Subaru reveals gymkhana WRX STI

Subaru of America has revealed the most outrageous WRX STI ever, a custom-built tyre destroyer set to star in the next instalment of Hoonigan's Gymkhana video series with Subaru Motorsports U.S.A driver Travis Pastrana at the wheel.

Drawing on Subaru's championship-winning rally and rallycross experience, this one-off STI throws out the rule book with the sole objective of taking Gymkhana to the next level.

Subaru and Hoonigan announced in May that Travis Pastrana would take over the Gymkhana series for 2020, bringing the series back to its roots - the first two instalments featured Ken Block driving Subaru WRX STI models - but promising a new take on the Gymkhana concept.

With Pastrana's decades of experience in rally, rallycross, supercross, freestyle motocross, NASCAR and stunts, Subaru was tasked with delivering a vehicle that could do things no Gymkhana car had ever been asked to do.

The resulting build demanded the expertise of Subaru's decades of motorsports experience, and the creativity of technical partner Vermont SportsCar to build a production-based sedan on the limit of what was possible. 

This focus on extreme performance is evident from every angle, thanks to a raw carbon fibre body with a wildly aggressive and wind tunnel-proven aero package unlike anything seen on a Gymkhana build before.

With a custom-made Subaru boxer engine, flame-spitting bonnet exit exhaust, long travel suspension, and a race-ready interior built to Pastrana's specs, this is an STI born to shred tyres and smash expectations.

"This STI is unbelievable!" said Pastrana. "We've never had the opportunity to do this before, to build a car with no restrictions. Engine, suspension, aero - everything is unlimited, clean sheet. It's crazy fast, easy to control and get sideways and it was perfect out of the box in testing. Gymkhana is a new challenge for me but I want to raise the bar, and this is the car to do it."