Subaru driver and real-life action hero Travis Pastrana just unveiled their wild Subaru BRAT Gymkhana car at the 2025 SEMA show. But, to me at least, the story here isn’t just about the batshit build (which I’ll touch on in a bit). Rather, the existence of this car creates a whole lotta questions I’m not sure I can answer.
Flashback to the end of 2019, when Hoonigan and Ken Block announced that Pastrana would be the star of the next Gymkhana film. Why, the world wondered, would Block step away from his iconic franchise? He was still driving, still producing epic content with films like Climbkhana and Terrakhana. Was this a sign that the HHIC, the man who changed the internet, was retiring?
Pastrana’s first Gymkhana film, Gymkhana 2020, proved that Mister 199 was perhaps the only driver worthy of a co-starring role in the series. His film didn’t copy the heightened, yet methodical, precision of Block. It instead went all-in on spectacle, showcasing high speeds, big power, and even bigger air. Travis followed up his Gymkhana debut with Gymkhana 2022, which saw him tear shit up in his 1983 Subaru GL “Family Huckster” Wagon. The film was another banger, and we were all excited to see how Ken would one-up and answer Travis in the following year’s film.
Block’s tragic, unexpected passing in 2023 put everything in limbo. Gymkhana was never a Marvel franchise, and Block wasn’t simply a character whose absence could simply be written around. The Gymkhana crew didn’t lose their star; they lost one of their best friends. Could the series continue after such a massive loss? Should it even continue?
The Subaru Brat you see here will launch the next era of the Gymkhana series with the upcoming installment, Aussie Shred, the first all-new entry filmed after Block’s passing. I can’t help but feel that, for lack of a better term, there will be a weight attached to this film, an unspoken expectation that it must live up to. At once Aussie Shred needs to thread the needle of reverence and spectacle. Be an over-the-top comeback while also saying we never left. And balance the public’s need for a tribute, while letting everyone know that the franchise is in good hands and remains true to its roots. I think we can all agree there is no better steward for the Gymkhana franchise than Travis Pastrana.
So are you finally going to talk about the car?
Okay, fine. Here you go:
Another question weighing heavily on my mind is just how much of the original 1978 Subaru Brat remains in Subaru Brataroo 9500 Turbo?
We know the engine ain’t stock. Brataroo builder Vermont SportsCar (VSC) replaced the original 73-horsepower powerplant with its own power unit: a 2.0-liter boxer four that spits out 670 horsepower, 680 lb-ft of torque, and shames old Hondas with its ability to rev past 9,500 RPM. Helping get this power to the ground via all four wheels are a SADEV six-speed sequential transmission and motorsports-grade differentials.
In Subaru’s own words, “the bodywork is constructed entirely of carbon fiber, draped over a VSC-engineered chassis.” As someone whose day job involves carefully writing things that need to pass OEM legal team scrutiny, let me do my best to translate this language for you: there’s no original sheetmetal, and the chassis was likely 100% designed, engineered and built by the team at VSC.
Khyzyl Saleem, better known as The Kyza, gets credit for the badass look of this BRAT. Uncredited, however, are the minds behind this Subaru’s innovative active aero systems, nor do we know who crafted the carbon-fiber widebody itself. My guess? VSC. But please note that these thoughts of mine haven’t been validated nor vetted by Legal.
My final, most pressing question:
Gymkhana: Aussie Shred is set to debut on Hoonigan’s YouTube channel in early December. And since everything in Australia, from toilet swirls to seasons, are directly opposite to what we experience here in the northern hemisphere, does the timing of this release mean BRAT Summer is officially a thing again? Or will I remain old and out of touch? The world may never know.
What questions are burning you up? Maybe you’ll find your answers in Subaru’s press release.
Photo credit (all photos): Subaru
