Subaru just unleashed a beast with the Brataroo 9500 Turbo, reviving the classic 1978 BRAT pickup and turning it into a 670-horsepower, tire-shredding, airborne fury for the upcoming Aussie Gymkhana. Travis Pastrana is back behind the wheel, pushing an all-wheel-drive monster that not only corners and slides but flies like nothing seen before in the Gymkhana world.
Underneath that vintage shell is a straight-up rally rocket. Subaru teamed with Vermont SportsCar to build a turbocharged 2.0-liter boxer engine that spits fire and spins beyond 9500 rpm. It pumps out 680 pound-feet of torque and dumps power through a motorsport-grade six-speed sequential gearbox. Expect instant torque, blistering response, and a revving scream that sings of raw racing DNA.
The body is no holds barred either. Carbon fiber and a chassis engineered to World Rally Championship specs fit under a wild widebody kit. Active aerodynamics, pivoting fender louvers and switchable rear wings shape the car’s airflow on the fly, especially while it’s airborne during massive Gymkhana jumps. The 18-inch retro-inspired wheels on sticky Yokohama rubber connect it to the pavement.
Inside is a tribute to the BRAT’s rugged roots, with modern tech blended into a carbon fiber dash and flax wood trim. Even old-school touches like a repurposed vintage radio and a retro CB add soul. And the plaid livery keeps the connection to the Gymkhana legacy and Pastrana’s longtime partnership with Dixxon Flannel intact.
This Brataroo promises chaos, engineered chaos. The perfect storm of vintage grit and cutting-edge tech. Pastrana calls it completely unhinged and the toughest Gymkhana car yet. When it debuts during the 2025 SEMA Show and turns heads across Australia in the upcoming Gymkhana film, expect sideways drifts, nose dives, and leaps ... all wrapped up in Subaru’s rebellious spirit.