Subaru brings the heat to Goodwood FOS
There aren’t many weekends as thrilling as the Goodwood Festival of Speed. Thousands of like-minded enthusiasts descend on the pristine lawns of the Goodwood estate to witness the greatest marvels in automotive engineering. With the most potent WRX yet, Subaru has shown that it is taking the challenge of conquering the hill seriously this year.
It’s called Project Midnight, and while it appears to be a 2021 WRX STI, almost everything now serves a dedicated purpose. The body is entirely carbon fibre, and the engine has received a lot of attention. Subaru claims that this is the fastest car ever produced by Subaru Motorsports USA, and with Subaru’s rich racing and rallying history to draw from, it’s bound to be impressive.
This monster needs the engine to match the name; Midnight has been blessed with a brutal 2.0-litre flat-four. With the ability to rev to 9,500r/min, this relatively small engine squeezes out a whopping 493kW and 922Nm. It also weighs around 450kg less than the then-production model, mostly thanks to the deletion of some seats, some interior bits, and the carbon fibre body.
With the weight reduction, highly tuned racing suspension, a wider track, and Yokohama Advan slick tyres, it’s sure to tear up this hill climb, especially with former F1 driver Scott Speed at the helm. The team has stated that the car has distinct rallycross DNA, and Travis Pastrana’s STI from the 2020 Subaru Gymkhana video served as inspiration for the project. It’s been a while since Subaru produced something truly quick, aside from the Huckster, so there’s a lot to look forward to.
