If you go to auto shows, you know that Subaru always parks a rally car at the entrance to its booth. At international shows, it has typically been a WRC car; at U.S. shows, it's a Rally Team USA car.
But now there's no WRC team to promote, so the company had two choices: its Super GT racecar "based on"/"inspired by" the 2010 Subaru Legacy, or the Nurburgring 24 Hours WRX STI. For the Tokyo show, Subaru chose the former (fitting since the Super GT series is run in Japan and Malaysia), though the Nurburgring STI is also at the show.
The Super GT Legacy ran 3 races in 2009 in the 300-hp GT300 class (for reference, the Super GT "Nissan GT-R" competes in the GT500 class where the limit is of course 500 hp). Subaru Tecnica International supplies the turbocharged, 1994cc EJ20 boxer four-cylinder engine for the Legacy GT300, along with a six-speed sequential transmission -- which drives all four wheels, because it's a Subaru, at least in name, so it has Symmetrical All Wheel Drive. The Japanese company R&D Sport designed the chassis for the Super GT Legacy.
The car's racing future is in doubt, though, as Mitsuhiro Matsumoto, director and senior vice president of STI, told journalists, "Participation in Super GT is not yet decided for 2010."
More photos of the Super GT Legacy and the 2009 Nurburgring 24 Hours STI after the jump (the latter, incidently, makes its permanent home at the STI Gallery at the Subaru dealership in Mitaka, Japan).
Erin Riches, Senior Editor
rsholland says:
06:52 AM, 10/23/09
Note the drawing in the link supplied: The front differential is in front of the engine—and above it as well. Veeerrrryyyy interesting...
estreka says:
05:26 PM, 10/23/09
My first impression from that picture was "Opel" until I read the title.