Searching for logic in car tuning projects can be fun, as long as one doesn’t forget that the justifications are often irrational. Why would you take a functional Subaru WRX and put a Lexus twin-turbo V8 under its hood? Because he can, says Nolan from South Africa.
On the outside, the 2011MY Japanese sports car looks like a regular, lightly customized WRX STI. New wheels, lowered suspension – and that would be all. Of course, a closer look reveals an exhaust pipe sticking out of the lower front bumper.
This discovery necessitates an engine check, and popping up the hood reveals a 4.3-liter Lexus V8 driven by a duet of GT 3582 turbos with an HKS blow-off-valve. Installing the massive mill under the WRX hood necessitated introducing a new sub-frame and additional mount points for the engine and transmission. The intercooler also had to be moved to the front. Other than that, though, no major modifications were made and the nose of the WRX stayed the same length.
The build currently runs on low induction pressure (<9 psi) and generates 363 PS (358 hp / 267 kW) along with 485 Nm (358 lb-ft) of torque. Nolan, who spent three years working on the project so far, admits it is still needs some work to be complete.