Photo: Prodrive
British company Prodrive has unveiled its modern interpretation of the most iconic Subaru Impreza ever, the legendary 1998 Subaru Impreza 22B STi that commemorated the automaker’s 40th anniversary and its third consecutive manufacturer’s title in the World Rally Championship (WRC).
An official debut will take place later this week at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in the U.K. Called P25, the car will have a production run of just 25 units—far fewer than the 400+ original 22B STi models built for the Japanese domestic market.
Prodrive asked itself: what would the 22B be like if it was released today? Starting with an original two-door WRX body, the team fitted new carbon panels and managed to reduce the weight by 100 pounds. Lightweight carbon racing seats also contribute to the weight loss.
Photo: Prodrive
The P25 obviously gets a host of mechanical and technical upgrades. The list includes limited-slip differentials at both ends, an active centre differential, Bilstein dampers with adjustable bump and rebound, and AP Racing brakes. The 380mm front discs are clamped by six-piston calipers, while the 350mm rear discs have four-piston calipers.
For the engine, Prodrive worked on Subaru’s outgoing 2.5L boxer, giving it new lines, pistons, connecting rods and valve train, but most importantly a new Garrett turbocharger with a high-performance intercooler. The engine breathes and screams through an Akropovic titanium and stainless steel exhaust system.
What about the numbers? Output is 400 hp, while torque amounts to 443 lb-ft. A six-speed sequential gearbox can swap gears in 80 milliseconds. Launch control is also included, and the result is 0-100 km/h sprints in less than 3.5 seconds. For the record, the 22B STi cranked out 276 hp and was slower by more than a full second.
Photo: Prodrive
While there are no pictures of the interior yet, the company says it has recreated an authentic 1990s Impreza cabin using a combination of leather, Alcantara and carbon. A full-width, high-definition digital display gives it a super-modern twist and features a data logger. Optionally, customers can have the rear seats replaced by a partial roll cage.
Due to its high level of sophistication and especially its ultra-limited production, the Prodrive P25 starts at £460,000, which is roughly the equivalent of $730,000 at the current exchange rate. That’s slightly cheaper than the 22 copies of the Beetle restomod German tuner Milivié plans to make.
Keyword: Prodrive 25 Recreates the Most Iconic Subaru Impreza Ever