Scooby snacks on Isle of Man lap record

SUBARU has smashed its own record for a hot lap at the Isle of Man TT motorcycle race, although it is still well off the pace of the two-wheeled lap record set last year.

The Japanese car maker this week pointed a semi-production version of its 221kW/407Nm turbocharged 2.5-litre WRX STI at the street-based 60km-long Mountain Course, punting it around in a tidy 19min 26sec, flogging the record set in the previous-generation STI in 2011 by just over half a minute.

British rally champion and Isle of Man local Mark Higgins piloted the firebrand Scooby around the track to post an average speed of 116mph (187km/h), and a top speed of more than 160mph (257km/h).

However, that’s still well shy of the two-wheeled record of 17min 11.6sec set last year by John McGuinness riding a Honda CBR1000RR Fireblade. Despite having less rubber on the road, McGuinness’ average speed was significantly higher (131.7mph, 212km/h) than Higgins’.

Modifications made to the WRX STI included springs and dampers that were modified to minimise damage from the big bumps and jumps that make up the circuit, a rollcage and racing harness, fire extinguisher and more sticky ultra-high performance road tyres.