Subaru is celebrating 25 years of the WRX in America and 15 years of the BRZ with two limited-production, manual-only special editions for 2027.

Subaru brings back two enthusiast-focused editions

Subaru has unveiled the 2027 WRX GD25 and 2027 BRZ ZC15 at Boxerfest 2026 in York, Pennsylvania.

Both models celebrate important milestones in the U.S. The WRX marks 25 years in America, while the BRZ reaches 15 years. Their names also reference the original chassis codes.

Production will be limited to 350 WRX GD25 units and 300 BRZ ZC15 units. Subaru also confirms that both editions will use a six-speed manual transmission.

The WRX GD25 combines World Rally Blue paint, gold wheels and a large carbon-fiber rear wing.

2027 Subaru WRX GD25

The WRX GD25 is finished exclusively in World Rally Blue.

It also gets gold 19-inch wheels, upgraded Brembo brakes and Bridgestone Potenza S007 tires. Subaru adds stiffer springs and revised damping to sharpen the chassis.

The standout feature is the rear wing.

It is a dry-carbon-fiber swan-neck wing from Subaru Tecnica International, the same component used on Travis Pastrana’s WRX ARA25L rally car. A flexible strut tower bar adds more rigidity at the front.

The engine remains familiar.

The GD25 uses a 2.4-liter turbocharged SUBARU BOXER engine with 271 horsepower. Power goes through a six-speed manual transmission with an STI short shifter and Subaru Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive.

Inside, Subaru adds Recaro seats with black Ultrasuede and red stitching, plus an STI shift knob.

2027 Subaru BRZ ZC15

The BRZ receives a different visual treatment.

The ZC15 comes exclusively in Ceramic White. It uses matte bronze wheels, red Brembo calipers and bronze side decals. Subaru also adds a black decklid spoiler.

The BRZ ZC15 uses a Ceramic White body, bronze wheels and a black rear spoiler.

The mechanical package is also upgraded.

A flexible V-bar adds chassis rigidity. The car keeps its 2.4-liter naturally aspirated BOXER engine, producing 228 horsepower and 184 lb-ft of torque.

The six-speed manual is the only transmission. Power goes exclusively to the rear wheels, preserving the BRZ’s traditional sports-car layout.

The interior gets black leather-appointed upholstery with Bordeaux Red inserts. Subaru also adds a unique ZC15 anniversary plaque and an STI short shifter.

Two special editions with the same idea

The WRX and BRZ take different approaches, but the formula is similar.

Both receive heritage-inspired colors, performance hardware and manual transmissions. Both are also limited to a small production run.

The two special editions connect Subaru’s current performance cars with their history in the U.S.

Subaru expects the BRZ ZC15 to arrive in early 2027.

The WRX GD25 is scheduled for summer 2027. Pricing will be announced closer to each model’s launch.

For U.S. enthusiasts, these editions offer something increasingly uncommon: small-production performance cars with manual transmissions and dedicated hardware.

The 2027 Subaru WRX GD25 and BRZ ZC15 will be built in very limited numbers, with the WRX capped at 350 units and the BRZ at 300.

Volkswagen is ending the ID.5 without a direct successor, with the new electric ID. Tiguan set to replace both the ID.4 and ID.5 from 2027.

Volkswagen ends the ID.5 experiment

The Volkswagen ID.5 is officially coming to the end of its production run.

Volkswagen has confirmed that the new ID. Tiguan will take over the roles previously occupied by both the ID.4 and ID.5. The new electric SUV will make its world premiere in early October, with European sales scheduled to begin in early 2027.

The decision closes a relatively short chapter for the ID.5.

Introduced in 2021, the model was Volkswagen’s first electric SUV coupe. It shared its basic architecture with the ID.4 but added a lower, more sloping roofline and a different rear design.

A familiar shape gives way to a traditional SUV

The new ID. Tiguan takes a different approach.

Volkswagen is moving toward a more conventional SUV body rather than creating another coupe-style electric model. The company says the new model will offer high-quality design, a spacious interior, intuitive operation and new technologies.

That gives Volkswagen one electric SUV instead of maintaining two closely related body styles.

Volkswagen is currently showing the near-production ID. Tiguan in camouflage ahead of its October world premiere.

The change also fits Volkswagen’s broader naming strategy.

After introducing electric models such as the ID. Polo and ID. Cross, the company is moving toward familiar names for future EVs. Volkswagen says this approach should make the relationship between its electric vehicles and established model families clearer.

The ID.5 will not get a replacement

The most important detail is that the ID.5 is not being renamed.

Volkswagen has confirmed that there is no direct successor planned for the coupe-style EV. Instead, the ID. Tiguan will cover the space previously occupied by both the ID.4 and ID.5.

That means there will not be a separate coupe-SUV version alongside the new electric Tiguan, at least based on the information available today.

The strategy puts more emphasis on practicality.

A conventional SUV offers more usable interior space and easier packaging. It also gives Volkswagen a closer visual link between its electric and combustion-powered SUVs.

The ID.5 was never sold in the United States

There is an important U.S. market detail.

The ID.5 was never officially sold in the United States. Its retirement therefore has no direct impact on the current U.S. ID lineup.

The new ID. Tiguan is different.

Volkswagen has said the electric SUV will launch in Europe first, while North American timing and market-specific details will be announced later.

For American readers, that means the ID.5 story is mainly a look at Volkswagen’s European strategy. The ID. Tiguan, however, could become much more relevant to the U.S. lineup.

Volkswagen is moving away from numerical EV names

The ID.5 was part of Volkswagen’s first major EV naming strategy.

The company created a family based around names such as ID.3, ID.4, ID.5 and ID.7. That approach helped separate electric models from conventional Volkswagen vehicles.

The company is now reversing part of that strategy.

The electric Polo, Cross and Tiguan bring familiar names back into the EV portfolio while retaining the ID prefix.

The Tiguan name is particularly important.

Volkswagen says more than 8.3 million Tiguans have been produced, while the model has been its global best-selling vehicle in recent years. The electric version will therefore enter the market with a much more established name than the ID.4 or ID.5 ever had.

The ID.4 and ID.5 are being consolidated

The new strategy effectively combines two electric SUVs into one.

The ID.4 provided the traditional SUV shape. The ID.5 offered a more stylish, lower-roof alternative. Volkswagen is now choosing the conventional format for the next generation.

That does not mean Volkswagen is abandoning electric SUVs.

Quite the opposite.

The company is giving the segment a more recognizable name and a new generation of technology. The ID. Tiguan is expected to use Volkswagen’s newer electric architecture and will debut with more information on range, charging, power and pricing in October.

For now, the key fact is simple.

The Volkswagen ID.5 is ending without a direct replacement, while the ID. Tiguan will replace both the ID.4 and ID.5 in Volkswagen’s European electric range from 2027. North American timing for the ID. Tiguan is still pending.

Isack Hadjar returned from six weeks away with a third-place finish in Baku, calling it his first Formula 1 podium earned purely through pace.

Hadjar returns with a podium in Baku

Isack Hadjar could hardly have asked for a better return to Formula 1.

After missing the previous three Grands Prix because of a wrist injury, the Red Bull driver returned at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix and finished third. He had also qualified fourth after building his confidence throughout the weekend.

The result gave Red Bull a double podium in Baku. Max Verstappen finished second behind race winner George Russell, while Hadjar completed the top three.

Isack Hadjar celebrates his third-place finish in Baku after returning from a six-week injury layoff.

Hadjar described the weekend as a gradual process.

Baku leaves very little room for mistakes. The circuit combines long straights with tight corners and barriers close to the racing line.

Because of that, Hadjar did not try to recover his lost confidence immediately.

“It was a very slow build-up, but it brought me here.”

The approach worked.

Hadjar stayed close to Verstappen during the race and eventually moved into third when Oscar Piastri locked up at Turn 1 and ran into the escape area.

Why this podium feels different to Hadjar

The third-place finish was not Hadjar’s first Formula 1 podium.

It was his third career podium, but he considers Baku the first one that came from pure pace.

His previous podiums came at the 2025 Dutch Grand Prix with Racing Bulls, after Lando Norris retired, and at the 2026 Monaco Grand Prix with Red Bull, where Pierre Gasly’s penalties promoted Hadjar into third.

That explains the importance of Baku.

This time, Hadjar qualified strongly, kept a competitive rhythm throughout the race and overtook Piastri after pressuring the McLaren driver.

“I’m very, very happy for an actual first proper podium on pure pace.”

Hadjar joined Max Verstappen on the podium as Red Bull secured its first double podium since the 2024 Chinese Grand Prix.

The result was also important for Red Bull.

The team had both cars on the podium for the first time since China 2024. Hadjar’s performance added another positive element to Verstappen’s second-place finish.

The Frenchman also showed strong race management.

After Verstappen moved ahead during the opening stint, Hadjar remained close to his teammate. He later put pressure on Piastri while managing his own tires and avoiding unnecessary risks.

That was particularly relevant given his recent absence.

Hadjar’s wrist held up over 51 laps

The physical side of the comeback was another important test.

Hadjar had been away from Formula 1 for approximately six weeks after injuring his wrist while training during the summer break. He missed Zandvoort, Monza and the Madrid race.

The Baku race therefore provided the first opportunity to test the wrist over a full Grand Prix distance.

Hadjar completed all 51 laps.

He said afterward that the wrist was still somewhat numb, but he was satisfied with how it handled the race.

Hadjar returned to the Red Bull cockpit in Baku after three missed Grands Prix.

The weekend also showed that the injury had not prevented Hadjar from immediately finding speed.

Red Bull reported that the driver felt competitive in the car despite limited running during Thursday practice because of a gearbox issue. By qualifying, he was fourth on the grid and ahead of Verstappen.

Team principal Laurent Mekies was also impressed by the comeback.

He described Hadjar’s performance as “outstanding” and highlighted the driver’s calm approach to rebuilding his rhythm at one of the most demanding circuits on the calendar.

A return built around patience

Hadjar’s Baku weekend was not only about the final result.

His method was clear from the opening sessions. He took time to understand the car again and gradually increased his pace.

That approach was particularly useful on a circuit where one small error can end a session.

It also allowed Hadjar to return without forcing the issue physically. By Saturday afternoon, he had converted that gradual progress into a podium.

The result leaves him with a strong start to the final phase of the season after his injury layoff.

Hadjar’s third-place finish in Baku was therefore significant for two reasons: it marked his return after six weeks away and, in his own words, gave him his first “proper” podium earned through pure pace.