Subaru’s first three generations of Impreza WRX offered shortened wagon or hatchback options, most notably featuring as not only the brand’s final WRX contender but also one of Ken Block’s famous ‘Gymkhana’ cars.
Since the arrival of the ‘VA’ WRX, the hot all-wheel drive model has gone sedan-only in most markets, while the latest ‘VB’ generation model is offered as a wagon in Australia, though it is a rebadged Levorg.
Not wanting to live the sedan life, US Subaru Crosstrek owner Stephen Ketelsen decided to turn his hatchback into a performance model, using the brand’s parts bin to complete a conversion.
On his Instagram account ‘vb_hatch’, he detailed the process of putting all of the important WRX parts into the Crosstrek, a process aided by the common platform underpinning the two models.
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Using a 2022 Subaru WRX as a donor vehicle, Mach V Motorsports was enlisted to assist with the conversion, which resulted in the Crosstrek getting the turbocharged 2.4-litre boxer engine, six-speed manual transmission and suspension from the all-wheel drive sedan.
Rather than just have a Crosstrek with WRX running gear, the WRX’s cosmetic parts were also transferred across, as was its interior, again helped by the two cars sharing a floorpan.
He isn’t the only Subaru owner to have decided to turn a relatively bland model into something special, with Marty from Australian YouTube channel Mighty Car Mods most famously swapping the contents of a ‘VA’ WRX STI into an equivalent generation Levorg wagon.
Subaru also seems to be closer than ever to bringing back the WRX hatchback, having revealed the Impreza-based Performance-B STI Concept at the Japan Mobility Show last month.
It adopted many familiar WRX STI styling cues, such as ‘Cherry Blossom Red’ highlights, a WR Blue-esque paint finish, a more aggressive bodykit with wide wheel-arches, as well as a big wing.
Filling the guards are a set of 18-inch wheels, shod in chunky 255mm-wide Bridgestone tyres, while there’s also a set of Brembo brakes at the front and rear.
Subaru didn’t say what’s under the bonnet, though it’s unlikely to have strayed too far from the turbocharged 2.4-litre ‘flat-four’ engine which powers the WRX, given the ‘Proud of Boxer’ tag ahead of the bonnet scoop.
Sadly, Subaru hasn’t confirmed whether it’ll enter production.
Subaru’s last chance
