With 2027 just around the corner, it’s time to get ready for a whole new list of stuff turning 25: Big Tymers’ “Still Fly,” Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, Sam Raimi’s “Spider-Man,” and the first Subaru Impreza WRX sport compacts sold in America. That’s right, Subaru’s gravel-spitter has been dashing through snow and sliding through dirt stateside for nearly a quarter of a century, and to mark the milestone, Subaru’s borrowed a little something from the past and a little something from an actual race car.
What we’re looking at here is called the WRX GD25, with “GD” throwing it back to the chassis code of the iconic bugeye Impreza WRX, and “25” being self-explanatory. It still has the same 271-horsepower 2.4-liter turbocharged flat-four as every other new WRX, a six-speed manual gearbox, and all-wheel-drive, but Subaru’s gone a little further to make this 350-unit limited-run model a bit more special.
It starts with the color scheme for a fast Subaru, World Rally Blue on gold wheels. Key elements of some of the greatest rally liveries of the past three decades that have since been copied, remixed, and rebooted countless times by product planners and enthusiasts with rattle cans alike. Better still, these wheels and the Brembo calipers behind them point towards the GD25 being based on the WRX tS, a model that already has Recaro seats, the aforementioned big brakes, and other performance goodies.
It’s already a strong package, and the WRX GD25 augments it with an STI short-shifter topped with a matching knob, starchier suspenders thanks to stiffer springs and retuned dampers, and additional underhood bracing. However, the real showstopper is a giant carbon fiber wing straight off of Subaru’s championship-winning ARA rally car.
Yes, this is the exact same dry carbon fiber swan-neck unit that’s given all-American action hero Travis Pastrana and veteran co-driver Rhianon Gelsomino real downforce when flying through the woods on their way to multiple class victories and the class championship. It’s a proper motorsports-proven piece of equipment, and one that really fits the WRX’s silver jubilee in America. After all, enormous wings are part of turbo Subaru lore, like early Hoonigan stickers and sizeable mud flaps.
Of course, the 2027 model year doesn’t just mark 25 years of the U.S.-spec WRX, but also 15 years of the BRZ. To celebrate that milestone, the BRZ ZC15 starts with the big-braked and fancy-dampered tS model, then gets a special shade of white paint, bronze accents, a black interior with bordeaux-red inserts, a short-shifter, and some uprated bracing. With only 300 units planned, it’ll be even rarer than the WRX GD25, and it’s arriving first. Expect the limited-run BRZ to hit showrooms early next year, the winged WRX to arrive in Summer 2027, and pricing to be released closer to both models’ on-sale dates. Given how both models seem to be based on top trims, don’t expect them to be cheap, but do expect them to be neat.
Top graphic image: Subaru
Not only is that spoiler a showstopper, it’s a purchase stopper, at least for me.
I’m choosing to believe that GD25 is actually “gosh dang 25cm” spoiler.
I don’t know if it has had a refresh or I’m just getting used to it, or the new Outback is just that bad, but this WRX doesn’t actually look too bad. I guess it’s a good sign that they’re still making special editions of the WRX with the 6-speed. Maybe there’s still a tiny bit of the Subaru I once loved in the lifestyle brand it is today.
I haven’t seen too many new Outbacks here in central Indiana, but saw several on a trip to the Adirondacks. It’s just an awkward looking thing that I’ve started referring to as a Plasti-Dipped brick.. Hopefully they fix it for the next generation.
Sorry the only giant wing I want or that is needed is when I get a dozen of them at BWW coated in just the right amount of Asian Zing sauce and a pile of fries.
I liked my FR-S (BRZ), but oil leaks, bad cam phasers, bad rear wheel bearings, and exhaust rot all less than 100k miles are not problems I’ve experienced with Honda’s or Toyota’s. Not to mention having to partially remove the engine to change spark plugs.
The experience of changing the spark plugs on my 2007 WRX was such a pain in the ass. Engine stayed in, but one of those plugs took me like 2 hours and new tool purchases thanks to the obscenely small gap between the fender and engine.
Sold it a few months later for multiple reasons, but that didn’t help.
The C6 Corvette that replaced it had very easy spark plug accessibility. Something to consider with all new vehicle purchases!
That sounds unlike any experience I’ve heard from an FRS owner. Not shitting on your experience, just shocked to hear it. The only real issues I was aware of were around the warranty work done on the valve springs.
Mine was a 2013, and at 9 years and 92k miles when I sold it because it wasn’t getting driven enough. I did both front wheel bearings (at 85k and 90k miles) but otherwise didn’t touch anything except brakes (which I did a few times but that was accelerated by a few track days). I had the plugs done while they had the engine dropped for the recall, and they didn’t charge any labor just for the parts. That and the free coolant flush (and free oil change) at the time meant I walked away with a pretty thin stack of receipts from my ownership.
Never been a subie owner, but I do like watching them from afar
i like subaru but honestly, they haven’t given much to be excited about for more than a decade.
Exactly. Imagine if they were showing us a new EV STI right now.
It will be just a rebadged BZ4X with an STi badge lol
Been a Subie fan for decades now, but I can’t say I’ve ever liked the old-school “picknik table” spoiler.
Giant wing? How about the giant wheels? Plus with the dark cladding blending with the car’s shadow on the floor, it almost looks lifted, but not in a cool safari way. Add in the Pep Boys wing and the only thing that comes to mind is that this is AI slop rendering of what a 2027 WRX STI could look like.
What a disgrace. WR Blue + gold wheels are iconic. This just looks cheap and dumb.
I’d go for a safari WRX with 16″ wheels and a bunch of sidewall.
They really should have painted the black trim.
WTF, a “special shade of white”? There’s nothing special about white. Every year should be a new limited color that would never sell as a standard option (Miata should be the same, but Mazda has gone with SUV wannabe desert insurgent beige and hint of green got left in the gun when we switched to gloss primer). They did a purple, but even that was a cop-out as it’s only obviously purple in bright sunlight.
“It’s like, how much more white could this be? And the answer is none. None more white”
You know that every junkyard beater WRX is gonna have an aftermarket one of these installed over the next couple years.
Hmm, I see an opportunity for a Red Bull campaign.
If Subaru can deliver a WRX hatchback in about 1.5-2 years, they may have a new customer. When my daughter starts driving in about 2 years, she’ll get my Bronco Sport and I’ll be looking for a new daily.
I’m holding out for the MPC special edition:
MOAR PLASTIC CLADDING
Might as well lean into their current design theme.
The elephant in the room is that the current WRX/Impreza chassis is an elephant. It’s huge compared to the GC and GD cars of the 90’s and 2000’s. Small and light AWD is what makes them fun to chuck around in the woods, on frozen lakes and more. I had 9 of them in various styles and can confirm that they were fun.
I’m all growed up now and have a Miata as a track day car for the fun days. I still look at old Subarus when the winters come each season…
Modern crash standards and hood heights will likely keep these cars fat. But for a 25th anniversary edition they could have done more then a wing and wheel (and light trim) package.
I mean the current VB WRX feels like their most half-hearted effort yet imho. At a rallycross this past spring I was comparing notes with another driver and his VB WRX was hitting the top of 1st gear coming off the starting line at the same spot as my ’05 Legacy GT-I suppose it does only have 21 more hp and probably weighs more. They basically built a legend in the late ’90s early ’00s and have pretty much slept on it since. I imagine the relative lack of competition hasn’t helped. The few competitors it had were FWD and the Lancer iirc really competed more with the STi variant than the base WRX which drove most of the sales. The Ts is ludicrously overpriced for what you’re getting, a Corolla GR is slightly less money and has way more bespoke hardware, and if you can find an Civic Type R at MSRP it’s not much more than a Ts and is waaaaayyy more car if you can life with FWD. I’ve assumed for awhile Subaru was actively trying to slowly choke out the WRX.
Two of my neighbors have purchased JDM GC STI legends this past year. The best part is they drive them hard and get them dirty. It’s a privilege to ride along in the left hand side passenger seat. Also scary.
Jealous that sounds awesome, kudos to them for actually using them. I’d love to get a GC WRX for the street but can’t quite bring myself to daily a RHD car.
Yeah, give it more useless crap, as long as you don’t give it a hatch.
Because the three beancounters at Subaru US that oppose it can’t be wrong.
How much is the “Rear Picnic Table Delete” option?
That blurred out rear quarter in the topshot really set me up for disappointment, I was hoping for a hatchback.
Wheels just not gold enough and still 30+ HP lower than needed but I still want one.
Really getting the mileage out of this WRX model; are they trying to show up Stellantis for the most number of special/limited editions of a single model?
I’m still waiting for that 6MT Hatchback they promised, but at these fuel prices I’ll likely be cross-shopping an EV by the time I’m in the market.
Next gen will almost certainly be a hatchback. The WRX is the only sedan left from Subaru, they’ll rectify that for the next generation
Sigh, I’ve had the same thought.
I love a big, stupid wing.
Subaru, this is the seventh week in a row you’ve shown a special edition WRX in class
I really hate the gold/ bronze color combo on the BRZ. It just looks like they tried to make them match and failed. (If the Autopian wants me to post a guest rant about Kashima Coat colors on Fox MTB equipment, I’m ready).
I’m ready to hear your take whatever that maybe.
If you’re talking about the bronze wheels and gold decals, I saw that too. Just don’t match and it would bug the heck out of me. I’d definitely run over to Etsy and find someone to make new bronze decals.
Then again, this is coming from someone who paid to have custom wheels painted before even mounting them just to better match door handles, so… you and I are probably in the minority of those who care this much lol.
I didn’t notice that at first but out in the world that would bug the hell out of me. I would truly love be on a fly on the wall for a Subaru design meeting to try to see how they arrive at some of the head scratching styling stuff they’ve been doing in the last 10 years or so. I sort of assume they have some badly silo’ed teams working on this stuff separately but still you’d think at some point someone would have looked at this and said “these colors don’t match” yet they don’t feel deliberately different either (to your point)
I would read that. 🙂
I was very happy when I found out their Performance Elite stuff is the same as Factory, except without the ugly gold finish. Probably cheaper in most cases too.
A person after my own heart! At least all of Fox’s black finishes match.
Yeah, they’re little more than appearance packages but I refuse to bemoan anything that gives us car enthusiasts more options in the affordable sports sedan and sports car realm.
There isn’t even another manual awd sedan even sold in the US anymore is there?
GR Corolla, tinfoil hat says that cars existence is why STI didn’t happen for this generation WRX
That same tinfoil hat says the GR Corolla (or Yaris elsewhere), Civic TypeR, and GolfR are the reason we didn’t see either an STI or hatchback WRX.