Subaru has given a first look at the car that Travis Pastrana will drive in the upcoming 11th installment of the Gymkhana video series.
The Nitro Circus ringleader will take over from Ken Block in the latest video and drive a bespoke Subaru WRX STI built completely from the ground-up for the production.
Documented in a behind-the-scenes vlog posted by Hoonigan, Pastrana got behind the wheel of the all-new car in a testing session at an undisclosed airfield in Montana.
Vermont SportsCar – the company behind Subaru Motorsports USA’s successful rally and rallycross programs that Pastrana drives in – has built the car and it features radical bodywork with a wide stance, giant rear wing and diffuser, and an abundance of fins. The car’s signature boxer engine has a flame-spitting exhaust system that exits through the hood.
“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.”
The Subaru is the third bespoke vehicle built specifically for a Gymkhana video, following Block’s Ford Mustang-based Hoonicorn and the F-150-inspired Hoonitruck. It also marks the first time since 2009’s Gymkhana Two that the star car has been from the Japanese manufacturer, with all subsequent videos featuring Fords after Block’s move to the marque.
“When we brought Subaru back to Gymkhana, we knew we had to build something outrageous,” said William Stokes, motorsports manager at Subaru of America. “Travis always wants to push the limits, so we knew from the outset we weren’t going to do this with a rally or rallycross car.
“This was an opportunity for us to redefine what an STI could be, and the results speak for themselves.”
