Subaru unveils Boxer Rally Spec.Z based on the BRZ. The rally car has a turbo boxer engine and AWD. It will compete at the JRC starting this May. Subaru is returning to the spotlight of the Japanese Rally Championship (JRC) with a machine that looks like a tuner’s dream come true. Instead of serving us another WRX-based rally car, the company turned its attention to the BRZ coupe, transforming it into an AWD weapon. The Subaru Boxer Rally Spec.Z is a purpose-built competition animal that gives the BRZ the hardware enthusiasts have been begging for since its debut. Unfortunately, JRC doesn’t require companies to offer homologation specials, so we don’t expect the rally machine to inspire a limited-production offering. More: Subaru Can’t Sell You A Proper WRX STI, But It’ll Race One Against Cars With Nearly Double Its Power Visually, the two-door coupe is dressed in a custom bodykit including a redesigned front bumper with a larger grille, a vented hood, high-clearance front and rear fenders, and a fixed rear wing. It also gets lexan windows, smaller mirrors, a roof-mounted scoop and a racing livery. Naturally, the interior has been stripped out and features a FIA-compliant roll cage. The rally car is wider than the roadgoing BRZ, stretching to 1,820 mm (71.7 inches), while retaining the 4,265 mm (167.9-inch) length and the 2,575 mm (101.4-inch) wheelbase. More: Japan Gets Its First Manual WRX STI This Generation, But Only 600 Will Drive One While the rally spec looks cool, the highlight is what lies under the hood. The turbocharged 2.4-liter Boxer engine (FA24) is borrowed from the WRX, representing a significant step up compared to the naturally-aspirated mill of the production BRZ. The powertrain has been tuned to produce over 276 hp (206 kW / 280 PS) and 500 Nm (369 lb-ft) of torque. Crucially, unlike the road-going BRZ that remains a purist’s rear-wheel-drive coupe, the Boxer Rally Spec.Z sends power to all four wheels via a six-speed sequential transmission. The direct-drive AWD system allows it tackle the grueling stages of the JRC along with the overhauled chassis setup. The model rides on 18-inch Work aluminum wheels shod in Advan tires, with braking handled by four-piston calipers. The suspension geometry and steering rack layout are unique to the rally car, using the experience accumulated from its WRX S4 predecessor. Subaru engineers claim they have achieved a balance between “sharp corning performance and high-speed stability”. More: Subaru’s WRX STI Hatch Is Back On Track, Just Not On The Street Another important factor of the new JRC contestant is weight. The JP4 vehicle regulations have a minimum weight of 1,300 kg (2,866 lbs) and while the WRX S4 struggled to achieve it, the BRZ went below the desired number, allowing Subaru to strike the “ideal weight distribution” and a lower center of gravity. The company has confirmed that the Boxer Rally spec.Z will make its competition debut at the Yuho Rally Asuka between May 8-10, with the Subaru Team Arai. It will be piloted by veteran driver Toshihiro Arai, who said: “My first impression of driving the new vehicle was that almost all of the issues we had been struggling with have been resolved. We still have to do some testing simulating actual races, but I have a strong feeling that the overall balance of the car has improved by two or three levels compared to the previous machine.” “The engine is responsive, the brakes work well, and I feel that the cornering speed is very fast. This is a result of the size and low center of gravity of the base vehicle, the Subaru BRZ, and the low yaw inertia moment due to the optimal placement of components, which are major strengths. In addition, the adjustments to the suspension geometry that we have been working on since the second half of the 2025 season have paid off, and the result is very good. In the tests, I could feel that the quality of the driving improved even with minor adjustments, so there seems to be plenty of room for improvement.”
