Subaru, Mark Higgins and Prodrive break the Isle of Man TT road COurse record again, they Smashed it.

Subaru of America, Inc. announced today that a Subaru WRX STI Time Attack car piloted by Mark Higgins set a new lap record of the fabled 37-mile Isle of Man TT Road Course with an average lap speed of 128.73 mph and a time of 17.35. This breaks the previous record held by Higgins of 116.47 mph and a time of 19.26.

The all-new 2016 Subaru WRX STI time attack car is a joint development of Subaru of America, Inc., and Prodrive, with technical assistance provided by Subaru Tecnica International (STI). The new car is purpose-built for the Isle of Man TT Course.

“It was an amazing run today considering we were running in very hot conditions and the tarmac was quite soft. With lower temperatures we would be making more horsepower, so I still believe we have more left in terms of speed, but it is great to have another record in the bank,” said Mark Higgins. 

“The chassis on this new car is fantastic to drive. It makes a difference driving a car custom designed for this course. It really allowed me to pick up time in each sector in the more technical parts of the course.”

For the 2016 car, Subaru of America decided to create a purpose- built car that could tackle the arduous TT Course, which is similar in style to both the Nürburgring and Le Mans in the demands it puts on suspension and engines.  It called upon the joint expertise of Prodrive for the design and build, and Subaru Technica International for technical assistance. 

Both have an extensive history in building and designing winning cars. Prodrive and Subaru have won three World Rally Championship Manufacturer titles together and three World Rally Championship driver titles. 

Prodrive also has experience running team Aston Martin in the FIA World Endurance Championship and Le Mans 24-Hour race. STI has experience designing great road course cars, designing the back-to-back class-winner at the 2015 and 2016 Nürburgring 24-Hour Races.

“We are happy to be back at the Isle of Man as a sponsor. There is nothing like a lap of the TT circuit to push a car to its limits. As the official car of the TT, this record is especially gratifying,” said Dominick Infante, National Manager of Product Communications, Subaru of America, Inc. 

“The Isle of Man really shows the capability of this new WRX STI. We are evaluating whether to make another run on Friday and top this record.”

The event, which has been comprehensively risk assessed by both Subaru and the ACU, including consultation with all relevant parties, will take place under full, closed road race conditions.

Subaru of America and Prodrive are going to attempt to take the course record at the Isle of Man TT again.

Subaru of America, Inc. announced today that it will make another record attempt on the Isle of Man TT Course with rally driver Mark Higgins. Higgins will drive an all-new 2016 Subaru WRX STI time attack car that was jointly developed by Subaru of America, Inc., and Prodrive, with technical assistance provided by Subaru Tecnica International (STI). The new car is purpose built for the Isle of Man TT Course.

“We are excited to be back and running on the Isle of Man TT course,” said Dominick Infante, National Manager of Product Communications, Subaru of America. 

“This is one of the most amazing road courses in the world and the Isle of Man TT is one of the most exciting races of the year. We have previously run the TT Course in near-stock Subaru WRX STIs, but this year we set out to design the ultimate WRX STI for this circuit.”

For 2016, Subaru of America decided to create a purpose built car that could tackle the arduous TT Course, which is similar in style to both the Nürburgring Nordschleife and Le Mans in the demands it puts on suspension and engines. 

It called upon the joint expertise of Prodrive for the design and build, and Subaru Technica International for technical assistance. Both have an extensive history in building and designing winning cars. Prodrive and Subaru have won three World Rally Championship Manufacturer titles together and three World Rally Championship driver titles. 

Prodrive also has experience running team Aston Martin in the FIA World Endurance Championship and Le Mans 24-Hour race. STI has experience designing great road course cars, designing the class-winning 2015 Nürburgring 24-Hour Race winner.

In 2014, Subaru broke its own previous lap record around the fabled 37-mile course, with an average lap speed of 117.51mph and a time of 19 minutes and 15 seconds. The previous record of 115.36mph was set in 2011 in a WRX STI.

British Rally specialist helps the FAW-VW rally team take drivers and manufacturers titles in the 2015 delayed rally.

British motorsport specialist, Prodrive, has helped the FAW-VW Rally Team win both the manufacturers’ and drivers’ titles in the 2015 Chinese Rally Championship this weekend. 

The delayed final round, the Jixi Rally, was held on a frozen lake near the Russian border in temperatures as low as -25^oC.  

The FAW-VW Rally Team came into the event with a slender lead in the manufacturers’ championship.  

The team’s lead driver, Chris Atkinson, had a mechanical problem off the start line on the first stage on Saturday and lost two minutes over two stages.  Atkinson, steadily clawed back time over the following two days in his Prodrive-built VW Golf SCRC to finish in third position.  

Local driver, Chen Dean in the second Golf took eighth place, which was enough for him to win the drivers’ title by two points (The drivers’ championship is only open to local Chinese drivers).  Combined with Atkinson’s podium, this secured the coveted manufacturers’ crown for FAW-VW.

Prodrive engineer, Richard Thompson, who leads the FAW-VW programme said: “This is a very prestigious title for the local Chinese VW joint venture to win.  

With our technical support and a brand new car, the VW Golf SCRC, built specifically to the regulations, they have now been able to achieve their goal.  It has been a great team effort with Prodrive and FAW-VW engineers and technicians working alongside each other on every event.   

We have set our sights on retaining the title in 2016 and have already started work on building a fourth VW Golf SCRC in Banbury.”

FAW-VW is one of the VW joint venture businesses which manufacturers cars for the Chinese market.  In 2014 the company approached Prodrive, to design and manufacture the VW Golf SCRC to the specific Chinese Rally Championship regulations.  

The Banbury-based business created the near WRC specification car in just five months, which then went on to win the final two rounds of the 2014 Chinese championship.  In 2015 it has won five of the seven events.

Prodrive moves into new premises to continue the excellent work they have achieved since the 1980's

Prodrive has today been handed the keys to its new headquarters in Banbury, UK.  The British motorsport and advanced technology business has already begun relocating to its new 110,000 sq ft facility alongside the M40 motorway and has started manufacturing its first parts. 

The headquarters will be home to both its Motorsport business, which runs the Aston Martin Racing team as well as the MINI and VW Golf in rallying, and its Advanced Technology division, which works with businesses in the automotive, aerospace, defence and marine sectors.  In the new facility, race and rally cars will be built alongside advanced active aero systems for super cars, centre console modules for luxury cars and the latest control systems for electric vehicles.

“This is the beginning of a new era for the company,” said David Richards, Prodrive chairman.  “For the first time all our motorsport, advanced technology and manufacturing operations will be under one roof in a modern purpose-built facility.  This will enable us to operate far more efficiently and to increase the collaboration and technology transfer between our businesses.”

In the last 30 years Prodrive has transformed from a motorsport team running Porsche rally cars to an international technology business employing more than 500 people where the majority of the company’s £50 million turnover is generated by non-motorsport activities.

The new facility is Prodrive’s third headquarters having originally been based at Silverstone in 1984, before moving to Banbury in 1986. 

“Banbury is very much Prodrive’s home. Our former site became a landmark for motorists travelling between London and Birmingham on the M40 motorway and I am sure that our new headquarters will continue this tradition,” said Richards.