Browse
Log in / Register
Share
On April 15, 2025, Subaru’s Project Midnight cemented a new chapter in the brand’s rally-inspired history. Driven by Scott Speed, the car demolished the Mount Washington Climb to the Clouds record by 16 seconds, clocking an astonishing 5:11.89. This machine, born from the relentless creativity of Vermont SportsCar (VSC), is not just a hillclimb weapon—it’s a direct descendant of the original Subaru Legacy RS, the car that introduced the world to the brand’s raw, uncompromising performance.
The Legacy RS, chassis K555 STE, was the only Legacy to ever win a World Rally Championship round—Colin McRae’s 1993 Rally New Zealand car. It was also the machine that won the British Championship with Richard Burns and the 1991 RAC Rally with Ari Vatanen. For many, this car defined what Subaru rallying meant: brutish, noisy, and unapologetically aggressive. The writer recalls watching British driver Chris Griffiths reverse an ex-works Legacy out of its service bay on Epynt in 1997, its rear wheels slipping on hot asphalt—a caged animal ready to pounce.
Project Midnight is a different beast, but the DNA is unmistakable. While cars like the Family Huckster and Airslayer came before it, each pushing boundaries with active aero and trickery, Project Midnight strips everything back to fundamentals. VSC started with a latest-generation WRX platform, then spent over 3,000 hours drilling out every unnecessary bracket, spot weld, and ounce of weight. The composite shop baked custom carbon and Kevlar panels to replace metal, and the standard flat-four engine was swapped for a custom all-alloy unit, positioned further back and lower down for better balance.
The result is a 2.0-liter H4 motor that produces 670 horsepower and 920 Nm of torque, revving all the way to 9,500 rpm. A locked center differential splits power 50:50, with plated diffs front and rear ensuring zero slip on corner entry and maximum traction on exit. The suspension is a bespoke VSC damper, replacing the Reiger units used on the Airslayer, designed to eliminate any pitch or roll that could disrupt the carefully shaped airflow. The front splitter and floor pan are sculpted to suck the car to the mountain, while the aero remains simple—low drag, high downforce, no active flaps or mid-air pitch control.
Mount Washington, at 6,288 feet, may stand in the shadow of Pikes Peak, but it holds its own claim to fame: the highest recorded summit wind speed of 231 mph. The 7.6-mile course is now fully paved, but the challenge remains immense. Scott Speed’s run not only beat Travis Pastrana’s existing record but did so with a margin that stunned the hillclimb community. Watching the 5-minute video is a mesmerizing experience, as the car hooks into corners and rockets through the forest.
What makes Project Midnight truly special is how it channels the spirit of the Legacy RS without mimicking its era. It’s a route-one rally car transformed into a road racer—no gimmicks, just pure engineering. The car keeps its boots on the ground while hauling ass up the mountain, a sensory assault that echoes the bark and bellow of the original Legacy between the trees.
In an exclusive insight, sources close to Vermont SportsCar reveal that the team is already exploring a follow-up project, aiming to push the boundaries even further. “Project Midnight proved that the core principles of the Legacy—lightness, rigidity, and brute force—still work in the modern era,” said a VSC engineer. “We’re not done yet.”
For Subaru enthusiasts, Project Midnight is more than a record-setting car. It’s a reminder that the Legacy lives on—not in name, but in spirit. The original Legacy RS may have been McRae’s favorite and Burns’s preferred machine, and now Project Midnight carries that torch forward. As the writer concludes, “I’m done being in denial. This thing is a beauty. Congratulations to Scott Speed, James Tate, and the entire VSC team. The Legacy lives on.”
