TGR StaffWhen Subaru and Hoonigan decide to resurrect Gymkhana, they don’t just roll out a car, they build an event. Revealed at the 2025 SEMA Show in Las Vegas, the all-new Subaru Brataroo 9500 Turbo is the latest in the long line of unhinged, high-flying machines to wear the Gymkhana badge. With Travis Pastrana once again at the controls, this latest chapter promises to be the wildest yet, set across Australia and fueled by a 670-horsepower, 9,500-RPM rally weapon that barely resembles anything street-legal.
Brataroo: A 1978 Subaru BRAT Reinvented
At first glance, you can still spot the bones of the original Subaru BRAT, the quirky Bi-Drive Recreational All-Terrain Transporter that became a cult classic among gearheads and surfers alike. But beyond the nostalgia, this machine is pure madness. The Subaru Brataroo 9500 Turbo was built from the ground up by Subaru Motorsports USA and Vermont SportsCar (VSC) to dominate air and asphalt in equal measure.
Under the carbon-fiber skin, a rallycross-bred 2.0-liter turbocharged boxer engine spits flames and screams past 9,500 RPM, producing 670 horsepower and 680 lb-ft of torque. Power is sent through a six-speed SADEV sequential gearbox to an all-wheel-drive system purpose-built for the brutal demands of Gymkhana. Every inch of the Brataroo was engineered to corner, drift, and jump with the kind of violence only Pastrana can deliver.
High-Tech Aerodynamics for Controlled Chaos
The Brataroo doesn’t just look like it wants to fly, it actually can. This is the most aerodynamically advanced Gymkhana car ever built, featuring active aero that adjusts in real time. Front fender louvers can pivot forward or backward to control the car’s nose angle mid-flight, while interchangeable rear wings, one for downforce, one for chaos, feature adjustable attack angles and deploy upward to fine-tune Pastrana’s airborne stunts. The larger wing even expands as it lifts, increasing surface area for stability during those gravity-defying leaps that have become the Gymkhana trademark.
Designer Khyzyl Saleem, better known as The Kyza, gave the Brataroo its outrageous stance, an angular widebody that reimagines the BRAT through the lens of motorsport aggression. The livery pays homage to the Australian setting, blending retro ‘70s Subaru branding with outback tones, kangaroo graphics flashing Pastrana’s trademark thumbs up, and logos from KMC Wheels, Yokohama, Dixxon Flannel, Heat Wave, and Mercury Marine. Even the wheels are art: one-off forged monoblocks from KMC that modernize the BRAT’s four-spoke design, wrapped in Yokohama ADVAN tires ready to dig into tarmac, dirt, or whatever surface happens to be under the tires that day.
Brataroo, a Cockpit That Blends Past and Future
Inside, the Brataroo’s cockpit channels the 1978 BRAT’s utilitarian charm, if that BRAT had been built for the WRC. The carbon-fiber dashboard is trimmed with flax-composite “wood” and vintage touches like a working OEM radio, a Uniden CB, and HVAC knobs now used to adjust aero settings. It’s a wild mix of heritage and high-tech, the essence of Gymkhana itself.
Pastrana’s Take: “Completely Unhinged”
“This BRAT’s completely unhinged, in the best way possible,” Pastrana said at the SEMA reveal. “It’s got the soul of a vintage Subaru with the tech to do things no Gymkhana car has ever done. Every part of it is designed to take abuse, fly big, and come back for more. It’s hands down the craziest Gymkhana car we’ve ever built.”
Gymkhana’s Next Chapter: Aussie Shred
The Brataroo 9500 Turbo marks the beginning of “Gymkhana Season” for Hoonigan and Subaru Motorsports USA, carrying on the spirit of the late Ken Block, whose original films redefined automotive entertainment. The upcoming film, Gymkhana: Aussie Shred, will see Pastrana tearing across Australian landmarks, dropping jaws and tires alike. Expect massive jumps, close calls, and the signature blend of danger and precision that defines the series when it premieres this December on the Hoonigan YouTube channel.
