Vermont SportsCar (VSC) has supported Subaru Motorsports USA’s rally and rallycross efforts for several years with great success. However, competing in these sanctioned events comes with rules and regulations.
VSC’s engineers and designers operate within these constraints, but let them loose and they can produce something truly awesome.
Case in point: the Airslayer (2020 Subaru WRX STI) and Family Huckster (1982 Subaru GL). Both machines were built strong for the rigours of Gymkhana videos, with Travis Pastrana behind their wheels in 2020 and 2022, respectively.
The Airslayer and Huckster have been a mainstay of the Goodwood Festival of Speed for some years, always in contention for the fastest time up the hill during Sunday’s shootout. So when I received an email from Vermont SportsCar a few months back asking whether I could photograph Subaru Motorsports USA’s efforts at the 2024 event with a brand-new car alongside the Family Huckster, my interest was instantly piqued. Of course, I said yes.
As we all now know, that new car was Project Midnight – a modern interpretation of a Group B car built from a rally-spec 2024 WRX. Rallycross champion and all-round Subaru Motorsports USA ace Scott Speed was brought out to the 2024 Goodwood Festival of Speed to drive it.
Thursday’s early start at Goodwood Estate saw the Subaru Motorsports USA pit buzzing with activity. The team approached the event like any competitive rally event, and each member was focused on their role.
Dan Farley, Powertrain Department Manager, was in the driver’s seat, running Project Midnight through warm-up procedures. These steps are the same every time, ensuring that any drivetrain issues are caught early. Once the gearbox and engine are up to operating temperature, boost control and the anti-lag system are tested.
Caution: Being near the WRX during this process risks deafness, burns, or both.
In contrast to the Family Huckster’s bright white paint and colourful graphics, Project Midnight’s all-black exterior looks menacing. It’s reminiscent of Lockheed Skunkworks projects like the U2, SR-71, and F-117 – each a pinnacle of altitude, speed, or stealth. The WRX looked so intimidating in its bare carbon fibre body that the team decided to retain the look and paint it satin black.
The Festival of Speed provided one of the first opportunities to get close to the car and give a detailed breakdown, so I couldn’t let it pass me by.
Starting with similar underpinnings of the Airslayer, the Subaru Motorsports USA team left no aspect untouched.
The main visual change is the adoption of the 2024 WRX body shell – but with massive carbon composite wheel arches extending 100mm beyond the stock width on each side.
Lightweight 18×11-inch magnesium wheels wrapped in Yokohama Advan slicks provide a sticky contact patch to put the power to the ground at all four corners.
To harness that power, Alcon brake callipers grab 350mm front and 320mm rear discs with Endless pads, complemented by 3-way adjustable dampers, custom arms, and hubs.
With downforce being a priority, the carbon fibre rear wing is the same design as the current Subaru Motorsports USA rally car, but much larger.
This is paired with a front splitter and canards up front. The underside is flat, with all heavy skid plates removed and replaced with more carbon composite. Noticing a pattern?
All these modifications result in a weight well under 2,500lbs (1,120kgs), making Project Midnight around 300lbs lighter than the Airslayer and 1,000lbs lighter than a standard WRX.
Inside, the focus is purely functional. A small dash display relays vital data, while a gear indicator resides on the steering column. A hydraulic handbrake may seem out of place for now, but I imagine it will see some use in due course.
The PDM and Cosworth ECU are within easy reach, and a Tilton adjustable pedal box resides in the footwell.
While engine details remain under wraps, the Vermont SportsCar-designed 2.0L boxer engine revs to 9,500rpm and produces 670hp and 680lb-ft of torque, with more power likely in reserve. A hood-exit exhaust ensures the car sounds the part.
Cooling is handled by PWR heat exchangers: an intercooler in the engine bay and a rear-mounted radiator. Massive intakes on the rear doors channel cool air to the radiator, which exits through ducting underneath the car.
Over the 2004 Festival of Speed weekend, Scott and the team meticulously built their pace. In between runs, videos of previous runs were reviewed, and car setup was discussed, with adjustments made when required.
As always, the event culminated with the Sunday Shootout, where the fastest cars of the weekend compete for Goodwood’s ‘King of the Hill’ title.
Running in order of slower cars first, eventually, it was time for Travis’s run in the Family Huckster. Despite giving his all on the dust-covered course, he slid into the hay bales at Molecomb. Travis was gracious, apologising and admitting he simply came into the corner too hot.
All eyes turned to Scott and Project Midnight. From the launch there was little doubt he was pushing, threading the needle to control the Subaru up the hill. A minor slide on the corner where Travis went off was the only real drama. Scott’s experience in single-seaters shone through with a fast, smooth run.
He crossed the line at 46.09 seconds – a very fast time. However, it wasn’t enough to beat Romain Dumas, who claimed victory with a 43.98-second run in Ford’s electric Supervan 4.2.
While the outright win eluded Subaru Motorsports USA this year, claiming the honour of the fastest internal combustion-powered car up the hill is still a significant achievement, especially considering the relatively limited budget and timescale to develop Project Midnight.
Rest assured, this result hasn’t discouraged the team. Instead, it’s given them an excuse to return to the Goodwood Festival of Speed in 2025 with something even more radical.
Chaydon Ford
Instagram: chaycore
Photography by Chaydon Ford for Subaru Motorsports USA
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