Automotive
Subaru is celebrating two important anniversaries in the best way it knows how, by building a pair of limited-production cars aimed squarely at enthusiasts. Revealed at Boxerfest 2026 in York, Pennsylvania, the 2027 Subaru WRX GD25 commemorates 25 years of the WRX in the United States, while the 2027 Subaru BRZ ZC15 marks 15 years since Subaru’s lightweight rear-wheel-drive sports car arrived. Neither anniversary model brings additional horsepower, but Subaru has loaded both with enough heritage-inspired details and performance hardware to make them far more interesting than simple appearance packages.
The WRX GD25 is easily the louder of the two, and that’s exactly how an anniversary WRX should be. Every example comes finished in World Rally Blue and rolls on gold-painted 19-inch wheels, immediately recalling Subaru’s rallying glory days. Gold Brembo brake calipers continue the theme, while Bridgestone Potenza S007 performance tires provide the grip. Then there is the centerpiece at the back, a huge dry carbon-fiber STI swan-neck rear wing. Subaru says it is the same component used on Travis Pastrana’s WRX ARA25L rally car, giving the GD25 a visual connection to modern competition Subarus rather than simply relying on nostalgia.
There are meaningful changes underneath the WRX as well. Subaru fits a flexible front strut-tower bar, stiffer springs and revised damper calibration intended to sharpen the sedan’s behavior on pavement. Power still comes from the familiar turbocharged 2.4-liter Boxer four-cylinder producing 271 horsepower, sent through Subaru’s Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive system. More importantly for the crowd likely to buy one, the GD25 is offered exclusively with a six-speed manual transmission and an STI short shifter. Inside are Recaro performance seats with black Ultrasuede inserts and red stitching, along with an STI shift knob. Subaru plans to build just 350 examples.
The 2027 BRZ ZC15 takes a more restrained approach, although there is plenty here for longtime Subaru fans to appreciate. Its Ceramic White exterior is paired with matte bronze wheels and bronze graphics along the lower body, a combination that gives a nod to the white-and-bronze treatment used on the 2020 BRZ tS. Red Brembo brake calipers provide some extra color, while a black decklid spoiler and a flexible V-bar beneath the hood round out the upgrades. The ZC15 name itself reaches back to the original ZC-chassis BRZ that helped establish Subaru’s affordable sports car formula in the U.S.
As with the WRX, Subaru hasn’t chased a bigger horsepower number for the anniversary BRZ. Its naturally aspirated 2.4-liter Boxer four-cylinder continues to produce 228 horsepower, driving the rear wheels through a six-speed manual transmission. For a car whose appeal has always centered on balance, steering response and driver involvement, leaving the basic formula alone isn’t necessarily a bad thing. The cabin receives black leather upholstery with distinctive Bordeaux red inserts, an STI aluminum-and-leather short shifter and a ZC15 anniversary plaque. Production will be even tighter than the WRX, with only 300 examples planned.
Pricing remains one of the unanswered questions. Subaru says detailed specifications and prices will be announced closer to launch, so estimates putting the GD25 somewhere around the mid-$40,000 range and the ZC15 near $40,000 remain speculation for now. For some context, the 2026 WRX starts at $32,495, while the more performance-focused WRX tS sits considerably higher at $44,995. The 2027 BRZ lineup starts at $36,140, with the BRZ tS listed at $38,770. Given the extra hardware and extremely limited production numbers of these anniversary cars, it would not be surprising to see both positioned near or above their respective tS models.
What makes these cars appealing is that Subaru seems to understand exactly who is going to notice them. The GD25 and ZC15 are not attempts to reinvent the WRX or BRZ, and they aren’t substitutes for a new WRX STI. Instead, they’re celebrations of two increasingly rare enthusiast-car formulas. One gives buyers turbocharged power, all-wheel drive and rally-inspired attitude, while the other sticks with a naturally aspirated engine, rear-wheel drive and a lightweight sports-car philosophy. The BRZ ZC15 is expected to arrive in early 2027, followed by the WRX GD25 in summer 2027. With only 650 cars planned between them, seeing either one in the wild may ultimately be almost as special as the anniversaries they’re built to celebrate.
Darryl Taylor Dowe is a seasoned automotive professional with a proven track record of leading successful ventures and providing strategic consultation across the automotive industry. With years of hands-on experience in both business operations and market development, Darryl has played a key role in helping automotive brands grow and adapt in a rapidly evolving landscape. His insight and leadership have earned him recognition as a trusted expert, and his contributions to Automotive Addicts reflect his deep knowledge and passion for the business side of the car world.
