Is The Subaru WRX STI Really A Rally Car?

What modifications are needed to turn a stock STI into a rally car?

Is the Subaru STI really a rally car? Whether it’s the big auto magazines, the marketing advertisements, or the Subaru forums, there’s certainly a rally aura surrounding the WRX. That appeal is part of why the Subaru STI was the first new car I ever bought, a 2014 Hatch in World Rally Blue.

But the first time I took my Subaru on anything other than smooth pavement, it didn’t exactly feel at home. The suspension is very stiff, and there’s not much ground clearance. Sure, the AWD system is fantastic, but there are plenty of vehicles with great AWD systems.

DirtFish Rally School, based in Snoqualmie, Washington, invited me to their three day rally program. Here, I was able to chat with their instructors and technicians, many of whom participate in rally racing across the country. Over the three days, on top of dialing in driving techniques, I was curious to learn about what physical changes they make to these cars in order to have them properly set up as rally cars, ready to thrash their courses, keep the occupants safe, and maybe even remain comfortable.

And it’s not nearly as simple as you might think - throw on some rally tires and call it a day. There’s extensive work done to get these things to safely and reliably perform on a multitude of surfaces. Check out the video for all the details!

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[leeku]

Every rental car is the perfect rally car

[draz]

The fact that Jason chose to put that stall in the edit is my favorite part of all this. Humility goes a very long way!

[okitasoichiro]

the camera setup for the onboard was genius

[DaxtonAnderson]

It took me too long to realize that's the test course from ALL of the dirt games 😂 I didn't realize it was based on a real location haha

[martj]

I had an STI but 2 weeks of anti- biotics and i was fine.

[ryanfoster]

Can we please just appreciate how calm and relax Michelle is during the entire video? Legs crossed, calm eyes. Hilariously professional.

[Dukesofsurvival]

Imagine he's just trying to learn how to rally and the all of a sudden his instructor goes: *Jason! You're breaking the car!!!*

[logicreversedt]

I was lucky enough to get 4 hours in a GT3 RS at the PEC in LA. I can totally relate to the mental exhaustion. After 3.5 hours, I had literally run out of brain power and courage. I just couldn't physically do it any more, which as an endurance athlete, was really unexpected and is hard to admit! I think a lot of people who don't get seat time in race cars with professionals really have NO idea just how much hard work racing a car is. It is mentally VERY taxing.

I gained a renewed respect for motorsports drivers of all types after my weekend at the PEC. But man, when you get one of those laps just right, flowing around a track, it really is pure magic.

[dingus]

While not suitable for this kind of stuff from the factory, I think they know that the vast majority of owners aren't even going to take their STI on a gravel road, yet they seem to have provided a good platform for those who wish to get a bit dirty with some modifications

[CreaminFreeman]

Camera placement and the layout in editing for the full lap is the best I’ve ever seen! Period.

[RahulPatel-fpju]

"If you happen to flip over, you can start preparing a meal without any trouble"

[benharrison]

Video: Make sure you have all these modifications if you're going to rally, so you don't break your car!
WRX owners: Install Cobb Accessport, vape, and send it.

[StalePhish]

So fun! I'm glad I'm not the only one who felt out of practice: I took a 5 day rally school at Team O'Neil Rally School, the east coast version of DirtFish, and the first day was pretty rough after having not driven basically at all since the world went to hell 5 months earlier. We started in FWD Ford Fiestas and I believe it was only day 3 when we added in Subaru Impreza, then day 4 was RWD BMW E30 (all 3 at once: FWD, RWD, AWD to keep you on your toes). Then on day 5 we got a few runs with Subaru WRX and turbo Fiesta ST. It's also interesting to see what kind of stuff the schools do for school prep that absolutely is not allowed in real rally, such as removing emissions equipment.

[markseegobin]

We can start to prepare a meal without any trouble 😂😂😂

[jasonehredt]

Love Michele’s relaxed instruction style. Cold chillin over there.

[dillonh]

I love rally racing and wish it was more appreciated here in the US. I am glad that the Idaho rally is decent. I used to volunteer as a spotter.

[carlesmiquel]

Hi, Jason. My students and myself follow you almost religiously. It's part of our learning. My family and myself have been racing rallies for more than 60 years. What you explain here is just how to transform an STI into a gravel spec rally car. I know rallying is not a big sport in the States. In Europe we've been doing it from the very beginning of racing sports, i.e. Monte Carlo, San Remo, 1000 Lakes and so on. For us, who live in this world strongly regulated for almost 100 years, our work is split in three categories: gravel or "forest" rallies, "snow and ice" and tarmac. It would be fascinating to have you doing a series of videos on the differences between those three. The engineering involved in each of them is staggering. An STI, coming out of the factory and very few mods (safety requirements not included), as per FIA regulations, can do all European rallies, as it actually does. Suspension, flow restrictor and undercarriage cladding classify, basically, for most Class "NR4" cars to compete officially for an FIA-sanctioned Rally Championship. The Subaru WRX STI is, possibly, one of the most common cars in that class all over the world, along with the Peugeot 207, the Ford Fiesta, the Citroën C3, the VW Polo and the Sköda Fabia. If you want to drive your car in one of these three different "worlds", you'll need three different suspensions, three different types of rims and, at least, 8 different types of tyres (that's an understatement, but it's close). Most of the times, also, you'll need a different ratio setup for the gearbox. So, one "shell" needs lots of work and tweaks to function throughout an entire rally campaign, even if you compete in one country only. Great videos! and thanks for being an inspiration for my students.

[rxcubley]

How it felt giving mapquest directions as a kid

[Captain_bl_]

Lets be honest: We all memorized this track from dirt rally 2.0.

[clayduval]

The instructor with casually crossed legs is hilarious. Guess she's not afraid of anything!