TORQUE GT ● BLOG
Being a kid in the 90's watching Colin McRae dominating the world rally stages gave me the Petrolhead obsession and my overall love for Subaru. With my fathers influence, a motorsports photographer through the 80’s & 90’s covering WRC, F1, Le Mans and the Paris Dakar to name a few, I grew up surrounded by motorsport. So chasing a 22B over the moors in an RA-R is one of those moments I'll never forget!
Over 20 years since its launch the Subaru Impreza 22B has grown into a proper automotive icon. Famous for its World Rally heritage this blue and gold legend has received a massive value increase, often fetching six figure pricetags! Ok, so you may think spending this kind of money on a blue Impreza is crazy but if you're looking to invest in cars, looking at limited run / homologation specials is a wise choice that has been adopted by top car collectors for many years.
To put this into further context a 555 Sonic Blue 22B isn't just any Impreza. It was created to celebrate Subaru's 40th anniversary and winning three World Rally Championship constructors titles. Not to mention the driver's world title with none other than the legendary Colin McRae. Its safe to say, this wasn't some rushed vanity project, as you'd expect Subaru did it properly.
Starting with a WRX Type R chassis (Not a bad starting point) Subaru applied a bespoke wide body inspired from the WRC winning car. A unique bonnet, wide front and rear arches, a WRC style front bumper and an adjustable rear wing makes this arguably the coolest embodiment of all time.
Behind the wheel it's hard not to get fixated on the 22B's engine. As you flex your right foot and feel the kick in the back and you know Subaru did something internally to make this Impreza like no other!
By opening up the flat four EJ20 to 2.2 litres makes the EJ22 mid range feels noticebly punchier. Whatever the gentlemen's agreement suggests it's impossible to believe the 2.2 is running the same power as the 2.0, it must be magic...
For stopping power, 4-pot front and 2-pot rear brakes were fitted alongside red STI calipers. Now a classic blue Impreza wouldn't be complete without the iconic gold wheels, increased in diameter to 17 inches, the BBS RG334 gold wheels were uniquely designed for the 22B, you wouldn't want to curb these!
Place yourself into the STi bucket seats and immediately you feel like you're in something rally derived. Greeted by a gorgeous Nardi wheel and a beautifully simple white speedo and rev counter. All through the cabin are accents of red stitching and you lose count of the vivid pink STi logos. You can tell Subaru Tecnica International were proud of this one... A plaque in the centre of the cabin shows the model number of each of the 400 cars made for the Japanese domestic market. Other cool features include a diff lock control and an intercooler water spray function for when temps get a little too toasty.
JDM fan or not, you can understand why the 22B could roll into any dream garage... a time capsule of rally inspired heaven.
You may have noticed from the title that we're not just here to glorify the 22B. Teleport forward a decade and Subaru's RA-R punches it's way into the family tree. The 'Subaru Impreza WRX STi Spec C RA-R' is quicker along a moorland road than it is to say. Oh and RA-R stands for 'Record Attempt - Racy'... We're not kidding.
By the time Subaru came around to producing the RA-R in 2007 their track record had grown somewhat, having won the WRC drivers world title a further two times in 2001 and 2003 with Richard Burns and Petter Solberg. The latter was infact quoted saying the RA-R was the closest you could get to a Rally car experience in a production car of that era. It's clear Subaru created an astonishing weapon with the RA-R.
I'm certainly not branding it ugly but but compared to the 22B the RA-R may struggle in a beauty contest. Arguably designed for function over form, the Hawkeye is still the more favoured new age Impreza shape but many scooby fans will tend to say nothing beats a classic Impreza.
When it comes to top trumps the RA-R has the 22B licked though. It's twin scroll EJ20 puts out 316bhp & 318lb ft compared to the 22B's supposed 276bhp & 268lb ft. The RA-R's linear power delivery between 2000-8000rpm is remarkable, any gear, any rev, plant your right foot and its much like hitting light speed in the Millennium Falcon!
A weight saving exercise was introduced for the car with reduced soundproofing, thinner glass, a lighter battery and even a thinner roof. Everything is ramped up to create the most intense and rewarding Impreza for the driver. For instance the steering is quicker, the brakes are beefier with Brembo six-piston callipers. For handling the suspension has been lowered, with STi aluminium pillow-ball lateral links with bushings. It sits on 8.5x18” rally-esque white STi wheels making it look ready to tackle the Col de Turini.
Only 300 RA-R's were made making it rarer than the 22B. Of the 300 just 50 were finished in 'Sport Yellow 2' and the others were split equally into 125 examples each, painted 'Pure White' and 'WR Rally Blue Mica'. The RA-R's exterior is rather modest, branded with a pink outline around the front grill and RA-R badge on the aluminium boot lid.
Subaru really have managed to produce two fantastic cars in two very different era's. Step out of the newer car and into the 22B and you'll be astounded as to how good the rally legend feels given it's twice the age. You'd think after driving a much newer incarnation it would be somewhat lacking... Not the case!
Being an older car you may assume it has a stiff-legged, crashy ride, but actually its amazing how well suited it seems to be blasting over a moorland road. There's so much feel through the thin-rimmed Nardi wheel, making the car feel sharp and poised. It's analogue steering is a real highlight in a world of electric systems. In all honesty yes the RA-R is the quicker car on paper but in the 'real world' where you find yourself driving them back to back it's not night and day.
RA-R's are already appreciating but will they follow in the 22B's footsteps? We believe in time they will, but there's a little way to go until they're a 6 figure car...
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