Okay, chalk this up to a Subie fan (me) getting stoked over a wild video. Ken Block, one of Subaru Rally USA Racers, and the guys from Mad Media put together this neat Gymkhana video, which can be found over at 0-60mag.com (here).
Subscribe
Recent Posts
Archives
Manufacturers
Auto Shows
More Categories
Links
Impressive drifting in an AWD car. Am wondering if there were special controls added to bias FW / RW drive to allow all the RW sliding?
That's my question, too. Formula D cars are limited to RWD, so I wonder if this setup has been very modified.
assuming it were stock, you can lock the center diff to send more power to the rear, which is 65% or 59% depending on the model year... on top of that, pulling the e-brake just a notch up will cut the power to the center differential and make it run something like 85% power to the rear.
special controls would allow you to turn off the power to the center diff and run 85% rear all the time and customize all the settings, however it must work within the constraints of the drivetrain itself. you can still see the front tires throwing up smoke, so this is by no means a RWD conversion. (although that has been done)
35/65 F/R power allocation was available for MY2004-2005
41/59 F/R power allocation is on MY2006+ STI
I'm not sure what the power distribution is of the Subaru Rally Team USA cars is. I believe their cars use a 2.0L H4 instead of the 2.5L, too.
It looks fun, and makes we more interested in the 2009 WRX, although I'd like to see someone drifting in that, too.
jederino: all you have to do is watch the commercial for the 2009 WRX. travis pastrana is throwing the car around a track in it. its actually a really good car now. the 5-speed manual is the same as that in the Legacy, which has proven reliable and strong.
subytrojan: its a 2.5L in the US. they have completely programmable differential ECU's. the settings are obviously not public knowledge for competitions sake. however, US Pro Rally Champ Pat Richard's settings can be bought from Rocket Rally in Canada. always wanted to make the trip up there, but the cost sent me back to reality.
Huyracing: Thanks for the tip. It's a great commercial! Now, I just need to get a copy of Tsuchiya's "Drift Bible" (and a 2009 WRX) and get started.
huyracing, the Vermont Sportscar replica of Travis' car that was at Santa Monica Subaru last year had a plate that said EJ20 in the engine bay. Go figure. :shrug:
http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j121/USCTrojan4JC/06-29-2007%20199%20Subaru%20Rally%20Car/DSC06736.jpg
I have the original image on the hard drive of my desktop PC at home.
That guy on the Segway was brave. :)
The 2007 car used the EJ20. Did something change for the 2008 car?
http://www.sportcompactcarweb.com/features/sccp_0802_planes_vs_cars_mig_vs_car/travic_pastrana_subaru_wrx_sti_drift_car.html