Subaru Breaks its own Record at the Isle of Man TT
The Isle of Man TT is one of the last real road races. A treacherous 59.5 km circuit, it is usually only raced by Superbikes. It is also one of the deadliest automotive events, with an average of 2-3 deaths each year. So far, two riders have already died in the 2014 edition.
In 2011, Mark Higgins completed the course in 19 minutes and 56 seconds in a Subaru Impreza WRX STI prepped by the manufacturer. Now, with the updated 2015 model, it was time to see if all the improvements made to the car actually translated to faster lap times.
- Also: 2015 Subaru WRX and WRX STI: Should we be Tearing Out Our Hair?
- Also: 2015 Subaru WRX STI: Track-Tested At Laguna Seca
A 2015 Impreza STI was shipped to the Isle of Man and fitted with standard racing equipment: FIA-approved rollcage, racing seat and harness, and modified suspension and dampers were installed on the car. A louder exhaust was also installed for spectator safety. If you can hear the car from farther away, you have more time to get out of the way!
The STI finally lined up at the start line in the morning, and exactly 19 minutes and 26 seconds later, it blasted past the finish, giving Subaru a new record! By comparison, the fastest Superbike did it in 17:11, in 2014.
Even better, with a few days left in the event, Subaru thinks they can get back on the track on Friday, and maybe shave a few seconds off their new record.
We wish them luck!