The best Subaru WRX–powered car you can build.
When Factory Five Racing announced an open house to debut
its new 818 roadster, I figured I’d stop by and maybe take a drive. I
envisioned a few gearheads trekking to company headquarters, scoping out the
bare chassis, and maybe grabbing a burger. Instead, it turned out to be the
Woodstock of kit cars. A bus shepherded the faithful from remote overflow
parking as a dense crowd gathered for the big unveiling of the street-model
818S and track-ready 818R. Wheel time would have to wait.
I’d estimate 0 to
60 mph is in the mid- to low-four-second range, and it feels even quicker
thanks to the lack of sensory filters
A month later, I got my crack at the 818S, the car that 229
people have ordered on pure faith (another fifty-seven have ordered the 818R).
It’s home-assembled from a 2002–2007 Subaru Impreza WRX repurposed into an
1800-pound, mid-engine two-seater. The kit costs $9990, so even with an
unreasonably cherry WRX donor, the bang for the buck is hard to beat: a Porsche
911 Turbo’s power-to-weight ratio for the price of a well-used Boxster.
Factory Five kept
the 818S interior simple and comfortable
Even though I wouldn’t be driving the fearsome 400-hp R, I
booked a local airstrip to wring out the 265-hp 818S. This is a ferociously
quick machine. Subaru’s turbocharged flat four is distinctive in terms of power
delivery and sound, so it’s weird to hear that signature blat chortling away
right behind your ears. The 2.5-liter’s sudden disbursement of turbo power –
which hits all at once at 3500 rpm – is that much more exaggerated when it’s
flinging around a needle-nose roadster rather than an AWD sedan.
I’d estimate 0 to 60 mph is in the mid- to low-four-second
range, and it feels even quicker thanks to the lack of sensory filters. The
turbo’s inhalations, the wind rushing past, and pebbles ticking up of the
pavement are all part of the hard-wired experience. Factory Five kept the 818S
interior simple and comfortable, but the overall vibe is more race car than
anything from a showroom.
It feels
wonderfully quick and direct in a way that no Subaru ever has
It’s also a case of addition through subtraction. The
steering is a WRX rack without the power assist, and it feels wonderfully quick
and direct in a way that no Subaru ever has. The rear wheels can handle the
power, although you should opt for the Cusco limited-slip differential – less
for getting of the line than for stabilizing the rear end on deceleration, as I
discovered when lifting abruptly for a 90-degree corner and spinning gracefully
onto the grass.
The donor WRX offers a preponderance of performance parts,
from limited-slips to cantaloupe-sized turbos. I’d want a short-shift kit and
unique wheels to keep Subie fans from asking why I put WRX rims on a
convertible. Factory Five also offers bodywork accessories, including affordable
carbon-fiber pieces and a towering rear wing that requires a reinforced deck
lid to handle the downforce. The 818S looks cleaner without it.
Maybe 286 units do not sound like much, but in the kit-car
world, that’s a huge response. It seems there’s a healthy supply of people who
love the idea of an affordable, lightweight, mid-engine roadster, a WRX from an
alternate reality. Now all those customers have to do is build it.
