Subaru Motorsports USA Subaru unveiled its latest one-off creation, Project Midnight, at the Goodwood Festival of Speed last week. Building on its success in rallying and rallycross, the car aims to be the fastest ever produced by Subaru’s motorsport partner, Vermont SportsCar.
Project Midnight follows in the footsteps of Subaru’s previous special projects, Airslayer and Family Huckster, both created for Hoonigan’s Gymkhana series. The new project is the first special car based on the current-generation WRX, which the team competes with in the American Rally Association series.
The all-carbon fiber vehicle weighs less than 2,500 pounds, or about 300 pounds less than the Airslayer and 1,000 pounds less than the standard WRX.
The project combines elements of Subaru’s rallycross cars, which ran until 2021, with features from the WRX ARA24 rally car, including an updated appearance that aligns with the current WRX road car. It features a significantly larger rear wing, inspired by the American Rally Association car, to keep the vehicle glued to the track. The car rides on 18×11-inch OZ Racing wheels with Yokohama slick tires for superior mechanical grip.
Power comes from the latest motorsport version of Subaru’s 2.0-liter turbocharged flat-four engine. This engine, capable of producing 670 hp and 680 lb-ft of torque, hits a redline of 9,500 rpm. Its lineage goes back to Subaru’s rallycross program, which saw success in the 2019 Americas Rallycross Championship and the inaugural Nitrocross Championship in 2021.
Scott Speed, Subaru factory driver and former Formula 1 driver, said: “Subaru Motorsports USA and the Vermont SportsCar team have delivered a beast. The car has rallycross roots, but the wider tires, track and geometry provide a unique feel and incredible grip. It’s the ultimate driving machine: part RX, part sports car – a true joy to drive.”
Project Midnight was driven by Speed on its Goodwood Festival of Speed debut. He was joined by teammate Travis Pastrana, who was making his fourth consecutive appearance at the event, in the Family Huckster. Pastrana finished second in the time trial last year in the Huckster, after a close battle with Marvin Kirchhofer in the McLaren Solus GT.
Subaru has confirmed that Project Midnight will be used on multiple occasions beyond Goodwood. Subaru Motorsports USA, in collaboration with Speed, will continue to develop the car.