Do you know what legendary coupe in Switzerland has opposite engine?
No, it's not 911 Porsche. This is Subaru Impreza WRC Replica from Speed Inductries.
First Imprezas, GC-series. Do you remember them? Blue coupe driven by McRae and Burns, fantastically beautiful group A cars, later renamed to the WRC, rally legend, desired by thousands of motorsports fans. And at that time usual GC sedan or wagon in the traffic looks like any boring Japanese car of 90s.
Everything but the turbo version — air intake and air vents in the hood, big wheels and brakes and a spoiler on the trunk and its angry engine sound.
The Swiss Speed Industries company is based in Zurich and it is organizing track days and building sports cars. One of the members few years ago decided to make an exclusive road car looking like a Subaru Impreza WRC.
The car was built on basis of right-handed WRX coupe, steering wheel was repositioned to the left, Sparco-Prodrive buckets were installed, from the Gilles Panizzi racing car, also steering wheel and seatbelts were replaced with OMP ones, front panel and door covers were flocked to avoid reflections on the windshield, window and mirrors management panel is placed near the co-driver (just kidding, they were not moved together with steering wheel & pedals) and instruments came from Impreza II.
The appearance is absolutely sporty — blue color, air intakes, ventilation grille, extended fenders made even slightly wider than of «normal» 22B 18-inch wheels... What color should be the wheels in such a machine? Definitely golden. And calipers? Golden as well. And why intercooler is in the front? It happened occasionally...
The engine is quite usual — 2liters turbo EJ20 with IHI VF34 turbo, anti-lag system that does not allow the motor to have a turbo lag and which blows unburned fuel to the exhaust. ECU — EcuTek, front intercooler HKS and 3-inches exhaust. Also water and methanol injection system was installed to avoid knocking.
Transmission is all-wheel drive, taken from the JDM WRX STi 2003 with 6-speed gearbox with close gear ratios and DCCD — center differential locking management system, reinforced clutch HKS transmits nearly 400hp of power and 510Nm of torque to the wheels of the Japanese rocket. To start smoothly is difficult enough, so even on the asphalt it is easier to make a small slip.
Brakes were taken from the same STi 2003 — Brembo calipers, Performance Friction discs and
Endless CCX pads let you immediately slow down or even stop the car. ABS was cut off so you have to have good braking skills to make it effective.
Tein Mono Flex coilovers allow you to use the car on the track and on public roads.
Wheels, as we have said, are golden 18-inch Timeless Yokohama ADVAN RGII with semislicks Toyo R888s 255/40.
And this car is being sold now!
Tech specs:
Engine:
Subaru STI 2.0L, EcuTek ECU, switchable anti-lag system, water/methanol injection, Cosworth oil pump, HKS front-mount intercooler, VF34 turbo, 3-inch exhaust
Transmission:
Subaru STI 6-speed close-ratio gearbox,
HKS triple-plate clutch
Suspension/Brakes:
Tein Type Mono Flex adjustable coilovers, STI Brembo callipers, PFC discs, Endless CCX brake pads (front)
Wheels/Tires:
Yokohama ADVAN Type RGII 18×9-inch wheels, Toyo R888 255/40R18 semi slicks
Exterior:
Custom front and rear fenders, WRC replica rear wing and front bumper, STI aluminium hood, L’Aunsport front lip
Interior:
Prodrive/Sparco WRC seats, OMP 4-point harnesses, OMP steering wheel
Information from speedhunters.com
