Subaru "Brataroo" Stars in New Gymkhana Video Down Under
Subaru and Hoonigan are at it again, shredding tires and sending card nerds like us into a frenzy. Yes, the latest of the Gymkhana film franchise has just been released, titled “Aussie Shred.”
As can be guessed from the title, the new extreme car abuse trick video takes place down under, in Australia. Ripping through Sydney Harbor, the iconic Mount Panorama racetrack, and of course, the vast, uninhibited brush covering much of the continent.
Subaru and Travis Pastrana avoided the easy kitsch play of driving a modified Outback in the Outback. Instead, the vehicle of choice is the Subaru “Brataroo” 9500 Turbo, a 1978 Subaru BRAT-inspired race weapon that doesn’t have much actual BRAT in it.
Essentially a rallycross racer on steroids, the Brataroo has a turbocharged 2.0-liter boxer engine making a hearty 670 horsepower and 680 lb-ft of torque. Oh, and it will rev to 9,500 RPM. The BRAT is one of Subaru's coolest vehicles ever created, and it's wicked to see reimagined like this. Hell, they even use the bed-mounted jump seats at one point in the video.
“The Brataroo is hands down the craziest Gymkhana car we’ve ever built,” said Pastrana. “Every part of this car was designed to take the abuse we threw at it while making this film. From hanging two tires off a pier to flying 160 feet across a 10-story deep canyon gap over a road train. Skimming across a deep lake and scaring myself every step of the way.”
Of course, what would a Gymkhana video be without cameos from local motorsport icons, some surprise guests, a few iconic cars, and ridiculous stunts? Taking things a step further this time, Pastrana hoons around an entire field of V8 Supercars drivers, doing a rolling drag race down Mount Panorama’s Conrod Straight. Plus, the Brataroo at one point does its best snowmobile impression, ripping across a pond. Think this stunt is camera trickery? Watch the end of the video to find out.
“Australia had long been at the top of the list of potential Gymkhana Film locations.” said 321 Action Action Director and Hoonigan Co-Founder Brian Scotto. “Ken Block and I attempted to shoot Gymkhana Nine there, but were met with a resounding no, because of the climate of anti-hoon laws at the time. A decade later, when we reapproached the Australian government, we were met with open arms. This combination of the unfinished business we had down under and this being Pastrana’s last film in the series, not only makes it very special to me, but also puts the pressure on to push the limit of what we could do both in the car and behind the camera.”
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A 20+ year industry veteran, Mike rejoins the AutoGuide team as the Managing Editor. He started his career at a young age working at dealerships, car rentals, and used car advertisers. He then found his true passion, automotive writing. After contributing to multiple websites for several years, he spent the next six years working at the head office of an automotive OEM, before returning back to the field he loves. He is a member of the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada (AJAC), and Midwest Automotive Media Association (MAMA). He's the recipient of a feature writing of the year award and multiple video of the year awards.
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