Subaru has announced that a 2015 WRX STI, piloted by British rally champion Mark Higgins, has set a new lap record at the fabled 37-mile Isle of Man TT Road Course with an average speed of 187.44 km/h and a time of 19 minutes and 26 seconds. This breaks the previous record of 19 minutes and 56.7 seconds that was set three years ago by Mark Higgins in a 2010 WRX STI.
The car is a stock U.S.-spec 2015 WRX STI, with the exception of an FIA-spec roll-cage, racing seat and harness, fire suppression system and modified springs and dampers to handle the sustained high speeds and changing conditions of the course. It also featured Dunlop Derezza tires and a high decibel straight exhaust for crowd safety. The speed limiter was also removed from the car.
"It was quite a lap we did today and I am really happy to have another record in the bank. The chassis on this new car is so much better it really allowed me to pick up time in each sector in the more technical parts of the course," said Mark Higgins. "I think there is definitely time that we left on the course. I lost time on the second part of the track, overshooting my braking point at Sign Post corner. I actually hand-braked the turn in the end, so I feel we can definitely do better."
