It’s known as the Subaru Brataroo 9500 Turbo. Unveiled just hours ago at the 2025 SEMA Show, this riotous reincarnation of a 1978 Subaru BRAT isn’t merely a car; it’s a flying, flaming, kangaroo-themed middle finger to sensible motoring. Built to star in the next Gymkhana film, which if you hadn’t guessed by our subtle hints is appropriately filmed in Australia, spiritual homeland of hoon culture. The Brataroo returns Travis Pastrana to the driver’s seat for his third bespoke Subaru stunt chariot, where we can all undoubtably expect tyre smoke thick enough to blot out Sydney Harbour and jumps so lofty they may require clearance from air traffic control. “Unhinged” is the word Pastrana uses, and frankly, he undersells it.
Underneath the retro ute-shell lies wizardry from Vermont SportsCar, a rallycross-derived 2.0-litre turbo boxer cranking out 670 horsepower, and a mighty 680 lb-ft of torque, revving beyond 9,500rpm, making it the highest-revvning Gymkhana machine yet. A six-speed sequential gearbox and the trusty AWD system ensures that every horsepower is used for only the purest mischief.
The bodywork is where Pastrana and the team really show their class, though. Carbon fibre is used just about everywhere, draped over a WRC-certified cage and shaped by design hero and dear friend of Classic Driver, Khyzyl Saleem, who created this usual ute into a BRAT widebody fever dream. The livery gives off retro Subaru stripes, sunset tones, and yes, kangaroos giving Pastrana’s signature thumbs-up. Then there’s the active aero, adjustable front fender louvers manipulate the car’s attitude mid-flight, while twin interchangeable rear wings, dubbed as “massive downforce” or “maximum chaos”, which can be adjusted to give more or less angle and even expand in width as they deploy. It’s essentially a rally ute-shaped Red Bull stunt plane, only louder and likely a flannel shirt behind the wheel.
As Gymkhana’s next chapter revs up, honouring Ken Block’s legacy of turning tyre smoke into global culture, the Brataroo vows to fly higher, slide harder, and hoon louder than everything before it. Aussie Shred premieres early December on Hoonigan’s YouTube channel. Prepare for liftoff, and maybe warn your local kangaroos!
