Subaru may join the WTCC with Cosworth

Subaru may be looking to join the WTCC, as well as return to its rally roots from 2010, with a 1.6 litre turbocharged Cosworth engined Impreza.

Italian magazine Autosprint reports that the two companies are looking to develop a 1.6 litre car for mass production from 2012.

Cosworth has already teamed up with Subaru to develop a limited edition 400bhp road car, the Cosworth Impreza STi CS400, and it looks like the motorsport specialists may be tasked with producing a racing engine for the Japanese car manufacturer as well.

With both the FIA World Rally Championship and FIA World Touring Car Championship’s regulations aligning from 2011, with S2000 cars to run with 1.6 turbocharged engines, it seems Subaru are set to be able to enter one or both championships if they desire to do so.

A key issue would be the eligibility of Subaru to compete in touring car racing, as there are no allowances for all-wheel drive cars in the S2000 technical regulations, which make up the majority of Subaru’s range.

Subaru withdrew from the FIA World Rally Championship at the end of 2008, citing the global economic crisis as the primary factor.