Ever wondered what a new Subaru WRX taken to its logical extreme will look like? Subaru Motorsport USA has decided to scratch that itch, teaming up with longtime partner Vermont SportsCar to develop the ultimate WRX, dubbed “Project Midnight”.
This bewinged monster, set to take on this year’s edition of the Goodwood Festival of Speed, is the spiritual successor to the “Airslayer” – an 862 hp record-breaking WRX STI that starred in Gymkhana 2020 with extreme sports legend Travis Pastrana behind the wheel. But instead of the Marylander taking the driver’s seat this time around, Project Midnight will instead by piloted, befittingly, by ex-Formula 1 and rallycross racer Scott Speed.
Shorn of the duties of stunt driving, Project Midnight sheds the Airslayer’s trick movable aero and beefed-up chassis in return for a greater focus on pure tarmac speed. Power comes from the latest iteration of Subaru Motorsport USA’s rallycross 2.0 litre turbocharged flat-four, revving to a stratospheric 9,500 rpm and producing 670 hp and a towering 922 Nm of torque.
The power figure may be somewhat down on the Airslayer, but Project Midnight responds by being quite a bit lighter. The widened aerodynamic body may be based on the team’s latest WRX ARA24 rally car – albeit outfitted with large front flics, gaping side air intakes for the rear-mounted radiator and an even bigger rear wing – but it’s all made from carbon fibre.
Together with the lightened chassis, this drops the weight down to well under 1,140 kg – nearly 140 kg lighter than Airslayer and about 500 kg lighter than a road-going WRX. Project Midnight sits on specially-developed tarmac-tuned suspension and rides on 18×11-inch OZ Racing Superturismo LMP magnesium wheels, the latter shod with 280/650 R18 Yokohama Advan slicks.
“Subaru Motorsports USA and the team at Vermont SportsCar have delivered an absolute beast. When driving the car it clearly has rallycross roots, but the wider tires, track, and geometry give it a very unique feel and incredible grip. The ultimate driving machine; half RX, half sports car – a true joy to drive,” Speed said.
Speed will tackle the FOS hillclimb alongside Pastrana, who will be driving the Subaru GL “Family Huckster” for the second time in a row.
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Too bad, Subaru is a dying brand here under Tan Chong
Pity that Scott Speed was anything but speedy in F1. What a name let down.
that gen2 rear light…