STI competing at Nürburgring 24-hour race

The gruelling 24-hour Nürburgring endurance race tends to attract some serious competitors and brands that are keen to showcase the performance prowess of their road-going models.

The latest contender to enter the field has been Subaru with its newest generation Impreza WRX STI which has undergone extensive modifications by the brand’s motorsport division – Subaru Technica International – to compete in the event’s SP3T class.

Subaru’s in-house tuning arm will take advantage of the extreme conditions presented at the Nürburgring to further develop the car’s road-going sibling to enhance the breed, as well as highlighting the existing STI performance parts range available to customers.

While STI is keen to flaunt its participation in the event over the coming weeks, it has divulged a few key features of the car such as the use of a much lighter carbon fibre bonnet and a completely rethought suspension setup.

The entire package has been developed and built internally by STI – from the engine controls customised for this year’s required air-restrictor, to the chassis specifications and all the way to assembly.

Where possible, the brand has opted for existing STI and Group N Rally Car sports parts already available on the market such as the Flexible Tower bar, along with prototype performance parts which will eventually find their way into customer hands.

The four professional Japanese drivers at the wheel of the Impreza WRX STI for the event will be Kazuo Shimizu, Toshihiro Yoshida, Naoki Hattori and Koji Matsuda who will all wear team clothing and racing gear developed by STI Performance.

As one of the most ambitious performance showcases at this year’s 24-hour Nürburgring event, STI has also created a special web portal where it will slowly release new information about the car for enthusiasts and who will also eventually be able to track the team’s progress live.