It’s been 25 years since Subaru, with the aid of Prodrive, entered the first Impreza WRC rally car in the World Rally Championship, and to mark the anniversary Prodrive has come up with something special.
The British motorsports and engineering company has developed a modern interpretation of the iconic Impreza 22B STI launched by Subaru in 1998 to celebrate the Subaru World Rally Team’s hat trick of World Rally Championship titles between 1995 and 1997.
Prodrive’s car is called the P25, and it was revealed on Monday ahead of the formal debut at this week’s 2022 Goodwood Festival of Speed in the U.K. Just 25 examples are destined to be built, with customer deliveries due to start later this year. As for the 22B, 424 of them were built, all of them with right-hand drive.
The P25 is based on the coupe version of the GC8-generation Impreza of the 1990s, and closely matches the design of the 22B. Responsible for the modern car’s design was Peter Stevens, who styled the original Impreza WRC. There aren’t any pink STI badges, but there’s no missing the pumped rear fenders and shelf-like rear wing borrowed from the 22B’s design. The P25 also features enlarged intakes up front and aerodynamically shaped side mirrors.
Performance is a major step up on the 22B, as you may have guessed. Power comes from a Subaru turbocharged 2.5-liter flat-4 that has been completely reworked by Prodrive, receiving new internals, a Garrett motorsports-spec turbocharger, high-flow intake and intercooler systems, and an Akrapovic exhaust. The engine delivers over 400 hp and sends power to all four wheels via a 6-speed sequential transmission. The 22B featured a turbocharged 2.2-liter flat-4 and 5-speed manual. While it was officially rated at 276 hp, the real output was closer to 300 hp.
1998 Subaru Impreza 22B STI
The P25 also has a WRC-style launch control system, which combines a fly-by-wire throttle and clutch in the floor mounted pedal box to automatically take the car through first, second and third gear to achieve lightning acceleration from standstill without any driver intervention. Prodrive estimates a 0-60 mph time of less than 3.5 seconds for its P25.
The suspension features MacPherson struts with aluminium uprights that can be tuned for camber. There are also Bilstein dampers that are adjustable for compression and rebound, while the springs and anti-roll bars also feature their own specific tuning. Completing the mechanical package is an adjustable active center differential, as well as limited-slip differentials front and rear, and AP Racing brakes. Extensive use of carbon-fiber and other composite materials means the car weighs less than 2,645 pounds.
The price tag for a P25 is set at 460,000 British pounds (approximately $563,000).
“The original 22B Impreza is considered the most iconic of Subarus and highly sought after,” David Richards, Prodrive’s chairman, said in a statement. “We wanted to enhance everything that made that car so special by applying the very latest technology to create our own modern interpretation of a car that’s established a place in motoring history.”
Visitors at the Goodwood Festival of Speed will get to see the P25 in action. The festival runs June 23-26, and you can catch our full coverage over at our dedicated hub.