Earlier this year, the Subaru had presented a picture of the racing version of the WRX STI. Now, in addition to new photos, we have a fuller picture of the mechanical parts.
The Subaru WRX STI NBR Challenge as it is called, will participate in the SP3T category 24 Hours of Nurburgring. The regulations of the class, impose turbocharged engine capacity not exceeding in 2 liters. Consequently, exactly is the powertrain of racing WRX STI. Two-liter, turbo, with 340 horses and 461 Nm of torque and mated to a 6-speed sequential gearbox.
Appearance / aerodynamics, the race has different bumpers, the carbon fiber canards and the large rear spoiler to differentiate it from the civilian version. Besides, has more vents on the hood, light windows and racing suspension. The package is completed by 18-inch BBS rims dressed with Dunlop tires and “hide” inside the brakes Brembo.
The car will be driven by Toshihiro Yoshida, Kota Sasaki, Carlo van Dam and Marcel Lasee before the 24 hours of Nurburgring, will participate in two more VLN endurance racing.
2014 Nürburgring 24-Hour Race
STI to set out to regain the SP3T class victory with new SUBARU WRX STI ‘STI NBR CHALLENGE 2014’
Subaru Tecnica International Inc. (STI) today announced that they will enter their newly released SUBARU WRX STI in this year's Nürburgring 24-Hour Race (NBR) -42.ADAC Zurich 24H Rennen. The event will take place from 19 to 22 June in Germany with STI aiming for their 3rd win following 2011 and 2012 in the SP3T - a class for turbo-charged cars with an engine of 2 litres or less. The purpose of STI's participation in this race is to both enhance a ‘flexible yet elegant driving feel’ - a concept that STI lives by, and also to demonstrate the ‘Enjoyment & Peace of Mind’ of driving SUBARU cars in the race for SUBARU fans around the world.
The competition vehicle for this race is based on the new SUBARU WRX STI, whose potential has been enhanced, and incorporates aspects for endurance races. At the same time it uses many technologies for production vehicles based on STI's experience of participating in the race for 6 consecutive years. Also, through cooperation with Fuji Heavy Industries, starting from the development phase, this vehicle has become even more competitive than the 2013 version because of its improved aerodynamic performance and lower centre of gravity. The team will compete in 2 races of the VLN endurance series at Nürburgring on Saturday 12 April and Saturday 17 May. The aim is to further work on car setups before it appears in the official qualifying on the Thursday and Friday of race week. The 24-hour race takes place from Saturday 21 to Sunday 22 June.
The WRX STI NBR CHALLENGE will be driven by Nürburgring veteran Toshihiro Yoshida, Kota Sasaki, who will be competing in the NBR for the 4th time this year, Carlo van Dam from the Netherlands and Marcel Lasée from Germany who joined the team last year. Team Manager Masahiro Ozawa, Manager of STI's Power Unit Engineering Department, will take command of the team. Following last year, Hideharu Tatsumi, Deputy General Manager of STI Motorsport Project Office, who has been in charge of development of the car, will act as STI General Team Manager.
The NBR CHALLENGE team will also be joined by 6 SUBARU dealer mechanics -Masaki Ageishi (Nigata SUBARU), Ryosuke Nakamura (Fuji SUBARU), Shinya Kiyama (Osaka SUBARU), Hiroshi Ota (Kyoto SUBARU), Nobuaki Shimazaki (Hyogo SUBARU) and Tatsushi Umemura (Higashi Shikoku SUBARU). These men will be in charge of pit work and vehicle service while utilising their skills and expertise gained through their day-to-day careers as service mechanics.
