FoS-bound Project Midnight an 'absolute beast'

Subaru is showing up to Goodwood with a 680hp, 1,120kg WRX. You probably won't miss it

By PH Staff / Wednesday, 10 July 2024 / Loading comments

While Subaru’s footprint in the UK may seem undersized these days, the impression it tends to make at FoS is anything but. We’ve the Subaru Family Huckster and Travis Pastrana to thank for that; the flamboyant pairing has been known to turn many a frown upside down in recent years. And this weekend they will have company: Subaru Motorsports USA has revealed that it’s bringing along ‘the quickest and fastest ever WRX’ with 670hp and an ex-F1 driver to do the uphill pedalling. Perfick.

Project Midnight (of course it’s called that) is very much the successor to the Airslayer car that featured in Gymkhana 2020, although its maker suggests the follow-up takes ‘things to a new level with a singular directive: outright speed’. Obviously this is what you want if you’re interested in setting impressively quick times on a hill climb in West Sussex. To that end, the car is drastically lighter than the Airslayer - in fact, thanks to an all-carbon fibre body and lighter chassis, it’s said to be 450kg lighter than a standard WRX and ‘well under’ 1,200kg at the kerb.

Obviously it sticks with a turbocharged flat-four under the bonnet (wouldn’t be a WRX without it) but the unit is said to be the ‘top-performing’ evolution of an engine that Subaru Motorsports USA has been tinkering with for years, meaning it not only gets 680lb ft of torque, but also the ability to rev to 9,500rpm. Factor in the flames that are promised from its exhaust - not to mention the imposing appearance of its ultra-wide aerodynamic shell, Advan slicks and the presence of Scott Speed behind the wheel - and it’s safe to say we’re looking at one of the standout spectacles for this weekend.

“Subaru Motorsports USA and the team at Vermont SportsCar have delivered an absolute beast. When driving the car it clearly has rallycross roots, but the wider tires, track, and geometry give it a very unique feel and incredible grip. The ultimate driving machine; half RX, half sports car – a true joy to drive,” said Speed. The team has longer term plans for Project Midnight, but FoS will mark its public debut and Subaru has already promised that it will ‘shock the crowd in a completely different way as it fires up the hill – and to make a healthy contrast and a worthy stablemate to the Family Huckster.’ We can’t wait.