Mark Higgins wants to improve his record on the Isle of Man in the Subaru WRX STI

If you like motorcycle racing, you have surely heard of the Isle of Man Tourist Trophy more than once and, in addition, you will have seen countless images and videos of what is one of the most dangerous circuits in the world. However, some cars also take the spotlight, such as the Subaru WRX STI modified by Prodrive, which aims to beat its own record on the legendary course.

In 2014, Briton Mark Higgins already took the wheel of the Subaru WRX STI, achieving “a fantastic time” of 19 minutes and 15 seconds. To do so, he had to drive at the limit over the 60 kilometres of the course, reaching an average speed that will make your hair stand on end: 188 kilometres per hour. It was not Higgins’ first time either; three years earlier he did the same with the previous generation of the WRX STI, although with a considerably slower time that surpassed the 20-minute barrier.

Now, in 2016, the British driver will once again climb into a Subaru WRX STI to try to improve his spectacular time and attempt to stop the clock before 19 minutes. However, on this occasion he has an extra advantage: the Japanese sports car has passed through the hands of Prodrive. This means it will receive several dynamic improvements that we do not yet know officially, although we can imagine a good weight reduction and improvements to the chassis setup.

As you will already know, the standard WRX STI produces 300 cv thanks to its 2.5-litre turbocharged boxer engine. This power is distributed to all four wheels thanks to the all-wheel-drive system with multiple configurations to guarantee traction on any surface, allowing it to accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in 5.2 seconds. Its top speed, according to homologation data, is 255 km/h, and its total weight is 1,582 kilos.

We will have to wait until 28 May, when the first practice sessions for the Isle of Man Tourist Trophy, the most famous “road race” in the world, begin. On that date we will already know which days Mark Higgins will run with his Subaru in pursuit of surpassing himself.

Source | Subaru