goo.gl/yU9xRE

The post Car of the Day: A Record-Breaking Four Door appeared first on MFortyFive.

Similar to the popular Ariel Atom – a lightweight, short wheel base, flick-able package, the TR-42 has a WRX 5-speed transmission with a double wishbone suspension setup and Koni shocks.  A suspension like this allows for more fine tuning between caster, camber, toe, scrub radius, and more.  For a kit car that weighs so little, being able to control the motion of the wheel itself plays a huge part in a properly set up suspension.

IAG built their stage 2+ 2.5L Boxer engine with Kelford cams, GT Spec twin-scroll header, and a Blouch Dom 2.5XT-R turbo, which is located towards the middle of the chassis for better weight distribution.  I should also mention the car is rear-wheel-drive as well to keep the weight down by getting rid of the center differential.  The sound this car makes with the super short exhaust is amazing to say the least.

Watching it rip around the autocross course at Boxerfest 2015 is way cool.  It almost looked too powerful for a simple autocross session, even with some sticky Toyo Proxes R888 tires.  This would be the perfect mountain carving machine.  We saw a few Ariel Atoms up in the mountains from our past adventures, and it’s pretty incredible to see the speed they were able to carry through the winding roads of the Smoky Mountains.

Although, I’m not sure what’s been going on with the company that built these exo-cars.  I reached out to IAG to try to get more information on the build – but no response as of yet.  I did, however, discover the chassis of this car was built by Matrix Motor Werks from a NASIOC build thread in November 2010.  The comments on the post and the lack of a Matrix Motor Werks website lead me to believe they are no longer in business.  Either way, it’s a super rad car and must be a blast to drive.  I’m glad more companies, like Factory Five Racing, are taking matter into their own hands.

They offer a kit called the “818” which supports a direct Subaru Boxer swap.  They give you three chassis options – the Sport, Coupe, or Race.  All you need is a donor car and around $10k, and you have Porsche performance for a third of the cost – an alternative that intrigues me more and more every day.  Time to add another one to the dream list.

By Zach Osborne – @momentum.rs

The post Car of the Day: IAG’s Subaru Powered TR-42 Exo-Car appeared first on MFortyFive.

Earlier last week, Subaru of America dropped some big news for the family SUV market at the LA Auto Show.  They debuted the all-new, 7/8 passenger, 2019 Subaru Ascent.  In 2014 the Tribeca was discontinued, limiting Subaru’s “SUV” vehicles to the Crosstrek (basically a lifted Impreza), Forester (small SUV), or the slightly larger Outback.  One problem remained – no third row. Unfortunately with this change, Subaru lost many of their loyal family-oriented customers due to the cutting production of the Tribeca and it’s third row seating.  Finally, 3 years later, Subaru has answered the prayers and desires of these Subaru-loving families.  Now of course, the Ascent comes with the Subaru Eyesight and Apple CarPlay and so on and so forth, but I’m not here to give you every little detail and specification about it.  I just want to touch base on the topic, and share what I think is significant.

Some things I found pretty wild about the Ascent are the 19 cup holders – that’s a lot of juice boxes to be spilled in your new $50,000 (estimated), fully-optioned, Touring-Edition Ascent.  Another significant feat is the new direct-injection, turbocharged 2.4-liter Boxer engine making 260 horsepower and 277 lb-ft of torque.  The most impressive feature to me is the 5,000 lb towing capacity.  Subaru has never really shined in the towing department until now, and that gives them a huge advantage to those with smaller campers and boats, especially with 19.3 gallon fuel capacity.  I definitely foresee tons of Outback owners trading their cars in next summer, especially with rumors of the Ascent hitting dealerships starting at around $35,000.  Finally something Subaru can be competitive with in the family SUV market.  The Ascent is a move in the right direction of practicality, safety, and everyday necessities.

By Zach Osborne – @momentum.rs

Image source:

https://goo.gl/eCMx3a

The post Car of the Day: The All-New 2019 Subaru Ascent appeared first on MFortyFive.

Who doesn’t love a good dyno video?  We decided to combine 5 of our favorite Subaru dyno pulls currently floating around the interweb and share them with you through one video.  To start is the record breaking “White Bullet,” at #5.  A 1053whp Subaru STi that is currently the fastest 6-speed, 4-cylinder Subaru to run the quarter mile at 7.96 seconds with a speed of 173mph.  Very impressive for the car and driver to be able to manage all that power while shifting.  I’ve also had the privilege of drooling over it up close in person too, that was sweet.  Next at #4 is the IAG built, 2015 Subaru STi.  The car made 1244whp and 908wtq, and that was back in August 2016.  As of this year, the car now makes 1274whp and 924 wtq, because why not?

I couldn’t help but throw in a few swapped Subaru’s for your viewing pleasure.  For the next spot at #3 is a turbocharged LS2-swapped STi, making 794whp on 93 octane.  It’s truly amazing how much power you can make out of the LS Chevy V8s.  Next is a very internet-famous Subaru coming in at #2; the one and only “Rexzilla,” which you have probably seen all over Instagram.  It’s a 2012 WRX with probably one of the nicest engine bays I’ve ever laid my eyes on.  Resting in the car is Nissan RB26 engine out of an R34 GTR – and boy, does it make all the right noises.  Choosing our favorite wasn’t easy, but something about a GC8 with a sequential gearbox screaming on a dyno is just too appealing.  Taking the #1 spot is this Impreza GC8 time-attack car doing a flat shift test.  Equipped with it is a Cosworth CS600X engine with a Kaps 6-speed sequential gearbox, making an unknown amount of power.  Looks mad fast though, and that’s all that matters.

By Zach Osborne – @momentum.rs

The post Top 5: Subaru Dyno Pulls appeared first on MFortyFive.

I’ve always been a fan of Legacy wagons.  Not so much like the ones with flashy wheels and crazy aero though, I’m talking about the ones with the added touches to compliment the already-incomparable body lines the Subaru Legacy came with.  This video shines light on a perfect example of what I’m talking about.  To start, Woyshnis Media did an excellent job with this video, showing me all the awesome details this car brings to the table.  The first thing I noticed were the now-discontinued, gold Speedline Prodrive 7 wheels.  A very popular wheel among UK Subaru rally enthusiasts, giving the car a hint of Subaru’s rally heritage.  As I continued watching the video with clips go in and out, I started recognizing a common theme throughout the car.  It was the amount of rare Japanese parts this guy has found for his B4 Legacy.  To the average eye, no one would look twice at it – and that’s why I love it.  There’s so many details only Subaru enthusiasts would notice.  He went the extra mile to source, pay, and wait for these hard-to-find and authentic parts from Japan.

Allow me to touch on some of the ones I noticed.  First off, the Hippo Sleek front bumper.  Hippo Sleek is a Japanese-based company selling aero parts for Toyota, Nissan, and Subaru.  It’s an awesome way to give the front end a little more aggression.  Next is the mesh grille made by Tommy Kaira, a tuning company who was contracted out to Nissan and Subaru for a bunch of “OEM plus” style parts to keep the factory warranty.  Over in Japan, the Subaru Legacy came with power folding side mirrors instead of the normal-to-us, push-in USDM mirrors.  Japan is known for having much tighter parking situations, so the power mirrors are a huge advantage over there.  The rare STi Genome exhaust is a JDM jewel in itself.  A genuine Subaru part from Japan that can now only be found in the used market on the rare occasion someone wants to let one go.  I could go on and on about all the cool parts that make this car what it is, but that would make for one long write-up.  This car inspires me to stay original and pay the extra price it takes to have what I consider to be “quality.”  It’s authentic, simple, and a golden example of a Legacy GT wagon.

By Zach Osborne – @momentum.rs

Image and video source:

https://goo.gl/w4Sejq

The post Car of the Day: An OEM+ B4 Legacy GT wagon appeared first on MFortyFive.

Subaru has accomplished some huge milestones over the years.  Whether they decide to jump a car, go nuts on a gymkhana course, attack a stage rally or rallycross course, they are always doing something to push the limits of a car.  This video shows just that on tarmac.  This year Subaru decided to take on the Isle of Man and the Nürburgring, destroying both of this year’s previous track records in a Prodrive Subaru STi.  Over in the Rocky Mountains, Subaru Rally Team USA charges the hill climb up to Pikes Peak, one of the most intense and mentally challenging events to ever drive, and again, beating that record.  The Tomei/Cusco Subaru STi with a Prototype Genesis EJ25 Boxer engine achieving first place at the 2008 Buttonwillow Super Lap Battle – a legendary car that inspires hawkeye owners everywhere.  Lastly, the “Proud of Boxer” BRZ GT300 Super GT Race Car built by Subaru Technica International (STi).  An EJ20-powered heart giving it a contagious noise with a first place win at the Suzuka 1000km.  These tarmac-attacking, boxer-powered machines are what give us die-hard Subaru motorsport fans the inspiration and dedication to chase our dreams and support the brand we all know and love.

By Zach Osborne – @momentum.rs

Image source:

https://goo.gl/12m3rj

The post Top 5: Significant Subaru Race Cars appeared first on MFortyFive.

Japanese car culture is something I’ve always wanted to experience.  This video resonates with me for the desire to roam around in my Impreza RS at night.  Driving at night just seems to give out a sense of freedom.  That feeling you get with the windows down, listening to that boxer rumble, and feeling the tires grabbing for traction is an addicting sensation.  Life seems to pause when it’s just you and the road ahead of you.  That’s why I enjoy this video so much, it’s all about the experience.  In the video I see that this Impreza WRX STi has a set of the rare and discontinued Enkei RCT4 wheels, a super lightweight performance wheel.  I also noticed the legendary World Rally Blue WRC wing, a symbol of the Subaru Rally heritage that works perfectly on this STi street car.  (wheels and wing shown below)

Between the JDM crystal headlights and taillights it gives off that perfect Japanese night-driving vibe a die-hard JDM Subaru fanboy like myself desires.  Not to mention, the sounds this thing makes – all the right noises.  Someday I will drive my car through the night lights of Japan.

By Zach Osborne – @momentum.rs

Image sources:

https://goo.gl/m31ZYC

https://goo.gl/kmJTrw

https://goo.gl/ayuyhj

The post Car of the Day: “The City Rallyist: Subaru WRX STi” appeared first on MFortyFive.