Key highlights:
- New WRX gets the STI’s TY85 6-speed manual gearbox
- November 2026 reveal planned; Australian availability remains unlikely
- Updated BRZ and Performance-B STI Manual are also coming
Subaru is preparing to reveal a new WRX sedan fitted with the STI’s six-speed manual gearbox in November 2026, and it marks the return of the revered TY85 transmission, but Australian fans shouldn’t get too excited just yet, as the new model is likely to be exclusive to Japan.
The Japanese brand announced in June 2026 that it would introduce three new manual-transmission models “by 2027”. This WRX is the first of the trio to be revealed, and Subaru says it will be a regular production model rather than a limited-edition special.
The company says it wants to revive the WRX by bringing back the TY85 gearbox, using motorsport-derived technology and several undisclosed refinements to recapture the feel of older Subaru manuals.
STI’s TY85 six-speed gearbox returns
Subaru has confirmed the new WRX will use the TY85 six-speed manual transmission, last fitted to the most recent WRX STI before that model was discontinued in 2021. Engineers discovered that the gearbox’s production line remained intact and functional, allowing Subaru to restart production.
The new manual WRX will draw on the brand’s motorsport knowledge, although Subaru hasn’t revealed the refinements or confirmed whether the car will feature the STI’s Driver Controlled Centre Differential (DCCD).
There’s also an important distinction for Australian buyers. Subaru describes the car as a reintroduction of the manual WRX, but that applies to Japan, where the current lineup doesn’t offer a manual version.
Australia and other global markets have continued to receive manual WRXs, although they use a lighter-duty six-speed gearbox designed for the lower engine outputs of non-STI models.
Could it be a production version of the WRX STI Sport♯?
Subaru may have offered an early glimpse of its new manual performance sedan with the WRX STI Sport♯, unveiled in January 2026 as a Japan-only limited-edition model.
The STI Sport♯ (or “Sport Sharp”) was fundamentally similar to the WRX tS Spec B already sold in Australia. Its equipment included:
- Adaptive dampers
- Gold Brembo brake callipers
- A limited-slip differential
- Recaro seats
- Unique 19-inch alloy wheels
It also dropped the large rear wing. Power came from Subaru’s 2.4-litre turbocharged four-cylinder ‘FA24’ boxer engine, producing 202kW and 350Nm. The car was offered with a six-speed manual, but it did not use the STI-sourced TY85 gearbox.
Subaru planned to build just 600 STI Sport♯ examples, with Japanese buyers securing cars through a lottery system, and that allocation was exhausted in May 2026. The new WRX could therefore become a mass-production version of the STI Sport♯ concept, although Subaru hasn’t confirmed that relationship.
Also read: Hyundai i30 Sedan N Monochrome reveal: Only 200 coming to AU
Don’t expect a full-fat WRX STI just yet
The new manual WRX isn’t necessarily a return of the full-performance STI badge. For now, the only true STI version of the current WRX remains the S210, which is a more powerful, heavily upgraded, limited-run special.
Despite its performance focus, the S210 uses a continuously variable transmission (CVT), not a manual gearbox.
Subaru also hasn’t announced an exterior facelift for the current WRX. The model has gone five years without an exterior update since its launch, so a mid-life refresh alongside the new manual version remains possible, but unconfirmed.
Two more manual performance models are coming
Subaru’s manual-transmission revival doesn’t stop with the WRX, and two further performance-oriented models are still expected. One will be an updated manual BRZ coupe based on the limited-run STI Sport Type RA.
The other is the long-awaited production version of the Performance-B STI concept. Subaru previewed the concept at last year’s Tokyo motor show, and it appears to be an Impreza-based five-door hatchback fitted with a WRX engine and manual transmission.
Subaru hasn’t set a specific reveal date for the production car, but it is still expected to debut before the end of 2026.
Subaru says the three new models aim to “make driving more enjoyable and accessible,” and all three will draw on technology and knowledge gained through the brand’s motorsport activities.
The new WRX is due for its reveal in November 2026, but its likely Japan-only positioning means Australian buyers shouldn’t assume it will join local showrooms.
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