The ‘Project Midnight’ Is The Fastest WRX Ever Built by Subaru

Subaru has built what may be the fastest and most potent WRX ever, known as the 'Project Midnight'.

Subaru has joined the long list of automakers who will strut their newest and greatest creations at the upcoming Goodwood Festival of Speed. Instead of showcasing a new model or a working prototype, the Japanese automaker will debut its new car project known as ‘Project Midnight’, which is touted as the most potent WRX ever.

The Project Midnight WRX (left) is based on the already manic Airslayer Gymkhana car (right).

The Project Midnight WRX is essentially a slick spin-off of the Airslayer Gymkhana racer, which by itself is based on the first-gen 2020 Subaru WRX STI instead of the new second-gen model. Similar to the aforementioned Gymkhana car, the Project Midnight WRX is also borne out of a collaboration between Subaru Motorsport USA and renowned racecar builder Vermont SportsCar.

Unlike the standard WRX, however, the Project Midnight WRX is powered by a tuned-up 2.0-litre 4-cyl turbocharged ‘Boxer’ engine that can rev at up to 9,500 RPM, derived from Subaru’s rallycross car. As a result, the Project Midnight WRX boasts a whopping 670 HP and 920 NM, making it the most potent WRX ever made by Subaru.

Besides the high-revving powertrain setup, the Project Midnight WRX also benefits from a stringent diet programme that sees it drop 136 KG from the Airslayer Gymkhana, thus making it 454 KG lighter than the standard WRX. Besides using a lightened chassis, the Project Midnight WRX’s extensive weight loss is also due to the liberal use of carbon fibre for its aggressive aero parts, which include the massive rally-style rear wing, the wide fenders, as well as the aggressive front wing featuring several winglets and canards.

To prepare the Project Midnight WRX for the infamous Goodwood hillclimb challenge, Subaru and Vermont SportsCar engineers have fitted this special WRX with a custom suspension setup that has been tuned for tarmac usage, plus 18-inch forged wheels shod in Yokohama racing slicks.

In charge of piloting the Project Midnight for the Goodwood hillclimb is rallycross champion and Formula One (F1) alum Scott Speed. Beyond the Goodwood challenge, both Speed and Project Midnight will head elsewhere to seek out and break more records along the way.

“Subaru Motorsports USA and the team at Vermont SportsCar have delivered an absolute beast. When driving the car, it clearly has rallycross roots, but the wider tires, track, and geometry give it a very unique feel and incredible grip. The ultimate driving machine—half RX, half sports car—a true joy to drive,” Speed said when asked to comment on the Project Midnight WRX.

The manic Subaru WRX Project Midnight will be showcased at the upcoming 2024 Goodwood Festival of Speed, which is set to take place from July 11 onwards.