The curious car manufacturer Subaru, a 68-year-old Japanese company headquartered in Tokyo, has always done things differently. Be it frameless doors on estate cars, symmetrical all-wheel drive on saloon cars and perhaps most famously, slapping a turbo onto a farmer’s car and winning multiple WRC manufacturer titles, turning the brand into an icon.
It also doesn’t make engines like anyone else, either. In an age where internal combustion may be in the twilight years of its life, the latest GT Sport Daily races celebrate what makes a Subaru a Subaru. The ‘boxer’ engine.
Unlike most powerplants, a boxer engine is ‘flat’, meaning the pistons move inwards and outwards at the same time, like George Foreman or Muhammad Ali punching their gloves together before a fight. Hence the title, ‘boxer’. This unique layout also means the engine isn’t very tall, and that means the weight is low down in the car. This lower centre of gravity aids cornering stability. Oh, and the noise. Nothing sounds like a boxer engine.
Which brings us to this week’s online ranked events in the current Gran Turismo game, all of which allow you to pick a boxer-engined Subaru.
Starting today, 8th March and ending 14th March 2021, here’s what’s available to play.
Kicking things off with Race A, the game has a tightly contested bout for you to take part in. The venue is the Suzuka Circuit East Course. Corners flow from one to another, but that means little opportunity for overtaking. The car choice is either a Toyota GT 86 ‘15 or a Subaru BRZ S ‘15 – both cars hewn from the same rock and using Subaru’s interesting engine type.
As is often the trend, Race B sees you in a racing car of some sort, and this week you get the Gr.3 vehicles. You can select any from your garage for four laps around Dragon Trail – Seaside II, a fictional track that made its debut in GT Sport and one of the more imaginative layouts. Continuing our theme, we’ll be competing in the Subaru WRC Gr.3 car on Racing Medium tyres.
Onto the last, and longest, race you can compete within against similarly skilled online opponents and Race C has it all. An obscure Japanese racetrack? Check. A boxer-engined Subaru? Check. A longer race that involves strategy? Also, check. 10 laps of the AUTOPOLIS INTERNATIONAL RACING COURSE in any Gr.4 car on either Racing Soft or Racing Medium tyres with 3x fuel consumption and 6x tyre wear. It’s all to play for, and you’ll find us using the Subaru WRC Gr.4.
You can view the full details below and we’ll be back next week with the latest Daily Races. For now, let us know on social media if you’ve managed to win one of the latest Sport Mode events.
Race A
Car: Toyota GT 86 ‘15 or Subaru BRZ S ‘15
Track: Suzuka Circuit East Course
Laps: Seven
No. Of Cars: 12
Duration: 15 Mins
Tyres: Sports Hard
Fuel Consumption: None
Tyre Wear: None
Start Type: Grid Start
Race B
Car: GR.3, any
Track: Dragon Trail – Seaside II
Laps: Four
No. Of Cars: 16
Duration: 15 Mins
Tyres: Racing Medium
Fuel Consumption: None
Tyre Wear: None
Start Type: Rolling Start
Race C
Car: GR.4, any
Track: AUTOPOLIS INTERNATIONAL RACING COURSE
Laps: 10
No. Of Cars: 20
Duration: 25 Mins
Tyres: Racing Soft or Racing Medium
Fuel Consumption: 3x
Tyre Wear: 6x
Start Type: Rolling Start
