2017 Subaru WRX STi smashes four-door Nurburgring lap record

THE hottest Subaru to ever wear the WRX badge has smashed the Nurburgring lap record for a four-door car – but unlike the previous sedan-based record holder you’ll never be able to drive it on the road.

The Japanese carmaker announced overnight the Subaru WRX STi Type RA NBR Special, an advance on the TT car that lapped the Isle of Man in record time last year, snared a confirmed 6:57.5 for a lap of the Nordschleife.

“The WRX STi Type RA NBR Special was designed to show the capabilities of the Subaru saloon and all-wheel drive,” Subaru said in a statement announcing the lap record that displaces the road-going Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio’s 7:32 set last September.

Subaru said the time attack STi was a “custom-built race car built by Prodrive using a standard 2017 WRX STi with a full roll cage welded into the standard WRX STi body for added strength and stiffness”.

“It has a modified 2.0-litre Subaru WRC-spec boxer engine with a 75mm intake, and the turbo runs at 250psi (sic) of boost,” it said. “This produces more than 600 horsepower (447kW) at 8500rpm. Prodrive calculated the top speed at the ’Ring would be 179mph (288km/h) at 8500rpm in top gear.”

Helping the STi along was a redesigned aero package compared with the car that completed the Isle of Man TT circuit.

“At top speed, the whole package produces about 295 kilograms of downforce,” Subaru said. “The design includes a drag reduction system rear wing similar to the technology found in Formula 1 cars.

“With its combined electric and hydraulic operation, the wing can deploy for full downforce/drag under braking or in fast turns and then open for less downforce/drag on long straights.

“The driver has full control of the DRS via a steering wheel-mounted control, taking less than 20 milliseconds to change position fully.”

Subaru Australia this week announced a significant makeover of the STi and its more street-friendly WRX.