Subaru Rally Team USA will have three factory entries into the X Games Rally Car Racing and SuperRally this weekend at X Games 16. And it's obvious from the effort that winning is a priority. We spoke with team principal Lance Smith Wednesday at the team's shakedown about the changes to the cars and the the all-new SuperRally event.
ESPN has essentially adopted European Rallycross rules for the new SuperRally (rallycross) event which amounts to wheel-to-wheel racing of ultra-powerful rally cars four at a time on a closed course. It's going to make the already hugely popular X Games Rally Car Racing seem tame. And there will be carnage.
Smith was tight lipped about details on the newest-spec WRX which was built with X Games SuperRally in mind. He wouldn't share exact power output nor would he spill details which might give that figure away. You know, things like displacement, boost, etc. Previous rally cars (and the famous jump car) built by team used a 2.2-liter engine. Below is what we know for sure. Per the rules, the engine breathes through a 45mm restrictor (WRC and Rally America open class cars are limited to 34mm), uses a larger turbo than is present in stage rally trim and is fed fuel via 1,000 cc/minute injectors. Logic and little mental math tells us that this combination is probably good for between 550 and 575 horsepower. A Motec standalone ECU controls the engine.
The winning cars in European Rallycross make about 550 hp. There's also a 3,000-pound-with-driver weight minimum. And any team which plans to win to win won't weigh more than that.
Below is close-up of the turbo plumbing. Note the angle of the turbo to increase airflow efficiency into and out of the turbo. The nylon-reinforced-plastic airbox is fed directly via air ducted from the hood scoop.
The team is testing sequential transmissions from KAPS and Modena, which should eliminate the advantage the Fords had last year at X Games 15.
Also, a close look at the top photo reveals that the WRX's fenders and upper strut mounts are relocated allowing more wheel travel than the standard WRX shell allows. Serious stuff, this.
Underneath we found a custom-built tubular rear subframe which reduces weight from 47 to 12 pounds. Multi-link/double wishbone suspension remains. And see that giant pile of lead weight? It's not just there to reduce dangerous horsepower. Rather, it's required to make the car meet the weight minimum. But building it light means the team gets to put the weight where it chooses. In total, there are about 200 pounds of ballast in various locations. Dampers are made by exe-tc, the same company which builds dampers for the Citroen World Rally Team. Looking carefully at the new car it's clear weight distribution and reduction we major priorities. It's gutted as one would expect and both driver and co-driver have been moved as far rearward and down as is possible.
But the real sign that Subaru wants its X Games title back might not be the cars at all. Rather, we'd point to 2009 European Rallycross Champion Sverre Isachsen who'll be in the third car (Pastrana and Dave Mirra being the first two). Isachsen normally beats the Ford's in that series (albeit in a Ford) so it shouldn't be anything new for him to do so here.
We'll know for sure this Saturday.
ed124c says:
06:25 AM, 07/29/10
Adding the lead weights is a good trick, but why pile one on top of two? Doesn't that hurt the center of gravity. One large "brick", the same width and a bit higher, would seem better.
What am I missing?
nasag03 says:
07:02 AM, 07/29/10
ed - you have to balance keeping it low with keeping it concentrated. it's not just about a low CG; you also want a low moment of inertia. the ideal thing would be to use something with a higher density than lead and position it to keep the CG and moments of inertia low, but i'm guessing those lead blocks are mandated by the rules.
lostboyz says:
07:36 AM, 07/29/10
Can't wait, but those rally fiesta's are monsters.
Thats some serious car porn there of the subaru's engine bay.
felonious says:
10:19 AM, 07/29/10
That turbo setup is pure genius. ++lostboyz on the car porn!
cjw88 says:
03:11 PM, 07/29/10
These cars are some serious machinery. Nice job subaru
love the sway bar setup.
and that engine bay is definitely car porn, but I think it would be a good idea to wrap that waste-gate pipe from the exhaust manifold. It looks really close to that silicone coupler on the turbo.
windsor5 says:
04:39 PM, 07/30/10
SUBARU VS FORD head to head battle who will win!!!!!!! cant wait.
church123 says:
08:41 PM, 07/30/10
Given the size of the airbox I'd wonder if they could really pump out 550 hp. I've seen filters with more surface area present a serious restriction at power levels exceeding a mere 400 hp - to the point they'd begin collapsing over time. This one looks strong, but unless the filter media is pretty porous, its got to be a restriction.
I certainly understand that theory says a 45mm restrictor should support 525-575 hp if peak is your goal, and there is plenty of injector for that power level (assuming it isn't a returnless fuel system). But looking at the rest of the components (like the charge piping) this motor seems to be set up with a serious bias toward response and midrange rather than peak power.