WHEN MONSTERS ATTACK
Chandra’s upgraded hybrid powertrain puts down 402 horsepower and 346 lb-ft of torque under the control of an Autronic SM4 engine management system. Without the ability to reliably transfer that power to the ground, Chandra’s modifications are rendered useless. To that end, he removed the factory 5-speed transmission and replaced it with a 6-speed unit sourced from an ailing STI. This transmission assembly provides Chandra with what he feels is a better selection of gears that are more apt to handle the power and utilize the power curve of the revised powerplant. To ensure the increased torque translated into four-wheel forward motion, he equipped the transmission with an Exedy Twin plate clutch. Finally, the driveline employs a pair of Cusco differentials to maximize power distribution to each of the Asymmetric All-Wheel Drive system’s wheels.
BIG FOOTPRINTS
A host of chassis stiffening and suspension components make the GDA a beast on the winding mountain roads of Indonesia where Chandra commutes. Whiteline front and rear swaybars control body roll and help keep the wheels planted. To further maintain the contact patch, a Whiteline anti-lift kit adjusts front-wheel caster, subsequently changing suspension altitude and offering increased traction under turns and acceleration. Cusco front and rear strut bars tie the suspension towers together and limit geometry changes under spirited driving conditions. A Cusco brake stop bracket hinders unwanted brake cylinder movement when the pressurized Goodrich stainless-steel brake lines activate the STI-spec Brembo calipers to clamp on the Ferodo racing pads. All of these elements work together to keep the RAYS Engineering TE37SL wheels wrapped in Falken Azenis rubber moving in the right direction at all times.
BEAST SKIN AND WITHIN
Since Chandra uses the WRX as his commuter car, he has adorned the interior with amenities befitting its road-going capabilities. A set of BRIDE racing seats and Takata 6-point harnesses keep driver and passenger firmly planted. For informational purposes, Chandra employed a set of HKS gauges to indicate operating conditions on even the darkest and twistiest of back roads. On the outside, the WRX wears a complement of Voltex carbon-fiber aerodynamic pieces with a custom carbon-fiber hood completing the package.
[pullquote]The interior sports a pair of BRIDE seats up front and factory seats wrapped in BRIDE fabric in the rear.[/pullquote]
ROADS AND RECORDS
While originally built as a high-performance streetcar, Chandra has put the STI-in-WRX-clothing through its paces and multiple motorsports disciplines. In several of Indonesia’s motorsports events, he has managed multiple podium finishes in his class in both time attack and drag racing competitions. The price of winning has been expensive; Chandra has gone through several transmissions and countless driveshafts in his quest to rule the street, strip and track. Still, he believes his beast of a WRX is perfect “as is” and has no plans for future modifications. Chandra and his WRX will simply continue to roam the Sumatran countryside, waiting to scare the hell out of anyone that dares cross their path.
