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Subaru broke its own Isle of Man record with a 550-hp WRX STI

Well, they did it. Subaru of America, Prodrive, and driver Mark Higgins set out to break their own record on the Isle of Man's Snaefell Mountain Course, and the attempt was a success. Higgins covered the 37-mile course in the 2016 WRX STI Time Attack car in 17 minutes, 35 seconds. That's an average speed of 128.73 mph. Average. In a car. Higgins set the previous record, 19:26 at 116.47 mph, in a more-stock STI. He and Subaru of America have been bringing cars to the site of the motorcycle race for years now, setting automotive records as all along, but this one is going to be pretty tough to top. Subaru Prodrive Isle of Man View 4 Photos It comes pretty close to the overall lap record for the course, which was set over the weekend by Michael Dunlop. The rider set a 16-minute, 58.254-second lap in the RST Superbike TT, averaging about 133 mph. The fact the Subaru comes so close to the best bike time is pretty amazing. This year's Isle of Man TT weekend was marked by the deaths of two riders. Fatalities are a regular occurrence at the historic race around the island, but it continues to be held year after year with hundreds of participants. Related Video: Featured Gallery 2016 Subaru WRX STI Time Attack Isle of Man View 22 Photos Motorsports Subaru

Japan is the only country to get this WRX S4 tS

Before the Impreza switches to a new platform, Subaru is wringing more limited editions out of the old one. The most recent, the Subaru WRX S4 tS, is a Japan-only special that is based off of the WRX S4 model released a few years ago. Underneath the hood, the WRX S4 tS gets the same modified 2.0-liter turbocharged flat-four from the WRX S4 that generates 296 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque. The modified engine produces 28 horsepower and 37 pound-feet of torque more than the standard WRX, and is only five horsepower off the turbocharged 2.5-liter Boxer engine in the WRX STI, while making more torque. The handling has been improved thanks to a similar setup to the one on the WRX STI S207, another Japan-only model released last year, that features adjustable DampMatic II front suspension from Bilstein, along with other goodies. The exterior gets 19-inch BBS forged aluminum wheels, red pinstripes on the front grille and rear bumper, and a large front spoiler. On the inside, the WRX S4 tS benefits from Recaro bucket seats and a luminescent speedometer. The sedan is also equipped with Subaru's advanced safety features in the form of EyeSight. Japanese enthusiasts can also choose a more hardcore option with the NBR Challenge Package that commemorates the automaker's victories in the SP3T class of the Nurbrugring 24 Hours in 2015 and 2016. The sportier model gets 19-inch wheels from BBS, a carbon-fiber rear wing, special badging, and a suede-lined steering wheel on the inside. We reached out to Subaru to see if the vehicle would be sold in the US, but the spokesperson refused to comment. With the WRX S4 and the S207 being Japan-only models, we doubt the new limited edition WRX S4 tS would be offered outside of Japan. Related Video:

The Subaru BRZ tS is back for 2020 — most of it, anyway

We had a feeling the Subaru BRZ tS was coming back not too long ago, and now it’s officially available again for the 2020 model year. This time Subaru is limiting production to 300 units, instead of the 500 we saw built for the 2018 model year. The price is also $1,960 cheaper than the 2018 car, listed for $32,395. That makes it only $650 more than a BRZ in Limited trim. So really, itÂ’s looking a fair bit more attractive than it ever has.  Subaru did take one thing away, though. The 2020 tS eliminated the massive dry carbon adjustable rear wing, replacing it with a shorty spoiler of sorts. WeÂ’re guessing the carbon fiber wing was a rather expensive piece. Everything else carries over, so that means you get the STI-tuned Sachs dampers and springs, STI engine V-brace, draw stiffeners in the chassis and subframe, plus larger Brembo brakes (four-piston in front, two-piston in rear). Michelin Pilot Sport tires wrap 18-inch bronze wheels, and itÂ’s only available in a new Ceramic White paint — the previous tS offered three colors. We also received word of small changes coming to the 2020 WRX and STI. The performance package for the WRX has been massaged a bit, and it adds a big Brembo brake package (as opposed to just high-performance pads) to the list of equipment included. The Recaro buckets, power-driver seat and moonroof delete are still included, but the package costs $2,850 now, versus the $2,050 price for 2019. If an STI is more your flavor, know that it gains keyless entry and push-button start for 2020. Subaru also redesigned the engine bay cooling ducts for better cooling, and added a new dark gray wheel option. The cheapest WRX comes to $28,395 now and the cheapest STI will run you $37,895. Those prices constitute modest bumps of $300 and $400 respectively when compared to the 2019 model year cars.