Subaru confirms November reveal for Japanese-market WRX with TY85 six-speed manual

What Subaru has announced

Subaru announced on 22 October 2026 that a new WRX equipped with a six-speed manual transmission will be revealed in Japan in November 2026, publishing a teaser site and a development documentary on the same day. The car is described as a regular catalog model rather than a limited edition, and Subaru says it aims to revive the manual WRX in its home market, where roughly seven years have passed since a mass-produced manual WRX was last on sale. CarExpert, which first framed the story for Australian readers, notes the reveal is locked in for November 2026. ¹⁵⁷

The transmission is confirmed by Subaru's own teaser material as the TY85 six-speed manual, the heavy-duty unit previously used in the most recent WRX STI. Car and Driver reports this will be the first mass-produced manual Subaru in Japan since 2019, noting that Japanese regulation changes had forced Subaru to stop building mass-produced manual vehicles at home even as manual WRXs continued in other global markets. ²⁵⁶

The current fifth-generation Japanese-market WRX S4 is sold with a CVT, and Subaru has confirmed order-taking for the WRX S4 ended on 18 May 2026. CarScoops adds that, to make room for the new manual variant, Subaru is ending production of the current CVT-equipped WRX S4 STI Sport grades in the local market. ³⁵

The teaser photo published by Subaru appears to show the front end of the current fifth-generation WRX sedan, with no obvious exterior changes, and Car and Driver observes the rear remains a sedan — no hatchback body style in this car. ²

Why the TY85 matters

The TY85 is a key technical distinction. As CarScoops and Taiwan's Auto-Online both explain, overseas-spec WRX models — including those sold in Australia — use the lighter-duty TY75 six-speed designed for lower engine outputs, and the earlier limited WRX STI Sport♯ also used the TY75. The TY85 is the strengthened gearbox from the previous-generation WRX STI, noted for durability and its ability to handle high loads. Car and Driver reports it is considered more robust and capable of handling more power than the TY75. ¹²³⁸

What has not been confirmed is the car's full specification. Subaru has not published output figures, gear ratios or complete chassis details for the new model, and Auto-Online notes it is unclear whether the car will receive dedicated exterior trim, suspension tuning or other chassis upgrades — those answers are expected at the November reveal. CarExpert adds it is unknown whether the old STI's Driver Controlled Centre Differential will be offered. ¹⁸

One element is described in Subaru's development documentary as reported by CarScoops and Auto-Online: the engine control mapping is derived from Subaru race cars, with engineers aiming to give the turbocharged 2.4-litre boxer the direct, immediate throttle response of a naturally aspirated engine. Subaru engineers cited in that footage say the combination of the new engine calibration, the TY85 gearbox and the current WRX body rigidity delivers a different driving feel to previous iterations. ³⁸

The powertrain is expected to carry over the current WRX's 2.4-litre turbocharged flat-four engine. For reference, Subaru's Japanese press release for the related WRX STI Sport♯ quotes a FA24 2.4-litre DIT turbo four with 202 kW (275 PS) at 5600 rpm and 350 Nm at 2000–5200 rpm, net figures, in that model — though no outputs for the new TY85 car have been announced and none should be assumed. ⁴⁸

How the project came back from the brink

Subaru's 15-minute development film, reported by CarScoops, describes the TY85 as having come dangerously close to extinction: manual transmission assembly lines were being dismantled one by one as the industry accelerated electrification, and engineers initially believed the gearbox could no longer be built. The project became viable only when the team confirmed that a partner factory still had full production capability. Subaru management then assembled a small skunkworks team in early 2025 with a fast-tracked development brief. ³

Taiwan's Auto-Online, drawing on the same Subaru development record, reports the team worked with a motorsport-style approach and completed the project in about one year — meaning the new car is not simply a gearbox retrofit, but includes broader calibration of the powertrain response and driving feel. ³⁸

Subaru first flagged the new car publicly on 6 June 2026 at the Fuji 24 Hours endurance race in the Super Taikyu series, where it showed three cars under development including this manual WRX, and stated the production car would be a regular catalog model rather than a limited special. CarExpert separately dates Subaru's announcement of three new manual models to June 2026, all due by 2027. ¹⁵

The STI Sport♯ precedent and other limited manuals

The closest preview of a Japanese-market manual WRX came in April 2026, when Subaru's motorsport arm STI released the STI Sport♯ complete car — the first current-generation WRX in Japanese specification with a six-speed manual. Subaru's own release details a balanced engine with tightened weight tolerances on pistons, conrods, crankshaft and rotating clutch components, a balanced clutch cover and flywheel, STI flexible tower bars and draw stiffeners, dedicated electronically controlled ZF dampers, and gold-painted Brembo six-piston front and two-piston rear calipers with drilled discs, 245/35R19 Potenza S007 tyres and Recaro Ultrasuede front seats. ⁴

Subaru priced the STI Sport♯ at 6,105,000 yen including tax, limited to 600 units allocated by lottery, with applications open from 9 April to 17 May 2026 at Japanese dealers. According to Japan's CarNews, the lottery drew roughly 9000 applications — an oversubscription of about 15 times — which Subaru's later communication has used to demonstrate continuing demand for a manual WRX. CarExpert notes the allocation was exhausted in May 2026. ¹⁴⁵

CarExpert observes the STI Sport♯ was fundamentally similar to the WRX tS Spec B already sold in Australia, though the Australian car uses the lighter-duty TY75 gearbox, and that the new TY85 model will probably not be a full-fat STI — the only true STI version of the current WRX remains the limited-run, CVT-equipped S210. ¹

Outside Japan, CarScoops points US fans to the 2027 WRX GD25 special edition as the current limited manual option: a 350-unit run for the American market with special exterior and interior touches, gold-finished 19-inch alloy wheels, uprated brakes and the simpler TY75 manual gearbox paired with the standard 271 hp (202 kW / 275 PS) boxer engine. ³

Three manuals by 2027, and the open questions

Subaru's Japanese communication, reported by Car Watch via Yahoo! News Japan, confirms three manual models are in development, all due to be delivered by 2027 as cars that make driving more accessible. Alongside the WRX with TY85 transmission, there is a SUBARU BRZ complete car based on the STI Sport TYPE RA revealed in November 2025, and a five-door hatchback in development as the production version of the Performance-B STI concept shown at the Japan Mobility Show 2025, intended to have a character distinct from the WRX and BRZ. CarExpert reports no specific reveal date has been set for the hatchback, though it is expected to debut before the end of 2026. ¹⁷

Availability outside Japan remains the biggest unknown. Subaru has not disclosed plans for wider distribution of the WRX with the TY85 manual, and CarExpert judges the car is likely to be Japan-only given Subaru has framed it as a reintroduction of the manual WRX for a home market that currently lacks one. Auto-Online likewise reports that any extension to North America or other markets, including Taiwan, awaits an official announcement. For Australian buyers, the current WRX continues with the lighter-duty TY75 six-speed, and no Australian introduction of the TY85 car has been announced. ¹³⁸

Full specifications, pricing and on-sale timing for the Japanese market are expected when Subaru reveals the car in November 2026. Until then, output figures, gearing, differential hardware and any chassis or styling changes remain unconfirmed. ¹²⁵