Is this the world’s wildest Subaru Brumby?

Everyone loves a Subaru Brumby, right? Well chances are you’ve never seen one quite like this.

Meet ‘Gold Brumby’, a 1990 Subaru Brumby that’s powered by a WRX engine, has 30-inch tyres and uses purpose-built suspension (with Porsche CV joints!) to rocket over rough terrain and launch into low-earth orbit over jumps.

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Built by Aussie off-road racers, the Zlotkowskis, Gold Brumby is a proper family affair: Stuart Zlotkowski does the driving, his younger brother Jim is the navigator and Adam runs the crew’s social media.

Which is where we first came across Gold Brumby: footage of Stuart and Jim hooning over a series of whoops, their Brumby’s nose and tail bobbing wildly at speed, was recently shared on the Hoonigan Industries Instagram. Check out the footage here:

Yep, that’s Ken Block’s Hoonigan Industries' Instagram page. Game respects game, after all.

Keen to learn more about Gold Brumby, we reached out to the Zlotkowskis – and this is what Adam came back with:

“Settlement Creek Racing is a family team competing in the Mickey Thompson ARB QLD Off-Road Racing Championship in 2023. We race in the Wild 4WD class, otherwise known as Class 8, which is for heavily modified 4WD production car based vehicles.

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“Our car is a 1990 Subaru Brumby with a full roll-cage and substantial reinforcing. The engine, running gear and brakes came from a WRX STI. We’ve lowered the gearing to suit 30-inch tyres and added a dry sump.

“We now run Porsche CV joints with custom flanges and axles supplied by PJs Offroad. The suspension was all custom-made by us, with shocks supplied by MCA Suspension.”

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A full roll-cage, WRX running gear and bespoke suspension? Told you Gold Brumby was serious bit of kit.

It’s also an experienced racer, having tackled the iconic Finke Desert Race eight times. The Zlotkowskis are leading the 2023 QLD off-road championship with two events remaining. Go you good things!

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So where does Gold Brumby stack up in the pantheon of wild Brumbies?

There are plenty out there, of course. ‘Drag Brumby’ is another Aussie creation that runs sevens at the strip and the Mighty Car Mods crew is also restoring a Brumby that will be raffled off to raise funds for the Australian Road Safety Foundation.

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'Drag Brumby' is the quickest EJ 4cyl Brumby in the world

Daredevil racer and Hoonigan member Travis Pastrana also has a personal Subaru Brat build – Brat is how Subaru marketed the Brumby Stateside – though his is a Brumby in spirit only. Underneath Pastrana’s ‘Brat’ is a C5 Chevy Corvette with a custom LS V8.

Have we missed any? Let the wild Subaru Brumby appreciation begin in the comments!