Photo: Jamie Klein
Subaru has revealed the engine specifications for its 2026 SUPER GT challenger following its decision to retire the long-serving EJ20 engine.
At the Tokyo Auto Salon on Friday, Subaru announced that its No. 61 Subaru BRZ will be powered by a three-litre twin-turbo flat six engine developed out of the EJ33 unit used in the SVX coupe in the 1990s.
A Subaru statement said “the increased engine displacement and cylinder count enhance the engine performance, while further refining the Subaru BRZ’s renowned cornering capabilities to elevate competitiveness.”
The new engine is understood to have been tested in a mule car during a GT Entrants’ Association (GTE) test at Motegi last October.
Subaru will field an unchanged driver lineup of Takuto Iguchi and Hideki Yamauchi, while Shunji Okumoto serves as reserve driver for the R&D Sport-run team.
Masahiro Ozawa continues in his role as general manager, and while a tire supplier was not specifically named, it is expected the car will continue to utilize Dunlops.
Subaru introduced a revamped BRZ for 2025 with heavily revised aerodynamics, finishing ninth in the GT300 standings with second-place finishes and Suzuka and Motegi, with an last-lap engine problem robbing Iguchi and Yamauchi of victory at Fuji.
In addition to its SUPER GT program, Subaru will also continue its works-supported efforts in the Nürburgring 24 and in Super Taikyu.
At the N24, the upgraded Subaru WRX NBR Challenge car will be driven by Iguchi, Carlo van Dam, Kota Sasaki and Rintaro Kubo as the marque seeks to not only win the SP4T class but also beat the opposition competing in the SP8T class.
Iguchi and Yamauchi will be part of the Subaru effort in Super Taikyu’s ST-Q class with an all-new car based on the Performance-B STI concept revealed late last year, using ENEOS low-carbon gasoline in its horizontally opposed four-cylinder turbo engine.
Jamie Klein is Sportscar365’s Asian editor. Japan-based Klein, who previously worked for Motorsport Network on the Motorsport.cоm and Autosport titles, covers the FIA World Endurance Championship and SUPER GT, among other series.
