Subaru’s WRX and BRZ Get Throwback Special Editions

Subaru is celebrating the WRX and BRZ anniversaries in the U.S. with a couple of cool and unique special editions. The 2027 WRX GD25 and 2027 Subaru BRZ ZC15 pay tribute to the chassis codes of their respective models, which arrived in the U.S. 25 and 15 years ago.

Subaru WRX GD25

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When the WRX arrived in the U.S. 25 years ago, it used the chassis code “GD,” making the 2027 Subaru WRX GD25 a fitting tribute. The special edition is limited to just 350 units and rides on 19-inch gold-painted aluminum wheels wrapped in Bridgestone Potenza S007 tires. Brembo brakes with gold-painted calipers handle stopping duties.

Out back, the GD25 gets a carbon-fiber wing developed by Subaru Tecnica International. It’s the same component used on Travis Pastrana’s WRX ARA25L rally car, which has competed in several events across the country.

Power still comes from a 2.4-liter turbocharged boxer engine producing 271 hp, but Subaru added a few chassis upgrades to make the GD25 more enjoyable when the road gets twisty. A strut-tower bar should improve rigidity, while a performance-tuned suspension adds stiffer springs and revised damping calibration for better cornering, according to Subaru.

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If you’ve been looking for a WRX with a sharper edge, this could be the one. Subaru says the suspension changes should make the car feel more planted without taking away the everyday usability that makes the WRX so appealing.

Inside, the GD25 gets Recaro seats with Ultrasuede inserts and red contrast stitching. An STI shift knob is also part of the package, and the special edition is available exclusively with a six-speed manual transmission. This might not be an STI-powered Subaru, but it’s as close as we’ll get to a new version of the car reworked by the company’s famous performance division.

Expect the limited-edition WRX GD25 to arrive in the U.S. next summer, so interested customers will have to exercise some patience.

Subaru BRZ ZC15

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Meanwhile, the BRZ arrived in the U.S. in 2012 with the chassis code “ZC,” so the special edition celebrating that anniversary is called the 2027 Subaru BRZ ZC15.

Limited to an even smaller run of 300 units compared to 350 for the WRX, the ZC15 is finished exclusively in Ceramic White. It also wears matte-bronze wheels, gold-painted Brembo calipers, and unique bronze decals near the side sills. We saw a similar combination on the 2020 BRZ tS, although the exact shades were different. This is one of our favorite BRZ color combinations, so we’re glad to see Subaru bringing it back.

The exterior details continue with a black decklid spoiler and a flexible V-bar under the hood. The result is a BRZ that looks more special without going overboard, which feels appropriate for a limited-edition sports car.

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As before, power comes from the 2.4-liter boxer engine producing 228 hp. A six-speed manual transmission is the only gearbox available, so the ZC15 sticks with the formula that makes the BRZ so much fun to drive.

The unique details continue inside. Black leather upholstery and Bordeaux Red inserts fill the cabin, creating a BRZ combination we haven’t seen before. An anniversary-edition ZC15 plaque also lets occupants know exactly which special edition they’re sitting in, just in case the exterior details weren’t enough of a giveaway.

The 2027 Subaru BRZ ZC15 will be available in early 2027, so interested buyers won’t have to wait as long to get their hands on one as the ones who are looking at the special-edition WRX will.

Subaru will confirm pricing for both models closer to their respective launches.