The Subaru Impreza needs to be one of the crucial generally tuned automobiles of the previous couple of a long time. When you’re studying this, I’d wager you personally know somebody who has an Impreza 2.5RS, WRX or WRX STI making 400 to 800HP. You’ve in all probability pushed one, or been in a single, or at the very least seen one on the freeway belching black exhaust.
I simply acquired again from England the place I drove a GC8 Impreza (which Subaru constructed between 1992 and 1999) with just below 450 HP. Prodrive constructed it, they name it the P25 and getting one would price you round $600k, to begin—supplied that they weren’t already bought out, which they’re. So what’s the distinction between a $600k GC8 Impreza and the one which’s sitting in my barn proper now?
Nicely, to begin with, the P25 was constructed by Prodrive, the corporate that’s in all probability most answerable for your curiosity in Subaru, after Subaru. And earlier than Polyphony Digital. Within the Nineteen Nineties and early 2000s Prodrive was the English Racing store that helped Subaru go from a maker of semi-goofy, lovable little automobiles to a maker of semi-goofy, lovable little automobiles and world-beating rally automobiles.
Collectively, the 2 companies received six WRC championships—three driver’s and three producer’s. Subaru’s success in rally helped construct the model and threw off road-going, turbocharged, all-wheel drive efficiency variations of the Legacy after which Impreza. At the moment, probably the most sought-after of these is the 1998 Subaru Impreza 22B STI, constructed to have fun 40 years of Subaru and three WRC producer’s titles. There have been solely 424 of these constructed, partly to homologate the rally automotive, they usually’re now buying and selling arms within the low six-figure vary. This doubtless prompted Prodrive, lengthy since out of the Subaru stage rally enterprise to assume, “Huh. We may make one thing like that.”
So, now you’ve 25 Prodrive P25s, which Prodrive designed to exceed the efficiency of not simply the 22B, however the precise WRC automotive that impressed the 22B — the automotive that you simply purchase a 22B to fake you’re driving.
Paying Prodrive to take time away from its fundamental enterprise of constructing racecars and operating race groups to get a GC8 shell to that stage of efficiency with daily-driver/weekend automotive reliability is pricey, however I’m right here to inform you, it’s price it.
There are a variety of actually good restomod Porsche 911s on the market, with Singer being regarded as the top so far as worth, refinement, high quality and desirability go. When you put an early Singer on a elevate and search for, you’ll see a variety of aftermarket Porsche elements that almost any air-cooled Porsche nerd would acknowledge. They’d unbelievable interiors, fantastic engines, excruciating consideration to element, a model/look, and so on. However what you have been truly paying for was plenty of hours of growth to make the entire thing work.
I can keep in mind early-Jalopnik contributor Davey G. Johnson telling me that the primary Singer he drove felt like a $90,000 automotive in one of the simplest ways doable. As a result of Singers price much more than that, it could possibly be learn as an insult, however what he truly meant was that it didn’t really feel like a tuned model of an previous automotive. It felt like a automotive that an actual OEM had spent OEM-levels of growth money and time on, dialing within the a whole bunch of element elements, finishes and methods in order that all the things felt not simply good or enjoyable, however coherent and regarded — like a automotive that Audi may cost round 100 grand for. That’s basically what you’re getting right here, however with much more edge.
The perimeters are intentional, and the entire package deal is fairly refined for what it’s. However, as a result of it’s a Subaru and never a 911, a number of the customized particulars—LED headlights, taillights, don’t land as satisfyingly as they might. The Prodrive models are superbly made and appear to work properly, however there are too many dangerous aftermarket kits on the market to enterprise too far afield from the extra “OEM” look we noticed on the P25 idea that debuted at Goodwood final 12 months. (I consider that automotive grew to become the automotive pictured right here.) It’s a matter of context, not execution, and sure, a matter of private choice.
The paintwork on the largely carbon bodywork is superb, and sturdy sufficient to resist me placing a wheel within the gravel on my observe drive (which the Prodrive people have been thrilled about). The colour, which isn’t World Rally Blue, was combined particularly for this automotive and is ideal, although Prodrive lets clients identify their most popular code for each the physique and the Prodrive wheels. The roof pores and skin, trunk lid, mirrors, hood, rear wing and fenders are all carbon.
The inside isn’t precisely luxurious—that is nonetheless an previous Impreza— nevertheless it’s very good, all carbon fiber and fake suede with a reimagined heart console and digital gauge cluster. House owners picked from 25 inside colours and had the choice of a normal seat, reclining carbon seat or a hard and fast racing sort seat. You could possibly choice a digital readout for the passenger and a foot relaxation with a bit of horn button in your buddy who needs to play co-driver. The toggle swap on the fitting within the picture beneath prompts full-power mode, which is humorous since you already thought you have been in full-power mode.
The motor is an EJ25, such as you’d discover in a last-generation STi, however closely modified by Prodrive. The result’s 444 HP, which doesn’t appear massively spectacular till you take into account that this motor is able to reliably delivering sprints to 60 in beneath three seconds. That’s doable as a result of the entire automotive solely weighs round 2500 lbs or about the identical as a ND Miata RF.
Relating to the P25’s driving expertise, the burden is the quantity that issues. The automotive is simply so desperate to speed up, flip, rotate and cease. The steering is fast and lightweight, the massive AP Racing brakes are extremely robust and can pin you all the way in which to the harness.
In my arms, it delivered the weight-transfer sensation you get from an previous automotive because of the compliant suspension, with the acceleration, grip and braking of a contemporary hypercar. It’s unimaginable to think about a contemporary, AWD automotive behaving this manner and albeit, I don’t understand how you’d get the burden down anyway. It’s pure magic.
We drove on a tough, slender little observe on the UK’s Millbrook testing facility. The P25’s specifically tuned and totally adjustable Bilstein suspension delivered huge management and ideal damping. That is the place the event cash has gone, and it’s actually what you’re paying for. You may throw the very best, most unique or costly aftermarket elements on the earth at your private Subaru, however there actually is not any substitute for spending numerous hours at a observe with actual engineers and growth drivers.
The efficiency street automotive transmission hierarchy is as follows: 1. Standard Guide. 2. Sequential 3. Multi-clutch 4. Standard Automated 5. CVT. Whereas the 22B got here with a traditional handbook, the 25B comes with a single-paddle, clutched, 6-speed automated handbook sequential gearbox constructed by Prodrive.
Personally, I would like a traditional handbook, however I’d be mendacity if I mentioned the sequential wasn’t enjoyable to function, particularly when you choose 1st in a crowd, and everybody seems to be as a result of it sounds just like the transmission internals have been simply forcibly ejected from their case. It additionally has an digital lively heart diff that all the time appears to be sending energy to precisely the place you need it. It would additionally disconnect the rear finish while you hit the hydraulic handbrake.
I’ve little question that some readers might be unmoved by the above, and it’s completely high quality to consider that you can construct a sooner Subaru for much less. Nonetheless, I’d want some actual convincing to consider you can construct one which’s higher.
In the end although, it doesn’t matter. Twenty-five P25s have been made, and 25 have been bought, all to individuals who very doubtless didn’t need to assume twice about spending greater than half one million {dollars} on a Subaru. In the long run, the real-deal 22B will in all probability be a greater funding, even when it’s not nearly as good to drive. Hopefully, the P25s see a variety of observe time within the interim.
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