Subaru quietly broke big news over the past weekend: It confirmed three new production models equipped with manual transmissions coming by 2027. The Japanese carmaker made the announcement at a press conference during the third round of the 2026 Super Taikyu Series at Fuji Speedway.
It also posted the news on social media, with an image of three cars under wraps. The vehicle at the center appears to be a BRZ based on the smaller profile, while at its sides appear to be different WRX models.
A report from motorsport outlet Auto Sport Japan shares that Subaru is using data and feedback from last year’s STI Sports Type RA to develop the upcoming MT-equipped BRZ. For context, the STI Sports Type RA was a limited-run BRZ released last year in Japan. It was tuned from the factory based on Subaru’s learnings from running the BRZ chassis in the Super Taikyu Series, and came with upgrades like lightweight parts and a special aero kit.
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Moving forward from the Type RA, Subaru doesn’t plan on squeezing out more power from the engine. Instead, the focus is to highlight the naturally aspirated FA24’s responsiveness and rev range to further sharpen the car’s nimble character and agile handling.
Similarly, the WRX on the left of the graphic (which appears to be a sedan) will be developed based on a previous special-edition model. Subaru shares that its previous WRX STI Sport#—the first VB-generation WRX to come with a manual—received much larger demand than expected relative to planned production. The carmaker built just 600 units of the manual WRX; over 9,000 customers sent an application to purchase one.
The upcoming WRX is expected to be equipped with the TY85 manual transmission—the same gearbox used in previous STI models. While production of the TY85 was previously discontinued, it’s now been brought back into service. This manual transmission’s high durability will play a critical role in Subaru’s development of future models as it aims to increase engine power output.
Lastly, the other WRX model appears to be the highly anticipated five-door version. Concepts like the HiPerfX2 and the Performance-B STI Concept have shown what the model could look like in production. However, Subaru explicitly stated in the announcement that the WRX hatchback will be distinct from its sedan counterpart in concept and direction. Little else was said beyond that statement, but it can be inferred that the five-door WRX will have much different driving characteristics by design.
Beyond that, Subaru aims to make the WRX hatchback an affordable model that tuners can use as a starting point for their builds. This could mean a ‘Cup Car Basic’ equivalent for the upcoming five-door, with minimal amenities and stripped-down features for an affordable and garage-ready package.
A launch window was not announced for any of the three cars, aside from the previous statement that they will be released by 2027. For now, it’s clear that Subaru plans to make good use of its motorsports pedigree to build vehicles that fans want. Which of these future Subarus piques your interest the most?
