It's been less than two days since Subaru smashed its own lap record on the Isle of Man TT road course, and the Japanese automaker improved its benchmark once again. This time, three-time British rally champion Mark Higgins and his modified 2015 WRX STI completed the 37-mile course in 19 minutes and 15 seconds.
The new record represents an 11-second improvement over the previous achievement, which in turn bettered Subaru's first encounter with the Isle of Man TT course->ke3446 by no less than 30 seconds. What's more, Higgins completed his second lap with an average speed of 117.51 mph, which translates into a 1.04-mph improvement. Kudos to Mark!
So what's with Subaru->ke86 breaking its own record for the second time in just two days you ask? Well, it appears that Higgins was unhappy about several errors he committed during his previous attempt and wanted to give it another go knowing he can get more out for the WRX STI. Turned out he was right and Subaru of America has a brand-new record to brag about.
As previously mentioned, Subaru's vehicle of choice for this run wasn't exactly a bone-stock STI. The nippy sedan->ke142 gained a FIA-approved roll cage, racing seats, improved springs and dampers, a fire-suppression system, and had its wheels wrapped in Dunlop Direzza tires before taking the course. Additionally, the engineers removed the STI's speed limiter to allow Higgins to charge speed past the 155-mph limit.
Click past the jump to read more about Subaru’s new Isle of Man record.
Why It Maters
I sincerely admire Subaru for selecting the spectacular, yet dangerous Isle of Man TT course as its new playground instead of taking its new performance sedan to the 'Ring. However, this benchmark will likely go unnoticed unless more manufacturers bring their own toys to England. Hopefully Subaru won't launch an Isle of Man TT record special edition with the course's map slapped to its fenders. Editorial Note: Please don't give Subaru any "brilliant" ideas..."
Subaru WRX STI
The redesigned 2015 Subaru WRX STI boasts brand-new sheet metal and an aerodynamic kit that keeps most of the signature features seen on previous STI sedans. The upgraded interior now features a host of soft touch materials covering most of the annoying hard plastic bits found in older models and a couple of new tech additions. Performance-wise, the WRX STI benefits from 305 horsepower and 290 pound-feet of torque squeezed out by a turbocharged, 2.5-liter, boxer-four unit.