As I walk out of my apartment every day, I run into a first-gen Subaru Impreza that’s parked in various spots on my street. It’s a run-of-the-mill example in average condition, which has determined a company that buys old cars and parts them out to put a flier in its window. So, why, then, is the Gen I Impreza we have here such a big deal and why do I expect its current Bring a Trailer presence to become a respectable six-figure affair? Well, this machine happens to be a 1998 Impreza 22B STI, which is probably the most worshiped Scooby of all times.
With the Japanese carmaker having canceled the STI version of the new WRX earlier this year, fans love the old ones even more. Hey, actress/car vlogger Emelia Hartford recently introduced a 22B tribute build known as Tomato. After all, what’s not to love about a limited edition that celebrated Subaru’s 40th anniversary back in 1998, as well as the company’s utter dominance in the WRC (World Rally Championship)?
You see, Subaru’s 1990s rallying success led to the introduction of the first Impreza WRX (World Rally Experimental) in 1992, with the OG Impreza WRX STI coming along two years later. Sure, the brand couldn’t quite win them all going forwards, but it grabbed the manufacturers’ title in 1995, 1996, and 1997, with the latter even marking the first WRC rules replacing the former Group A regulations.
As such, the Japanese carmaker gifted the ’98 22B STI with the best of the best. A larger 2.2L turbo-four boxer was officialy rated at 280 hp as part of the JDM (Japanese Domestic Market) 1988 agreement to cap power at the said level.
In reality, the engine makes more, while being mated to a close-ratio five-speed manual. And the coupe body style available at the time was selected as the starting point, with this receiving a glorious widebody.
It’s worth noting that rally-inspired features like the driver-adjustable, electronically-locking center diff and the adjustable rear wing are matched with automatic climate control for cozy hooning.
Subaru only built 400 units of the 22B STI for the JDM, while 16 went to the UK, 5 to Australia, and 3 were prototypes. Naturally, anybody who knows about the strict 25-year US vehicle import legislation—cars younger than that must comply with DOT crash safety standards and EPA emission standards—might wonder how this Japanese unit is legal in America.
This is a show or display car until next year
Well, unit #005 here was imported under the NHTSA show or display rules in July 2020 by a previous owner. The dealer currently selling the car then bought this out of Oregon in October 2021 and is now offering it in Texas with full manufacturer, importation, and show or display documents, as well as service records—the vehicle comes with a clean Oregon title.
This means that, until the vehicle turns 25 next year, its annual mileage can’t exceed 2,500. In addition, the buyer needs to apply for a new show and display approval from the NHTSA—the seller claims the process isn’t complicated and offers assistance in this respect.
In the images and videos provided by the seller, the 22B seems to be in impeccable condition. The vehicle has 88,000 km (55,000 miles) on the clock. And while this has been repainted by the previous owner, it continues to sport the factory Rally Blue Pearl shade (Glasurit 74F Sonic Blue Mica paint was used).
What about the price?
The listing expires tomorrow, with the highest bid sitting at $162,222 at the time of press. However, a 22B STI offered on Bring a Trailer in April last year, which had half the mileage, went for a jaw-dropping $312,555, so we’d be surprised if the final bid is in the same league as the said one.
Meanwhile, you can check out a cold engine start in the YouTube clip below (imaginary WRC stage scenery passing by at amazing speeds not included).
