If you’ve been following the news closely you might be aware of Sam Albert’s Ferrari V8-Swapped Subaru WRX STI rally car, and now, you can watch it perform in its natural habitat. A new video from DirtFish shows the car in action on a mixed-surface rally stage, and it’s just as glorious as you’d expect.
The wide-angle camera view really helps sell the sense of speed, and the wail of the F136 IB V8 paired with rooster tails of dirt is certainly a spectacle to behold. On the topic of that engine, the 4.3L V8 was sourced from a Ferrari California, and power is reportedly “near identical to stock reported Ferrari numbers.” In that case it would be making around 454 hp (460 PS / 338 kW) and 358 lb-ft (485 Nm). Not a bad upgrade over a stock STI’s 300 hp (304 PS / 224 kW) and 300 lb-ft (407 Nm).
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But the powerplant wasn’t just chosen for the shock factor (or the glorious noise), it actually has some practical advantages as well. Regulations dictate that if the car’s engine is below 4.5 liters in displacement and naturally aspirated, power doesn’t need to be restricted. So seeing as the F136 is 0.2 liters below that threshold, Albert was able to run it at full power. Not only that, but it was also found to offer more consistent power delivery than the stock Subaru engine.
However, if there’s one downside to the engine, it likely necessitated extra tuning of the car’s suspension to account for the extra weight. Nevertheless, the car looks like an absolute blast to drive, and you can watch it for yourself in the video above.