Subaru has officially introduced its new ‘Sports Vehicle Planning Office,’ a division that will spearhead more performance-focused road vehicles from the Japanese marque. The first potential example of which, a turbocharged version of its small Subaru BRZ sports car, was also teased this past weekend. Why Subaru Is Refocusing On Motorsport SubaruThis move draws parallels with Toyota’s recent range of performance-focused ‘GR’ road cars, most notably the GR Corolla, GR Supra, GR Yaris, and, fittingly, the GR86. All of these vehicles were developed using knowledge gleaned from Toyota’s Gazoo Racing factory entries in the World Rally Championship and national cup races, both in North America and Japan.Subaru, meanwhile, is no stranger to racing-derived road cars either. The brand’s lauded WRC rivalry with Mitsubishi during the mid-to-late 1990s and early 2000s led to its eponymous, and wildly popular, Impreza/WRX STi range of sports sedans.Though no further details have been revealed regarding a potential timeline, it should be noted that Subaru is not fully turning its back on its lucrative mainstream models. Ironically, the WRX had its worst year of sales in 2025, while the Crosstrek, Forester and Outback crossovers/SUVs were comfortably the brand's best-selling models, with each leapfrogging the 150,000-unit mark. However, this announcement does give credence to rumors that the brand’s STi range, which disappeared when the WRX STi was discontinued after 2021, could make a return. The Turbocharged BRZ That Could Kickstart It All Among the first models that Subaru’s new SVPO division could introduce is a road-going version of a brand-new, rally-spec BRZ that will compete in this year’s All Japan Rally Championship. Few details of the project were revealed, save only that the new BRZ will feature all-wheel drive and a turbocharged version of its 2.4-liter engine.The teaser image of the rally-spec BRZ featured extended ground clearance (presumably via lifted suspension), chunky all-terrain tires, and a new rear spoiler. Boxier wheel arches have also been incorporated, front and back, while the front bumper features additional air inlets. Look closely, and you’ll also notice a new roof scoop, and, what appears to be, shorter front and rear overhangs. Interestingly, it’s believed that the same, albeit heavily braced, wheelbase has been carried over into the new rally car.SubaruThe biggest challenge, however, will have been the packaging. The already tight confines of the second-gen BRZ feature a rear-wheel driving, naturally-aspirated flat-four as standard. Squeezing in a new turbocharger that now drives all four wheels not only adds complexity, but also significant weight.It should also be noted that, while such a project would be an ideal launchpad to revive the STi badge, development experience will likely be used on a future example of the BRZ. The current model, after all, debuted in 2020 and was launched for 2022, meaning only a few years remain on its current production cycle.