Car Fule

A keen rally fan, Sam Albert wanted to improve the performance of the Subaru WRX STI blobeye which he usually uses for racing. Instead of sticking to the engine of the Japanese sports car, the driver decided to replace it with an engine designed by Ferrari. The operation is delicate and requires advanced mechanical skills.

Sam Albert ended up win his bet. His efforts, however, were colossal. According to the video he posted afterwards to show off his new creation, he would have taken a few years to complete his project. It all started as the world entered the pandemic crisis caused by Covid-19…

A blobeye Subaru WRX STI fitted with a Ferrari California engine

However long the project was, Sam Albert considers it to have been a lot of fun. It must be said that a rally car customization of this magnitude is quite an exciting idea. He started by buying an engine from Ferrari. In reality, the cost was not as exorbitant as it seems. Certainly, Ferrari produces some of the most expensive vehicles in the world. But the pilot fell back on an engine of Ferrari California.

By itself, this piece does not cost ” what ” $11,000, the equivalent of 10 000 euros. The price is modest compared to some engines from the Italian manufacturer which can be negotiated for several hundred thousand euros. The fact remains that the part of the California probably still performs better than that of a Subaru. For comparison, the maximum speed of a WRX STI is 250 km/h. A California can exceed 300 km/h.

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A project that lasted two years

It took two years for the project to come to fruition. Two years may seem like a long time to just replace an engine. However, the operation involves a certain technicality and did not work the first time. Several tests and prototypes were necessary for the Ferrari engine transplant to be carried out.

Only the engine has been modified. The original Subaru transmission system and gearbox were retained. Which means that the engine of the California had to be adapted to these equipment. Consequence: it is raised and comes out of the hood of the WRX STI. In the end, the result turns out to be quite crazy. Hopefully the fact that the top of the engine isn’t protected by the hood doesn’t prove too dangerous for a rally race.