Subaru WRX STI Type RA NBR, the fastest four-door sedan on the Nürburgring with 600 hp

Despite its ubiquitous nature, achieving the fastest lap on the 20,6-kilometer Nürburgring Nordschleife has become the ultimate challenge for all vehicles that prioritize performance as a key selling point. It's a daunting feat that grows more difficult to accomplish each day , thus increasing its value. This time, it was the Japanese brand Subaru that took up the challenge and triumphed once again.

And he did it with the new WRX STI Type RA NBR Special, a model "developed to serve as a showcase for the brand's sedan and its AWD technology." A true record-breaker with which Subaru has placed its flag at the top of the list of records not only at the Nürburgring, also on the mythical Isle of Man and the no less renowned hill climb at the Goodwood Festival of Speed.

Prepared for the occasion, the Subaru WRX STi Type RA NBR can change the position of its rear wing using buttons on the steering wheel. Both the 2.0-liter boxer engine and the symmetrical all-wheel drive of the WRX STI Type RA NBR Special were specially prepared to overcome the challenge at the Nürburgring by Prodrive , Subaru's motorsport affiliate. Subaru wanted to leave nothing to chance, as it hopes this achievement will support the launch of this new Type RA version, which the brand will release before the end of the WRX STI's season.

The WRX STI Type RA NBR Special was developed from a standard 2017 WRX STI, fitted with a welded roll cage to increase rigidity. Under its hood roars the familiar 2.0-liter boxer engine that Subaru uses in the WRC, modified and optimized to deliver peak performance on the Nürburgring Nordschleife. It features a turbocharger with a boost capacity of up to 25 psi, and its restrictor plate was set to 75 mm. These modifications allowed it to produce 600 hp with the engine revving to 8.500 rpm , the same speed at which the vehicle reached its top speed on the circuit —according to Prodrive's records— of 288 km/h.

To transfer all that power to the wheels (fitted with 9-inch slick tires ) , Subaru used the WRX's automatic transmission, optimized for the occasion with an automatic control for the paddle shifters behind the steering wheel during the test. The gear changes achieved during the test were remarkably fast and undoubtedly one of the reasons behind the car's success. The gear changes were executed with outstanding precision at speeds between 20 and 25 milliseconds – quite an achievement.

To improve its aerodynamics, Subaru fitted the WRX STI with a new aerodynamic package. Its design gave this NBR Special version improved handling, allowing it to reach higher speeds thanks to a significant increase in downforce: up to 294 kg. The new electro-hydraulically actuated rear wing played a major role in this achievement.

Using buttons located on the steering wheel , the driver can, in just 20 milliseconds, change the position of the spoiler , retracting or fully extending it, depending on the needs to increase or decrease the aerodynamic load that the vehicle supports on the different curves and straights of the circuit.

After preparing the car at Silverstone, the Subaru WRX STI Type RA NBR Special's first attempt to break the record on May 19th had to be suspended due to the intense rain that flooded the Nürburgring circuit for days (as seen in the accompanying video). But now, in the final session (the video of which has not yet been edited), the clock stopped at 6 minutes and 57,5 seconds , setting a new challenge for rivals who want to proudly hold the title of the fastest four-door sedan.