TL;DR
Smeedia is converting a Subaru STI into a rear-engine project car powered by a turbocharged EG33 flat-six, with the engine mounted in the trunk area. The build retains all-wheel drive and is still unfinished: the wiring harness and cooling system have yet to be completed, and the engine has not been started in this configuration.
Automotive creator Smeedia is building a rear-engine Subaru STI around a turbocharged EG33 flat-six, a major custom project that keeps the car’s all-wheel-drive system. The conversion is still in progress: the wiring harness and cooling system have not been completed, and the engine has not yet been started in its new position.
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The EG33 six-cylinder engine sits almost entirely in the STI’s trunk area. Fitting it required substantial changes to the rear of the chassis, including cutting between the rear shock towers and adding tubing to reinforce the modified section. The exhaust has been mounted on custom brackets at the rear bumper crash bar, and recent project images show how little space remains around the installed components.
The car retains all-wheel drive, but the drivetrain needs a custom ring-and-pinion for the factory six-speed transmission. According to The Drive’s report, the change is intended to reverse the power delivery so the transmission can sit on the other side of the engine. A fuel cell occupies the front of the car, where the STI’s boxer-four engine would normally be. The builders plan to tube the front chassis as well, but have not yet completed that work.
This is not the first EG33 installation in the car, which Smeedia calls “Blu.” An earlier version placed the engine at the front. The report says incorrect engine timing during that build bent two valves and warped 22 others after the engine was subjected to boost. The latest project is a separate rear-engine configuration, and its engine has not yet run in that setup.
A Custom Route to Rear-Engine Power
The build combines a rear-mounted flat-six with Subaru all-wheel drive, giving the STI a layout that recalls the basic rear-engine concept associated with a Porsche 911 Turbo. The comparison in the project’s headline is informal: the source does not provide a price comparison, performance figures, or evidence that the finished car will match a 911 Turbo’s capabilities.
For readers following modified Subarus, the project is notable for the scale of its fabrication rather than any proven road or track results. Moving the engine to the rear affects packaging, chassis structure, drivetrain layout and cooling. Until the car is assembled and running, its handling, reliability and performance remain unknown.
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From Front-Mounted Swap to Rear
Smeedia had previously installed an EG33 in the front of this same STI. That configuration ended with engine damage attributed in the report to incorrect timing during the initial build. The new effort moves the engine behind the cabin, requiring extensive changes to fit the six-cylinder while preserving the car’s all-wheel-drive setup.
The project was introduced in a video in August, according to The Drive, and Smeedia has shared further updates since then. The available report describes a work in progress, not a completed or tested vehicle. Its “poor man’s Porsche” framing is a description of the concept, not a verified statement about its eventual cost or performance.
Key Build Systems Remain Unfinished
The engine has not been started in its rear-engine configuration. The harness and cooling system still need to be built, and the report does not give a completion date. It also does not provide confirmed engine output, boost pressure, final weight, testing results or a projected total cost.
Further fabrication remains, including planned work on the front chassis. The source does not establish how the finished car will handle or whether the modified drivetrain and chassis will prove reliable. Those questions cannot be answered from the current build updates.
Wiring and Cooling Before Startup
The next stated tasks are to complete the engine wiring harness and cooling system, both required before the builders can attempt a first start. Smeedia is expected to continue posting project updates, but no firm timeline for startup or completion is given in the report.
After the engine is running, further updates would be needed to confirm how the custom transmission setup works and whether the car can be driven and tested. For now, the confirmed development is the ongoing fabrication of a rear-engine STI, not a finished or performance-verified car.
Key Questions
What engine is going into the STI?
The project uses a turbocharged Subaru EG33 flat-six, mounted in the rear of the car.
Does the build retain all-wheel drive?
Yes. The Drive reports that the STI retains all-wheel drive. Its factory six-speed transmission is planned to use a custom ring-and-pinion to suit the engine’s new position.
Is the rear-engine STI running?
Not yet, according to the report. The wiring harness and cooling system still need to be completed before the first startup.
Why is the project compared with a Porsche 911 Turbo?
The comparison refers to the rear-engine layout and turbocharged power. The source provides no evidence that the Subaru will match a 911 Turbo in price, speed or overall performance.
When will the build be finished?
No completion date is reported. The project remains unfinished, with key systems and further fabrication still outstanding.
Source: thedrive.com
