﹒Rare JDM version of the Subaru Forester with ‘Twisted’ body kit

﹒230+ bhp

﹒Just 51,678 miles on the clock

﹒Limited version with embossed front seats and STI pedals

S/tb-STI versions of the Forester were not officially imported into the UK, but those with an ounce of knowledge of Subaru history will comprehend what the STI badge signifies. While we were not completely denied a fast version of the Forester (UK spec 2.0 S-Turbo models pumped out around 170bhp) the Japanese market S/tb-STI model added at least another 60 or so BHP. This example was imported into the UK in late 2018 and has had just the one owner since then. It comes with the Japanese auction condition report as well as recent UK Subaru Service history. This model is the Automatic Limited version, with embossed front seats and STI pedals.

When you think of up and coming classic cars, your mind wanders over to the legions of hot hatches, luxury cars or uncompromising sports cars. But 4x4 cars tend to get overlooked. There are notable exceptions courtesy of Land Rover, but the Japanese have also built up an incredible legacy of excellent off-road vehicles over the years, and the Subaru is just such a vehicle. The chassis was developed from the Impreza, with much of the suspension and engine hardware off its little sister too. This sets the grounding for the skills the Forester possesses. It offers a decent compromise of talent if you don’t want to go full off-road, and given the brand's reputation for their most famous product, the Forester has also proven to be utterly reliable, well made and practical.

This Subaru Forester S/tb-STi was delivered to the current owner straight from Japan as a personal import in 2019. He has not felt the urge to change or add anything on the car and it represents an honest example of a standard STI, although it is believed that the exhaust system is an upgraded non-factory stainless steel item. The owner wasn’t looking for a STI in particular but was looking for something different, having owned a string of classic cars including an ’83 Mercedes 200, and a ‘65 Triumph Herald. This suggests an owner who likes their cars and the need to find something interesting as a daily driver. With its criteria of reliability, pace and practicality, the Subaru came up as the obvious choice. As a workhorse, it comes into its own, having helped the owner move premises several times. The car also appealed to the owner's sense of fun, with its torquey engine and superb performance specification. So, why would you want to sell something that offers almost everything? The short answer is a recently acquired 1985 Mercedes 280TE. Therefore the Subaru needs to go to free up space.

Being an import, it has a different spec to UK bound cars which include a full factory ‘Twisted’ body kit and spoiler, factory wind deflectors, factory 17” forged Monoblock rims, factory Momo steering wheel and factory tinted windows. The speedometer calibration has been changed from Kilometers to miles.

As a Japanese personal import, it is rare for any car to come with meaningful paperwork. With that in mind, much of the history is from the UK, although it does have a Japanese auction condition report. The car has been used as a daily driver, so it has seen regular servicing and minor issues addressed in good time. As soon as the car hit the UK it was treated to a full service at Subaru Service Sheffield, followed by under-sealing treatment by Treat Rust in Halifax. To prepare the car for sale, it has just last month seen a service at a main Subaru dealer. The car's good overall shape and low miles suggested to the current owner that it probably didn’t have many owners in Japan. The car has an MOT until the beginning of 2021 and will not be sold with the current registration plate, it will revert back to the 51 plate the car was supplied with.

For fans of the absurd Japanese graphics, there's an aftermarket Alpine CD/Minidisc head unit with dancing graphics. One of the advantages of a direct import are the neat touches that give the car an additional authentic feel such as a Japanese toll card detector in the glovebox which speaks Japanese to you when the car fires up. The interior plastics are said to be in a presentable state with no major issues, just age-related minor wear and tear. The seats and carpets are in good condition with no rips or tears. Care has clearly been taken during the car's British ownership and the owner has proudly informed us that the interior has been spared of animals and sticky-fingered children.

The subtle Pearlescent Black paint doesn’t shout Subaru at all, and this could be one of the car's main stealth points. In terms of condition, the car is in solid order all around, with the only real area of damage evident on the off-side front door, where an errant wheelie bin rolled into the car. The Subaru has not seen any welding while it’s been in the UK, and the owner assures us that there are no signs of major rust. The wheels are in very good shape, with the exception of a single scrape which happened in a moment of distraction - the wheel itself is not cracked. The paint finish is decent, but would probably benefit from machine polishing. There are a few surface marks on the body, which is to be expected for a car approaching 20 years old. The area around the front grille shows signs of loose paint.

It does not consume oil or coolant, there are no unusual noises when the car is on the move with no knocks or clunks. Everything is smooth and tight. The importer replaced the timing belt at the main Subaru dealer prior to delivery. Additional items include replacement tie rods ends, as well as a fresh set of Michelin CrossClimates tyres. A precautionary replacement radiator and an adjustment to the AC belt has also been carried out.

Let's get the negatives out of the way first, it's not the most graceful looking puppy out there. However, you’re not going to be looking at it when driving. If you are looking for serious off-road abilities, then it may struggle on the Alpine Pass, but it's also worth remembering that farmers have bought Subarus since they were first imported in the late ‘70s and swear by them. The low centre of gravity means it remains stable where it really matters - on the road. The performance is certainly worth mentioning again but it's such a pleasant car to be in, the cabin is generous with equipment and it is nice to drive. Fog, rain, rubbish roads and ice? No problem. The car is in its best elements dealing with the weather. The difference is that you can really have some fun at the same time. 

**The photos in this listing have been provided to us by the seller **

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