Motorsport can make a car - and the Subaru Impreza WRX is the perfect example.
Prior to the model’s domestic launch in 1992, Subaru was a charming but oddball car company loved by farmers and those who lived off the beaten track thanks to its benchmark four-wheel-drive technology. It had dabbled in rallying, too, notably with the Legacy in 1991-2, through which the company began its association with Scottish rallying legend Colin McRae.
McRae would go on to be a figurehead for the company throughout the 1990s as the Legacy gave way to the Impreza and the car made a name for itself across the world’s rally community, making Subaru’s mid-size saloon something of an icon – a far cry from its competent but humble beginnings.
The WRX model debuted in Japan in 1992, the name standing for World Rally eXperimental. The rally-inspired technology included turbocharging, stiffer suspension, close-ratio transmission and a faster steering rack than on a standard model.
The WRX name became a Subaru standard throughout the rest of the Impreza’s life, with numerous special editions and ever more extreme performance packages, but even in standard 240PS form it was a fabulous car to drive.
This one is a first generation WRX STI (standing for Subaru Tecnica International), with 280bhp as opposed to the standard model’s 240bhp. It was built in 1996 and first registered in Japan, before coming to the UK in 2001. It was converted properly when it came, too, so unlike some imports it has an MPH speedo.
What appeals most about it, though, is its completely unspoilt originality. So many of these early cars were modified, chipped or otherwise “improved” by the modifying community during their lives, making a totally unbastardised example a rare thing indeed. This one is just perfect as it is. jTzbKSFpFVhffNgQvBz1Z7vnQzn16vIcPgb8aIlF.jpg511.8 KB
THE HISTORY AND PAPERWORK
UK V5C
MOT May 2024
Four previous UK owners
Manufactured 1996, imported 2001
Some invoices and old MOTS
Clifford immobiliser (Thatcham Cat 1)
Some old MOT certificates
All original import and registration documentation
Gold alloy wheels in exceptional condition, with recent new tyres
Panels are all straight and dent-free
Appears structurally good underneath
Rust-free rear arches and door bottoms
Welded repairs carried out with localised paint to rectify previous corrosion, picked up on 2021 and 2022 MOT tests and subsequently professionally rectified so the car is in solid condition all over
The market for Imprezas is strong at the moment thanks to the sheer amount of nostalgia there is for cars of the 1990s among those who couldn’t afford to buy them when new.
The biggest difficulty, though, is in finding the right car. With so many Imprezas being modified or given huge performance upgrades, finding a cherished, low-mileage and completely standard car is nearly impossible.
We say nearly… because you’ve just found it. Here’s your opportunity. It’s not one to miss.
Notice to bidders
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