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Time to read 15 min
It is certainly true when people say "time flies when you are having fun". Furthermore, we can also confirm that within the whirlwind of the enthusiast world, the word "fun" is definitely a punctuation of this fast moving lifestyle. The many that play this exciting game know that it requires an investment of time and money to reap all the fun-flavored, positive rewards. The team here at Subimods has a deep dedication to connecting enthusiasts of any level to the appropriate solutions they seek while being keenly aware of the cost and quality of the products in the middle of the connection. It is always exciting to approach the mid-year point where we can take a closer look at a number of products that have both climbed in popularity and proved themselves to be premiere offerings due to comments and feedback we've received from our customers. In the past we have created features and series articles which help profile specific companies and their performance parts that have quickly become impactful within the community. In this segment, we will outline ten individual products from manufacturers including Perrin, Advanced Clutch Technology (ACT), Mishimoto, Turbosmart, Billetworkz, Molded Innovations, Gram Lights, and Mach V to hopefully broaden the understanding of a customer who may be approaching a new modification project, continuing an ongoing modification, or just researching what offerings are available in the market to establish their budget requirements before taking the first steps in this important journey. Let's take a closer look at this mid-year list of products for the Subaru VB WRX to hopefully open a few more doors of possibility and long term rewards for the discerning enthusiast and modifier.
Our first offering comes from the team at Perrin Performance, a company that has undoubtedly become an iconic symbol of quality performance solutions to those haunting the weekend tracks to others who have made motorsports their profession. The Oregon-based company got their start over 20 years ago after focusing their efforts on providing quality, aftermarket parts for Subaru vehicles. During their first 15 years Perrin would gain a solid footing in the marketplace through building a brand on a foundation fueled with innovative design, engineering, manufacturing expertise, and an additional concentration on quality control and testing. This attention to excellence is evident to anyone who has been to the track as a driver, mechanic, or observer who has become attached to a performance Subaru in any capacity. Perrin has spent the past decades enjoying their deserved status as a leading supplier to the Subaru enthusiast and community. Their wide range of performance products include components that provide an improvement of power, enhanced throttle response, and amplified driving dynamics through their manufacturing of premiere exhaust systems, intakes, intercoolers, suspension components, and other engine accessories. One product, a simply stylish but important product that has repeatedly appeared on our radar with extreme popularity, is Perrin's Clutch Delay Valve, readily available to owners of the 2006-2024 Subaru WRX. This is an affordable investment for those who want to level up on their driving experience. Experienced enthusiasts know that extreme, performance driving and fast shifting can result in clutch slippage, unwanted wear, and lowered power transfer. Installing this Perrin upgrade replaces the stock clutch delay valve to improve the feel and overall engagement of the WRX clutch while either taking that daily drive or running laps on weekend track days.
As we continue, another company appears on the list that also has a proven record of quality plus a long history of providing incredible design, engineering prowess, and industry changing innovation to the market. Advanced Clutch Technology (ACT) has been delivering high end driveline products and performance solutions to enthusiasts and professional motorsport drivers alike for over 30 years and counting. Since their launch in 1994, ACT has maintained serious focus, first on research and development through their intelligent designs, their progressive manufacturing process, and also with extreme attention to product testing which has raised their reputation to impressive heights over the past decades. The ACT development team is heavily invested in victory for every enthusiast and driver. ACT has been contributing their innovations to multiple championship drivers and teams for decades proving their impact as definite deliverers of quality performance solutions. They have set a visible standard that keeps champions victorious and competitive. New adopters along with their dedicated customers know that the ACT brand is a mark of excellence and dependability that is always moving towards the future. In this outline, we are featuring one product that has become the preferred choice of a wide range of WRX drivers as they begin to enhance the stability and overall responsiveness of the vehicle under extreme performance conditions. The ACT Heavy Duty Performance Street Disc Clutch Kit with Flywheel designed for the 2006-2024 Subaru WRX has been a popular item during the first half of 2025. This offering from ACT was engineered with the serious demands of performance in mind by featuring a heavy duty pressure plate and exclusive diaphragm designed to both increase the clamp load while reducing deflection, and maximizing clutch life.
The next manufacturer on our list is one of those providers that is not only a world leader in the performance cooling sector, but also offers useful and simple solutions that some may not consider either innovative or enhancing, but maybe only cosmetic. One of these companies, Mishimoto, has become quite familiar to enthusiasts within the automotive world as manufacturers and true enthusiasts who create for other enthusiasts. Since their start in 2005, Mishimoto has built upon a foundation of experience by working hard to achieve their primary goal of providing superior products and upgrades that apply to any modification and platform. This includes performance solutions for everything from the sports compact car to the vintage classics. Mishimoto is also known for their line of automotive accessories which bring them an equal amount of attention and praise since the same degree of effort and quality is invested in even the simplest of solutions. Ironically, two product offerings from Mishimoto have jumped onto the mid-year list. The first, something we have featured before, might prove to be a very helpful enhancement if an enthusiast needs to make some license plate positioning adjustments without being forced to alter the surface of the vehicle. The Mishimoto License Plate Holder (known to some as a license plate relocation kit) could be one of the most underrated products, and to some, prove to be an extremely helpful modification depending on your state's vehicle laws. This product provides an affordable option for the enthusiast who wants to move their plate, but also has a quality frame that is safe, stable, and legal without needing to drill holes into the front bumper. Mishimoto has designed a strong and stylish product from rigid, anodized, and powder coated 6061-aluminum material ensuring stability in any driving situation. On the performance cooling side of their product line, the Mishimoto Performance Cold Air Intake with Air Box (in Wrinkle Black) is also sought after by a number of customers who drive the 2022-2024 WRX. This innovative intake features a wire-reinforced lower induction hose that stands sturdy under extreme suction and boost while delivering a unique and aggressive tone during acceleration. Mishimoto's design which includes an enclosed, protective airbox, creatively amplifies turbocharger spool and BPV sounds confirming it to be a great air intake choice engineered specifically for the 2022+ Subaru WRX.
Moving forward with our next featured item, we need to go to the other side of the world and introduce a brand based in Australia, a country that knows a thing or two about motorsports, enhancing performance and developing innovation. A manufacturer of high-performance engine components and specialists in the development of boost control accessories, Turbosmart is an organization founded on a true passion for automotive engineering, competition, high-performance engines, and motorsports. Turbosmart's CEO and founder Nic Cooper launched this business from his parent's garage where he hand-crafted his freshmen run of aftermarket parts including two of his first designs, the Turbosmart blow-off valve and boost controller. Cooper's drive to impact the aftermarket and performance industry, bring advances to motorsports, and contribute to victories across the competitive spectrum are clearly visible through the Turbosmart product line and in the quality of the designs offered each year. Since those humble beginnings in Australia, Turbosmart has climbed upward to provide the most extensive range of external wastegates, wastegate actuators, boost controllers, and blow-off valves in today's automotive world market. One product that has begun to turn some heads and gain definite attention within the Subimods customer base is the Turbosmart Kompact EM Series Dual Port Style Blow Off Valve for the 2022-2024 Subaru WRX. This innovative product serves as a noticeable upgrade to the Subaru factory valve. Turbosmart's Kompact EM Series replaces the stock solution with a piston style valve manufactured from Billet Aluminum. This enthusiast designed, competition tested product comes with full OEM integration engineered as a true plug and play upgrade solution for the WRX diverter valve. The product has no required adaptors, hoses or any extra assembly to become fully operational. This direct factory replacement will bring enhanced performance & reliability by holding more boost while being more responsive in any performance scenario. The EM Series provides a loud sound profile along with patented integrated pressure control including an integrated proprietary high-temperature solenoid valve, and "Boost-Balance Valve" technology.
There are some manufacturers and product lines that capture the eye of the most creative of car lovers due specifically to their attention to detail, style, and quality of materials used in their creation. The crew at the Pennsylvania based Billetworkz has worked diligently to build a brand with products that shine with style, quality, and craftsmanship while standing uniquely among their competitors in this massive marketplace. They have grown to become an industry leader and design specialists of some of the most intriguing precision-machined billet accessories for Subaru vehicles. Enthusiasts looking to apply a badge of both design innovation and stunning style to their vehicle are attracted to the Billetworkz product line whether they are choosing to lift the personality of their car's facade, or bring some positive attention to the cabin. Their premiere team of designers and engineers applies a perfect blend of quality manufacturing, sharp aesthetic ideals, and intelligent function to provide unparalleled artistry to the driver's blank canvas of expression. Any enthusiast who looks past the average, standard look and feel of other products will be naturally drawn to the Billetworkz list of offerings which provides a touch of luxury without being pretentious. Their primary selection of shift knobs, shifter kits, and other performance products have been widely available to the vast community of Subaru enthusiasts which is evident through their appearance from street to tracks around the world. One product that has been climbing in popularity within the Subimods customer base is their elegant and stylish Billetworkz Weighted Shift Knob with Japanese Engraving, designed specifically for use on 2015-2024 Subaru WRX with a 6 Speed Transmission. This luxurious, heavy-weight creation has been CNC machined and manufactured from 304 stainless steel guaranteeing an amazing feel for smooth shifting and fatigue-free functionality. Amplifying the style, Billetworkz has laser-engraved the shift patterns and logos permanently to ensure the aesthetic beauty lasts a lifetime. This product is available from a wide selection of colors, weights, sizes, and shapes which include their Sphere, Lightbulb, Teardrops, Piston, and Sledge shapes.
Subaru enthusiasts are always looking to take that next step to ascend. More often than not, a new enthusiast that has decided to take the modification route will often purchase assorted interior or exterior accessories for their car first before diving into the more costly, involved options. These items may include ones we have previously discussed, namely products like license plate holders or shift knobs. They might even invest in a new steering wheel, some attractive trim pieces, or stylish interior dash buttons or handles. Modifications like this are more personality than performance boosts, but applying an amazing design, the right color, a stylish look, and a superior quality product can bring both a vehicle and the driver to new heights of confidence and inspiration. To the detail-oriented driver, the smallest and (what some may consider) insignificant addition is the most important way to show your unique mark of creativity. Again, when the Subimods team looks over the purchases made by our customers during the first months of the year, it helps us see clearly what brands and products they not only like most, but also what level of quality and style they prefer to add to their cherished vehicle. Whether our customers need something to illuminate the exterior or enhance the presence of the interior, there is one brand that checks all the boxes for the most discerning Subaru fan. Many of the popular solutions we see month over month are provided by Molded Innovations, a team that offers an impressive array of products specifically developed and crafted to enhance the style of your chosen Subaru vehicle.
Looking to the car's exterior, we can first feature a product that has appeared on our most wanted and popularity lists for the past two years, the Molded Innovations EvoGlow Series DynamicLume LED Tail Lights, specifically the Light Smoke Lens with Black Base & Red Bar designed to fit the 2022-2024 WRX. These lights produce efficient clarity and brightness and bring brilliant craftsmanship to raise the profile of the Subaru WRX to new heights. Intelligently engineered, this product delivers numerous features including, a center brake light function allowing optional "F1 Pulse" for the motorsports driver, a sweeping sequential turn signal, and also a set of warm up and shut off sequence settings. This product is a direct replacement for stock lighting easing installation and making the modification less stressful. This lighting system has been engineered and tested to meet ISO 9002 and QS 9000 quality standards, DOT regulations, has been approved by the SAE, and is also FMVSS 108 compliant. Another product that has raised itself inside the ranks is the Molded Innovations Carbon Fiber Lockdown E-Brake Handle, a quick, easy, and elegant direct replacement for Subaru's stock component which will guarantee a second or third look from passengers and observers alike. One of the most stunning, and understated Molded Innovations products, the carbon fiber finish helps the overall design elevate the 2015-2024 Subaru WRX cabin with a more modern sense of style and competitive spirit.
If we dare to stand in front of a crowd of true enthusiasts and pose the question, "Who among us does not like wheels?", we can confirm that our inquiry would be quickly met by a silence or a somewhat confused response. Any experienced enthusiast will tell you that one way to begin a journey down modification road is to invest in a set of beautiful wheels and tires. This first step is a great way to exhibit your personality as an enthusiast, a driver, and unique creative. It is important to establish your vehicle's visual personality through its exterior style and aesthetic balance. A set of stylish, quality wheels can serve as the first foundation pieces for a car's modification journey, plainly because of the level of transformation that takes place through this visual change. Putting the enhancement of style and beauty aside, a quality set of wheels and tires will also solidify the vehicle's capability for handling and safety under extreme conditions whether on a daily drive or weekend competition. A vehicle outfitted with a set of Gram Lights wheels will confirm that this brand defines innovation and stylish wheel design. Well known within the enthusiast community, Gram Lights wheels are manufactured by the Japanese company Rays who has been a provider of aftermarket excellence in motorsports circles for years. Their hybrid machining and manufacturing process has led this brand to providing their customers with an optimal wheel product that will attract eyes and create conversations at every turn. Gram Lights’ wide offerings allows the most creatively inspired enthusiast to select the most appropriate design for their platform and choose the perfect color, hole configuration, spoke designs, and finish to align directly with their original inspired modification concept. Most importantly, they have created a strong but lightweight wheel which will allow proper clearance for most big brake modifications. The Gram Lights 57DR Wheel, in their Bronze II finish (18x9.5 5x114.3 38mm Offset), based on the popular Rays 57D, is another product that has proven to be a preferred wheel choice among Subimods customers at the first half of 2025. It is easy to confirm that the Gram Lights 57DR was manufactured to handle the most stressful challenges met by both the high-performance sports car and the daily driver who may meet unwanted extreme road conditions.
Many times the most challenging issue can be addressed with a simple, ingenious solution. Experienced enthusiasts will tell you that some of the most complex, overly engineered products are often more of an obstacle to progress than the streamlined simplicity required to get the job done. We've seen a number of companies, some already mentioned, take a straight line view of a problem and follow through with an equally direct response to rectify the issue. The Virginia based company Mach V Motorsports has been a source for Subaru enthusiasts for over a quarter century. Their expertise with turbo vehicles and performance solutions for a number of platforms, Mach V might be one of the last providers that would come up with such a simple but effective solution to a common problem, but the mark of success set by our customers shows that one of their product offerings has started to gain momentum. The MACH V Accessport Vent Dock Mount specifically designed for the 2022-2024 Subaru WRX has solved a simple, but annoying dilemma that many enthusiasts have been dealing with for years. They understood that most device mount designs were not very stable or fully functional due to the limited thought behind what the driver really needs to firmly hold a device like an access port in place under all driving conditions. They appreciated the dash vent designs and options but none on the market were robust enough to maintain position or protect the device from falling to the floor. Magnetic options didn't work and other units manufactured from plastic disintegrated from high cabin temperatures making them useless and ineffective in helping the driver. The designers at MACH V produced their own solution, but with the same injection molded, UV-stabilized plastic material used to manufacture the dashboard vents installed in the stock vehicle. When installed it takes on a seamless, stock look blending into the original vent material while creating a stable, secure solution to mount the access point for easy manipulation by the driver when required. Also, unlike what they found with competitors designs, their product does not obstruct the flow of air which was confirmed by their extensive product testing and measured evaluations.
Subimods allows you to take a more detailed look at a wide range of quality products from a plethora of manufacturers from around the globe. This first part of our two part series will hopefully guide many to products they can add to upcoming modification projects.
We would be very interested in your thoughts regarding this article along with the companies and products featured within.
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Bryon Turcotte - Managing Editor/Writer
Turcotte has worked as a writer, journalist, and digital content developer for 30 years. He began his career in music journalism in 1995 then worked for several years as both a staff writer, managing editor, and a freelancer for both regional and national music publications. Over the next three decades his contributions extended beyond the music industry as he served within the realms of higher education, science and technology, manufacturing, and finance. He has been serving as a content developer and writer on the Subimods Marketing team since August 2023.
