SEMA 2007 Spotlight: Cusco tunes the WRX, develops easy-adjust LSD
Click the image above for more shots from Cusco.
Cusco has been bringing the knowledge gleaned from its racing exploits to consumers for more than a decade, and over the past few years, it's finally offered up its wares to those of us in the States. In particular, the Subaru WRX has been the mainstay of its success, so it didn't take long to begin developing new suspension components to make the new Subie stick.
Gallery: Cusco at SEMA
While most of its products aren't on its website yet, we were told that a new coilover setup, sway bars and other suspension components were being concocted as you read this. The 'Rex in the above photo was built by Vivid Racing, AFI and Agency Power, and although the majority of the mods were more dress-up, there were a few pieces of note. One facet of the new WRX's engine hampering tuners is the plastic intake manifold beneath the top-mount intercooler. AFI ditched that particular setup, instead running pipes to a front-mount, installing a GT35R turbo and a custom aluminum intake manifold. No word on when AFI will be offering the manifold up for sale, but we'd suspect sometime soon.
As for Cusco, the one piece of kit that bowled us over was their new Pro Adjust LSD. Rather than swapping out the plates to adjust tractability, you simply move a few "cam chips" that can change the LSD from 1-way, 1.5-way or 2-way. Cam angles are adjustable in increments between 0- to 65-degrees by simply pulling off the cover, removing a locking washer and changing out the chips to the desired degree. Sales began in the spring of this year and the Pro Adjust LSD is currently available for a number of vehicles, including Honda, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Toyota and, naturally, Subaru.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
mk 6:17PM (11/02/2007)
I call BS on the plastic intercooler problem.
The Legacy has had that part since 2005, and it is not a bad part, and flows just about the same as the STI red aluminum part.
It also has the side benefit of a side intake under the manifold, rather than straight off the back. You can turn that manifold 180 degrees, and the intake doesn't jam into the back of the alternator. STI manifold can't do that, and has less heat dissipation properties than plastic.
The turbo housing is different than last year's WRX, and the continuing STI, for a different cross-flow Top-mount intercooler, that feeds from the left side, and dumps past the blow-off valve, and into the side mounted throttle body on the intake manifold I just mentioned.
A front-mount intercooler should be easier. The turbo outlet can be whatever, and pipes fabricated to meet it, and the intercooler to manifold pipe can enter from the front of the engine, rather than wraping to the back.
On another note, hopefully the new suspension pieces will also be legacy-applicable, since the front suspension is a direct correlation. The rear suspension is less similar to the Legacy, but also less difficult to engineer for.
Maybe we Legacy GT owners will get some good scraps from this new WRX development. I sure am not going to trade my GT for a WRX, though... Big step down, looks-wise.
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Will 8:33AM (11/03/2007)
The big question with the plastic intake manifold is not its weight, cooling ability or fitment. It's the issue of tunability and the potential of a plastic component to handle highly pressurized air in high-boost applications.
The STI, you may have noticed, still has the classic red cast manifold, as STI owners are more likely to be running big boost numbers and making lots of power. When that's not happening, I'm sure you're right that the plastic manifold will be more than adequate.
mk 12:42AM (11/04/2007)
That is true. A cast aluminum, or high-quality sheetmetal manifold will have a higher burst pressure than plastic.
My Legacy is stage 2, and topping out at about 16-17psi, and I have no problems with the part the plastic to metal joint on the stock intercooler would go first.
I figured the STI retained the red aluminum manifold in order to keep the wider top-feed bottom outlet intercooler arrangement, and the STI's turbocharger, which has a different compressor outlet than the new WRX, and the Legacy GT, which goes into the side of the intercooler, rather than the top.
The WRX/LGT turbo isn't quite as high-output as the STI turbo, and some have changed that setup, with the STI intercooler and intake onto the Legacy GT with good results.
I just don't think the plastic intake manifold is the weak link in the WRX/LGT intake tract, although I can understand upgrading the whole thing, including the manifold. After looking at the fabricated intake manifold on the WRX pictured here, I wonder why they didn't try to replicate an angled inlet, and turn the intercooler to face the front, which would be a bit easier to plumb for that front mounted intercooler... instead of having longer pipe-work... unless that fabricated intake manifold is also setup for drop-in installation with the STI stock top-mount intercooler, also.
Mostly, I took slight umbrage at the comment about the plastic manifold hampering tuners' efforts. it isn't a bad part, as that would make some believe. And most tuners pushing over ~22lbs of boost would upgrade from a stock manifold anyway, for larger runners and throttle bodies.
stefan 6:29PM (11/02/2007)
Those black tail light look much better than the normal ones.
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speedball3 8:50PM (11/02/2007)
I'd be happy with just regular red ones...just get rid of that nasty "iced" look of the stock taillights and it'd be golden. Add in a body color replacement for that chrome strip in the middle and now you're really talking!
As a side note...it is interesting that once a front mounted intercooler is installed, the hood scoop is no longer needed (the pics show it blocked off). I wonder if it'd look cleaner with a standard Impreza hood?
Rob 5:06AM (11/03/2007)
On the previous generation, regular impreza hoods are steel and WRX hoods are aluminum. Not sure about the new ones, but it would be a step back weight wise on the old ones.
Richard 10:06AM (11/03/2007)
I remember reading, last year, that because of the skyrocketing costs of aluminium, Subaru had stopped using it.
At that time they were using it in hoods, trunks and liftgates - plus in the Spec. B's suspension - and I am sure - the STi's suspension as well.
I am not sure if the suspension bits on the '07 Spec. B or the STI are alu.
Does anyone know?
naggs 7:12PM (11/02/2007)
an lsd that you can actually adjust at the track?!
awesome
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vectorbug 8:11PM (11/02/2007)
who needs an LSD when youre livin life one quarter mile at a time!
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stefan 6:26AM (11/03/2007)
You don't even need a steering wheel when your dowing that.
Bryan 2:15PM (11/03/2007)
LMAO!!