A Subaru WRX STI Time Attack car, piloted by rally and stunt driver Mark Higgins, has set a new lap record around the 37-mile Isle of Man TT Road Course. Higgins achieved an average speed of 128.73 mph and a lap time of just 17 minutes 35 seconds, breaking the previous record – also held by Higgins – of 116.47 mph and a time of 19 minutes 26 seconds.
The purpose-built 600bhp, 2.0-litre turbocharged 2016 Subaru WRX STI Time Attack car has a top speed of 180mph and weighs just 1,175kg. The model is a joint development of Subaru of America, Inc. and Prodrive, with technical assistance provided by Subaru Tecnica International (STI).
“It was an amazing run today considering we were running in very hot conditions and the tarmac was quite soft,” explained Higgins. “With lower temperatures we would be making more horsepower, so I still believe we have more left in terms of speed, but it is great to have another record in the bank. The chassis on this new car is fantastic to drive. It makes a difference driving a car custom-designed for this course. It really allowed me to pick up time in each sector in the more technical parts of the course.”
“We are happy to be back at the Isle of Man as a sponsor,” added Dominick Infante, national manager of product communications, Subaru of America, Inc. “There is nothing like a lap of the TT circuit to push a car to its limits. As the official car of the TT, this record is especially gratifying. The Isle of Man really shows the capability of this new WRX STI, and we are evaluating whether to make another run on Friday and top this record.”
