Toyota could power Subaru’s return to WRC - Hagerty Media (2024)
For rally enthusiasts of a certain age, the word Subaru conjures images of a very sideways, blue Impreza with Collin McCrae at the helm. His over-the-limit driving helped the marque win three consecutive manufacturers’ titles in the World Rally Championship (WRC) from 1995–97.
However, for a brand so strongly associated with stage rallies, Subaru has been conspicuously absent from the top class of the motorsport. The last time a factory-backed Subaru raced in the WRC was in 2008. The marque pulled out at the end of the year due to difficulties caused by the global financial crisis. Subaru instead focused its factory efforts on regional rallies, with drivers such as Travis Pastrana, Brandon sem*nuk, and the late Ken Block dominating the North American rally scene in purpose-built STis.
Now, however, there are rumblings that Subaru’s leave of absence from the WRC may soon come to an end. According to FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem, Subaru is interested in returning to the WRC in the near future with the support of partial owner Toyota. “It’s not a secret I had a good meeting with Mr Akio Toyoda, and I asked him what we can do [about enticing more manufacturers into the WRC] and I listened to someone who is passionate. And he mentioned Subaru,” explained Ben Sulayem.
Building a car for WRC won’t be a problem for Subaru, as the regulations don’t require a hom*ologated chassis anymore. However, the engine does need to be hom*ologated, and this has been a sticking point for the brand’s return. In 2011, FIA mandated that engines must not be larger than 1.6 liters. Subaru does not currently have a suitable engine, and could not justify the costs to make one in-house. But with a borrowed power plant from Toyota, we might not have to wait too long to see a World Rally Blue Subaru back on the international stage.
Even if it returns without the signature warble of a flat-four engine, seeing Subaru once again take the flag at rallies across the globe would be a welcome sight for the brand’s most ardent enthusiasts. Cross your fingers.
Subaru does not currently have a suitable engine, and could not justify the costs to make one in-house. But with a borrowed power plant from Toyota, we might not have to wait too long to see a World Rally Blue Subaru back on the international stage.
Subaru, however, exited the WRC at the end of 2008 due to the global financial crisis. The brand has however remained involved in rallying through the Subaru Motorsports USA programme, which competes in the American Rally Association. The team has recently developed a new WRX rally car.
A completely fossil-free fuel is used for the combustion engine, standardized for all competitors. In 2024, three manufacturers participate in the WRC class with Rally1 cars – Ford, Hyundai, and Toyota.
Subaru left the World Rally Championship all the way back in 2008, citing financial downturn as the reason the company would wind down its signature racing program. The brand has participated in American rally since, but it has not been involved in European professional racing over the past decade and a half.
Return by Death (死に戻り Shinimodori): Subaru's trump card and the most recognised ability from the series, Return by Death, allows Subaru to return to an unspecified, unpredictable and uncontrollable "save point", that was set some time before his death.
It was a reference to its sponsorship deal with State Express 555, a cigarette brand from British American Tobacco (BAT), and the team opted to name their competition model the 555. This colour scheme has been iconic in the minds of Subaru fans ever since.
The Engine Department at Vermont Sportscar provides engines and support for Subaru Motorsport USA rally and rallycross cars as well as special projects such as hillclimbs or films. The team completes CAD design, assembly and calibration in house with ongoing R&D.
A Mitsubishi statement said that the decision had been taken as part of their three-year revitalisation process. The statement read: "With the Mitsubishi Motors Revitalisation Plan as a basis, Mitsubishi Motors Corporation has made a solid start toward revitalizing its business operations.
Roelant de Waard, vice president of Marketing, Sales and Service for Ford of Europe, confirmed that the manufacturer's exit was due to financial constraints.
World Rally Championship (WRC) fans in the United States need to travel abroad to see a race in person, but that could change in the coming years. Organizers are laying the foundations for the first American WRC event in over 30 years, and it might take place in 2026.
“With the upcoming expansion in electrification of our vehicle range we must focus all our efforts on important future technologies. We far exceeded our sporting goals in the WRC, now we are realigning Volkswagen Motorsport and moving the vehicle technology of the future more starkly into focus,” he said.
Mohammed Ben Sulayem, the head of the global motorsports organisation, the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA), told media in September 2023 that Subaru's return to WRC was on the cards.
A superstar of World Rally, Colin McRae would either win or crash trying – as proven by his ratio of stage wins versus rally wins. With Prodrive, McRae scored Subaru's first win at the wheel of a Legacy before it made way for the iconic Impreza 555, which he took to the marque's first World Championship in 1995.
The decision was attributed to falling car sales caused by the economic crisis, although reports had surfaced that Suzuki were ready to abandon its WRC program before the economic downturn began.
Subaru built the reputation of its STI division by spending years on the top spot of the World Rally Championship (WRC) podium. The brand exited WRC in 2008 and hasn't been back since, but it's reportedly considering a comeback with help from partner and part-owner Toyota.
Since its inception in 2001 as Subaru Rally Team USA, the team has won more than 100 rally and rallycross events, 16 of the last 18 U.S. national rally championships, and team championships in rallycross in 2019 and 2021.
Description. The 1997 Subaru Impreza WRC driven by rally legend Colin McRae is certainly one of the most iconic cars of the past 50 years of the World Rally Championship. In this car, Colin McRae finished as runner-up in 1997, behind the Finn Tommi Mäkinen, who was also driving a Subaru Impreza WRC.
Introduction: My name is Nathanael Baumbach, I am a fantastic, nice, victorious, brave, healthy, cute, glorious person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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