Subaru's GD25 WRX and ZC15 BRZ: Chassis-Code Tributes Capped at 650 Cars

Subaru’s idea of an anniversary present is the parts catalog, pre-installed. The two cars it rolled out at Boxerfest in York, Pennsylvania are the 2027 WRX GD25 and 2027 BRZ ZC15. They don’t add a single horsepower. Instead, Subaru spent the budget on parts enthusiasts usually buy themselves, then bolted them on at the factory and capped production. Subaru’s official release puts the numbers at 350 units for WRX GD25, and 300 units for BRZ ZC15. subaru

The names are chassis codes, the kind of detail that means everything to forum regulars and nothing to anyone else. The WRX GD25 honors the first edition of the WRX to arrive in the U.S. in 2002, which utilized a chassis codenamed “GD.” The BRZ ZC15 is a tribute to the first-generation BRZ, which arrived in 2012 on a chassis codenamed “ZC.” subaru

The WRX: a rally-car wing with a warranty

The GD25 comes in exactly one color, World Rally Blue, on gold 19-inch wheels. That’s the visual shorthand Subaru fans have recognized for three decades. The real hardware is a dry carbon fiber swan-neck rear wing from Subaru Tecnica International, the same component used on Travis Pastrana’s WRX ARA25L rally car. Subaru also lists Brembo brakes with gold calipers, Bridgestone Potenza S007 tires, a flexible strut tower bar, and stiffer springs with revised damping calibration. subaru

Read the suspension wording closely. The 2026 WRX tS uses STI-tuned electronically controlled dampers. Springs and a “damping calibration” sound more like a passive setup. Until Subaru publishes full specs, buyers shouldn’t assume the GD25 is a tS in a blue jacket. subaru

Power stays at 271 hp from the 2.4-liter turbo. Leaving the engine alone is the smart, unglamorous move. An untouched powertrain avoids new emissions certification work and keeps service procedures identical to the regular car. Your local dealer’s tech won’t need to learn anything new. Transmission choice is simple, because there isn’t one: a 6-speed manual with an STI short shifter. Recaro seats with Ultrasuede inserts finish the cabin. subaru

The BRZ: white, bronze, and a callback within a callback

The ZC15 wears Ceramic White, a color exclusive to this car, over matte bronze wheels. Subaru says the scheme is an homage to the 2020 Subaru BRZ tS models, which featured the same scheme. So this anniversary car honors the 2012 original while dressed as a 2020 special edition. Nostalgia now arrives in layers. subaru

Mechanically, it keeps the 228-hp 2.4-liter boxer and, again, only a 6-speed manual. It adds gold Brembo calipers, a black decklid spoiler, and a flexible V-bar. The cabin gets black leather-appointed upholstery and Bordeaux red inserts not shared with the rest of the BRZ lineup. subaru

What it’ll cost, and what it’ll cost later

Subaru says detailed specifications and pricing will be announced closer to market launch. The current lineup gives a reasonable floor, though. The 2027 BRZ tS starts at $38,770, and the WRX tS lists at $44,995. The closest precedent is the 2026 WRX Series.Yellow, which was limited to 350 units and priced from $45,995. Expect both anniversary cars to land above those numbers. SUBARU DEBUTS LIMITED-PRODUCTION 2027 SUBARU WRX GD25, 2027 SUBARU BRZ ZC15 AT BOXERFEST 2026 – Subaru U.S. Media Center

The scarcity math deserves a second look. Subaru sells through about 640 retailers across the United States. With 350 WRXs and 300 BRZs, many dealers won’t get either one. Allocation that thin is when “market adjustment” stickers show up. If you place a reservation, get the price and the deposit terms in writing. subaru

Owners should also think past the purchase. Exclusive paint, matte wheels, and a dry-carbon wing are the expensive parts of these cars to fix. Matte wheel finishes are hard to repair properly after curb rash. A one-off color can complicate body-shop matching. Carbon wings don’t straighten out after a parking-lot tap; they get replaced, and a low-volume STI part may take time to source. Before taking delivery, tell your insurer exactly what you’re buying, and consider agreed-value coverage rather than relying on a standard book valuation. Hang on to the window sticker and build documentation, too. On limited editions, that paperwork carries real resale value.

Timing

Subaru says reservations open in 2026, with deliveries in winter and summer 2027. The BRZ ZC15 arrives first, in early 2027. The GD25 follows in summer. subaru

These aren’t reinventions. They’re factory-curated builds that most owners would assemble from the STI catalog anyway, sold with a numbered-run story attached. For the few hundred people who get one, that story may end up being worth more than the parts. Would you pay the premium for Subaru to bolt on the STI catalog at the factory, or order the same parts and do it yourself on a Saturday?

Images Via: Subaru

Eve Nowell

Administrator

Eve Nowell writes about cars for Backfire News, and she comes by it honestly—she grew up in a racing family, around engines and pit lanes before she was old enough to drive. That world isn't a beat she picked up; it's just where she's always been. At Backfire News she covers off-roading, classic car culture, motorsports, and the people behind the machines. She writes with the enthusiasm of someone who genuinely loves this stuff, but she's a stickler for getting the details right—the kind of writing that holds up with actual gearheads. She's still early in her career and building her own voice, bringing a fresh take to a world she's known her whole life. Her work runs across racing coverage, truck and off-road culture, collector vehicles, and the wider lifestyle that comes with all of it. When she's not writing, she's usually trackside, out in the garage, or chasing down the next story worth telling.

View All Posts