After three consecutive WRC constructors' championships in 1995, 1996 and 1997, Subaru shared its achievements with its fans as best it knew how, by designing the ultimate version of the dominating Impreza, the Subaru Impreza 22B STi.
Introduced in 1998, and coinciding with the Japanese manufacturer's 40th birthday, the Impreza 22B STi seemed made out of every Impreza fan's dreams and desires.
It was produced in 424 units — 400 for Japan, 16 for the UK, five for Australia and three more prototypes — making it one of the most exclusive Imprezas ever.
So, as you can imagine, it's not every day that Impreza 22B comes on sale, so we highlight this unit currently on sale by 4 Star Classics, in the UK. The limited number of units can also help justify the asking price: £99,995, equivalent to almost 116 500 euros.
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What made the Impreza 22B STi special?
If the Impreza WRX and WRX STi were already pretty special machines, the 22B STi took everything to a new level — beefier, bigger engine with more torque (and rumored to be more power than the official 280 hp), wider and wider chassis improved.
Derived from the coupé body of the Impreza, it was more muscular: the bonnet was unique, the fenders as well — the Subaru Impreza 22B STi was 80 mm wider and the wheels grew from 16″ to 17″ — the bumpers were inspired by those used by the Impreza WRC and even received an adjustable rear wing.
The four-cylinder boxer grew from 2.0 l (EJ20) to 2.2 l (EJ22), with power settling at 280 hp and torque at 363 Nm. five-speed manual gearbox, with the clutch being a double disc.
The suspension came from Bilstein, the braking system was enhanced with STi items, with the calipers being painted red. With a modest (for today) 1270 kg, the Impreza 22B STi launched itself to 100 km/h in just 5.3s and reached a maximum speed of 248 km/h.
#196/400
The unit to be sold is the 196th of the 400 originals destined for Japan. It has only 40 thousand kilometers and inside, the Nardi steering wheel and a leather-coated case handle, with red stitching, stand out; or the turbo pressure gauge and oil temperature on the A-pillar. Underneath the bonnet, the 4 Stars Classics says that everything looks like it's original, except for the radiator shield, from Zero Sports.
The unit was registered in July 1998 and comes with all the maintenance history carried out in Japan, as well as the original manuals.
Without a doubt, a unique occasion or close to it to acquire the most special of the Imprezas. But is the Subaru Impreza 22B STi worth almost 116 500 euros?
