Subaru is going for a Nürburgring lap record

Subaru is aiming for a Nürburgring lap record. Though quite what it needs to do to break that record is up for debate. Subaru says it wants the “new lap record for a four-door sedan”; we say they’re using a flipping racecar without stickers.

The four-door production saloon record is held by the Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio with a 7m 32s lap. For a circa-300bhp WRX STi to topple a 503bhp, Ferrari-tweaked saloon seems a very tall order.

Which is probably why Subaru has thrown the word ‘production’ to the wind with its WRX STi Type RA NBR Special. It has stripped the interior of its STi to the very bare bones, then giving it the kind of diffuser that could shovel a hole to the centre of Earth if you fixed it to a digger. The adjustable rear wing needs to be seen to be believed, too.

Mind, it’s an almighty looking vehicle. And Subaru has form at putting mad Not-Imprezas up against the clock, with particularly dramatic results on the Isle of Man.

The video above also shows its pro driver isn’t afraid of taking something so mighty out in the sopping wet. Mind he'd swapped the slicks of the initial test car for some proper wet tyres.

We wish Subaru all the best, but what does it mean if it does beat 7m32s? Should it not be the racecar record – the seemingly unbeatable 6m 11.13s of Stefan Bellof in a Porsche 956 – that this Scooby is measured against?

Watch the video above, then let us know below...