FORESTER SPORTS
2.5 XT CONCEPT CAR
FACT SHEET

FORESTER SPORTS 2.5 XT CONCEPT

Photos: Robert Plafta.

CONCEPT

“OUR PLAN WAS TO SUPERSEDE THE LOOKS, THE FEEL, AND THE PRESENCE OF THE STI IN JAPAN AND MAKE IT JUST A LITTLE BIT BETTER AND BADASS.”
– Kiven Reynolds, Technician, Service Engineering Center, Subaru of America, Inc., and member of the build team

STOCK

Two Subaru Forester Sports 2.5 XT models were delivered to a small performance shop in Costa Mesa, California, late Monday afternoon, October 23, 2006. In less than 48 hours, four men changed one of them into a concept vehicle that’s a Subaru performance-lover’s fantasy!

CONCEPT PLAN

The new 2007 Forester Sports 2.5 X and 2.5 XT models were introduced at the 2006 Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) Show in November. These are refreshing, more aggressive-looking additions to the Forester lineup. The Forester Sports Concept was devised to help promote their debut.

Preparation time was at a premium, because the team that modified the stock vehicles only had a maximum of three days to do the job in California during the week prior to the SEMA Show dates.

A few weeks before assembly, Garrick Goh (Performance Parts Project Engineering Manager) and Kiven Reynolds (Technician, Service Engineering Center) of Subaru of America, Inc. assembled the parts that they thought they could use to modify a turbocharged Forester Sports 2.5 XT. Allowing themselves the opportunity of mixing and matching to have the correct parts, they pulled most of the items from the Genuine Subaru Performance Parts catalog.

Goh and Reynolds shipped the parts to Rally Sport Engineering, Inc. (RSE) in Costa Mesa, California. There they were to meet up with two Forester Sports 2.5 XT models on Monday, October 23. One of the vehicles would have an automatic transmission and the other a five-speed manual transmission. The five-speed would be the subject of the Concept exercise.

MONDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2006

Three savvy and (dare we say) driven men were prepared to operate on the subject Forester starting early Monday morning. Along with Goh and Reynolds was RSE’s owner, Paul Ludgate. They were joined on Tuesday by Jamie Montesalvo, crew chief for the Easy Street Motorsports drag racing team. The men laid out the parts and assembled as much as they could in preparation for the vehicles’ arrival.

However, the two Forester vehicles were preceded by delivery of an Impreza WRX STI Limited and a Legacy 2.5 GT spec.B. The crew fitted both with SPT Power Packs (Performance Exhaust System, High Flow Air Intake System, and Heat Shield) for display at SEMA.

The transport company didn’t deliver the two Forester Sports vehicles until around 5:00 p.m. The team couldn’t wait to get started with their work on the one with the manual transmission. They pulled it into the garage and lifted the hood.

One of the first steps was to replace the stock intercooler with an STI unit. The larger STI intercooler was connected by STI hoses. Intended to cool the greater volume of air inducted by an SPT High Flow Air Intake System, the STI unit fit with small adjustments to the tubing between it and the firewall.

As part of installing the High Flow Air Intake System, an SPT Heat Shield was installed to block heated air from the rest of the engine compartment from being drawn into the engine.

Meanwhile, taillights were changed out to JDM units, which have less chrome and a sportier appearance. The stock units were easily removed, and new ones slipped right in.

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2006

The first thing Tuesday morning, the Forester Concept was dropped off at The Tint Connection, which is nearby RSE. There, tinting film was applied to the side windows, liftgate, and moonroof.

Upon its return to Paul Ludgate’s shop, the Forester was placed on a lift, and the team started working on the powertrain and chassis components.

The team removed the standard struts to replace them with STI adjustable struts and springs. The new struts were tightened to lower the vehicle – making this Forester Sports look even more aggressive. Putting on the STI 18-inch wheels with Bridgestone Potenza RE-01R 245/45 R18 unidirectional tires and lowering the lift to see the Forester on the ground confirmed how mean this vehicle was going to appear!

The tires were brand new to the market – to be introduced the next week at the SEMA Show. Adjustments allowed clearance between the tires and the struts.

All four men were working on the Concept vehicle now, acting separately or in teams of two, three, or four as tasks demanded.

Throughout the day, the team installed JDM High Intensity Discharge headlight assemblies, Hella horns, and suspension components. Brackets and other parts from the stock five-speed were attached to a spare Impreza WRX STI six-speed shifter brought to the shop from Easy Street Motorsports. After the team removed the five-speed transmission and clutch, an STI clutch, flywheel, and throw-out bearings were installed.

The brake rotors and calipers were replaced by heat-coated gold DBA cross-drilled and chamfered rotors and gold Brembo calipers. STI braided stainless-steel brake lines replaced the stock lines. Brake and axle work drew first blood – from Paul – in early afternoon.

Aluminum STI front A-arms and rear links were installed, along with STI front and rear sway bars.

Installation of the six-speed transmission required considerable leverage to tilt the engine enough to line up with the transmission. Then a WRX STI driveshaft and R180 rear differential were added to the driveline.

Meanwhile, the appearance of the engine compartment was improved by replacing the stock oil and radiator caps with SPT and STI caps. Further dress-up came from an SPT battery hold down.

Work on the Forester Concept went well into the night.

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2006

With transporter pickup time for the Forester vehicles an unknown, the team plunged into the final phases of the modifications.

On the exterior, the Forester was given front and rear spoilers. The team installed an STI Forester front lip spoiler and protector under the front air dam and an accessory rear spoiler at the top of the liftgate. The front and rear badges also were attached. The stock lug nuts were replaced by STI branded ones to complement the STI wheels.

Meanwhile, the brake work continued. Team members bled the lines to ensure functionality. They also tested the drivetrain, making minor adjustments to enable the Forester to run under its own power through the six-speed transmission. That entailed pulling apart the exhaust system and driveline to get access to the rear of the transmission. After reinstalling the driveline and exhaust system, the Forester Concept was tested on the lift – successfully!

Then, at approximately 3:30 p.m., the Forester Sports 2.5 XT Concept backed out of the shop under its own power – less than 48 hours from the time it was delivered to RSE.

Paul Ludgate (Rally Sport Engineering), Jamie Montesalvo (Easy Street Motorsports), Garrick Goh (Subaru), and Kiven Reynolds (Subaru) were the masters of transformation for the Forester Sports 2.5 XT Concept.

SHOW VEHICLE

The Forester Sports Concept drew quite a bit of attention the next week at the SEMA Show, and it was displayed at the LA Auto Show in December and the Philadelphia International Auto Show in February 2007. Visitors to the Subaru of America booth frequently asked if it was a Forester STI and whether or not Subaru was going to sell it in the U.S. market. While there are no plans to bring over the STI version from Japan, Subaru has been monitoring feedback.

At the time of writing, Subaru has no plans for showing the Forester Concept again.