Disc Brakes Australia (DBA), Australia’s leading manufacturer of replacement and performance brakes, has brought to market a new rotor application set to excite the Subaru community. The latest release, a two-piece 5000 SERIES performance rotor, was specifically developed for the 2022 Subaru WRX, effectively making it one of the first performance aftermarket rotors to allow the popular STI brake package with 4-pot Brembo front calipers to be installed on the vehicle.

Designed as a direct replacement to suit the Brembo calipers, the rotor offers a practical ‘bolt on, bolt off’ solution with no modifications required to the hub or other components. The rotor hat comes in a black finish for that extra sharp look through the wheel.

When it comes to braking performance, no two different rotor surfaces perform the same. That’s why DBA offers its 5000 SERIES in various surface configurations. Customers can choose between a cross-drilled and slotted pattern and DBA’s patented T3 slotting, based on their visual preference and driving style.

In more general terms, the 5000 SERIES performance rotor is DBA’s top-of-the-line product and is 100% designed and manufactured at its facilities in Silverwater (Sydney) / Australia. DBA’s history of world-leading research and development has led to a number of innovations and patents that can be witnessed in the 5000 SERIES range. Cast from high-carbon alloyed iron and undergoing a special Thermal Stability Profiling (TSP) treatment, the 5000 SERIES rotor metallurgy can handle the increased stress and heat generated under repeated, intense braking applications. With DBA’s patented internal ventilation design of 144 diamond and teardrop patterned pillars – dubbed the ‘Kangaroo Paw’ due to its resemblance of the animal’s footprint – the unique pattern achieves an up to 30% increase in surface area and a 20% improvement in cooling efficiency as compared to a common straight-vane design. Other DBA patents are the unique Thermographic Heat Paint (TGHP) stripes that change colour at certain temperature thresholds thus aiding with the heat management of the brake system, and aforementioned surface design options such as the patented, optional T3 slot design, which enhances pedal feel and the consistency and effectiveness of every brake stop.

DBA prides itself of its roots in brake rotor engineering and manufacturing, which started nearly 50 years ago as a small, family-owned business producing aftermarket brake rotors for General Motors and Ford applications. Today, DBA is Australia’s number one disc rotor manufacturer and complete ‘brake solution’ supplier. At the same time, it has also grown into a true global player, servicing the world through eight distribution centres across Australia, New Zealand and the USA, distributors on all continents, and direct export to over 30 countries. Since 2018 the business is owned by ASX-listed GUD Holdings Limited, one of Australia’s leading conglomerates of automotive parts brands.