The Subaru Impreza must be some of the generally tuned automobiles of the previous few a long time. In case 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 most likely pushed one, or been in a single, or at the least seen one on the freeway belching black exhaust.

I simply bought 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 value you round $600k, to begin—offered 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, initially, the P25 was constructed by Prodrive, the corporate that’s most likely most liable 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 corporations gained 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. Right now, probably the most sought-after of these is the 1998 Subaru Impreza 22B STI, constructed to rejoice 40 years of Subaru and three WRC producer’s titles. There have been solely 424 of these constructed, partly to homologate the rally automobile, and so they’re now buying and selling fingers within the low six-figure vary. This seemingly prompted Prodrive, lengthy since out of the Subaru stage rally enterprise to suppose, “Huh. We might make one thing like that.”

So, now you’ve got 25 Prodrive P25s, which Prodrive designed to exceed the efficiency of not simply the 22B, however the precise WRC automobile that impressed the 22B — the automobile that you just purchase a 22B to faux you’re driving.

Paying Prodrive to take time away from its principal enterprise of constructing racecars and operating race groups to get a GC8 shell to that stage of efficiency with daily-driver/weekend automobile reliability is dear, however I’m right here to inform you, it’s value it.

There are numerous actually good restomod Porsche 911s on the market, with Singer being considered the head so far as value, refinement, high quality and desirability go. In case you put an early Singer on a raise and lookup, you’ll see numerous aftermarket Porsche elements that virtually any air-cooled Porsche nerd would acknowledge. They’d unbelievable interiors, great engines, excruciating consideration to element, a model/look, and many others. However what you have been really paying for was a number of hours of growth to make the entire thing work.

I can bear in mind early-Jalopnik contributor Davey G. Johnson telling me that the primary Singer he drove felt like a $90,000 automobile in one of the best ways attainable. As a result of Singers value much more than that, it may very well be learn as an insult, however what he really meant was that it didn’t really feel like a tuned model of an outdated automobile. It felt like a automobile that an actual OEM had spent OEM-levels of growth money and time on, dialing within the a whole lot of element elements, finishes and techniques in order that all the things felt not simply good or enjoyable, however coherent and regarded — like a automobile that Audi would possibly cost round 100 grand for. That’s primarily what you’re getting right here, however with much more edge.

The sides 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 items are fantastically 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 imagine that automobile grew to become the automobile pictured right here.) It’s a matter of context, not execution, and sure, a matter of private desire.

The paintwork on the largely carbon bodywork is excellent, and sturdy sufficient to face up to me placing a wheel within the gravel on my observe drive (which the Prodrive of us have been thrilled about). The colour, which isn’t World Rally Blue, was blended particularly for this automobile and is ideal, although Prodrive lets prospects title 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 outdated Impreza— but it surely’s very good, all carbon fiber and pretend suede with a reimagined middle console and digital gauge cluster. Homeowners picked from 25 inside colours and had the choice of an ordinary seat, reclining carbon seat or a hard and fast racing kind seat. You could possibly choice a digital readout for the passenger and a foot relaxation with a bit horn button in your buddy who desires to play co-driver. The toggle swap on the appropriate within the photograph under 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 attainable as a result of the entire automobile solely weighs round 2500 lbs or about the identical as a ND Miata RF.

In relation to the P25’s driving expertise, the load is the quantity that issues. The automobile is simply so desperate to speed up, flip, rotate and cease. The steering is fast and lightweight, the big AP Racing brakes are extremely robust and can pin you all the way in which to the harness.

In my fingers, it delivered the weight-transfer sensation you get from an outdated automobile due to the compliant suspension, with the acceleration, grip and braking of a contemporary hypercar. It’s unattainable to think about a contemporary, AWD automobile behaving this fashion and admittedly, I don’t know the way you’d get the load 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 absolutely 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 possibly can throw the very best, most unique or costly aftermarket elements on the earth at your private Subaru, however there actually isn’t any substitute for spending numerous hours at a observe with actual engineers and growth drivers.

The efficiency highway automobile transmission hierarchy is as follows: 1. Typical Handbook. 2. Sequential 3. Multi-clutch 4. Typical Computerized 5. CVT. Whereas the 22B got here with a traditional guide, the 25B comes with a single-paddle, clutched, 6-speed automated guide sequential gearbox constructed by Prodrive.

Personally, I would like a traditional guide, 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 appears as a result of it sounds just like the transmission internals have been simply forcibly ejected from their case. It additionally has an digital energetic middle diff that at all times appears to be sending energy to precisely the place you need it. It should additionally disconnect the rear finish if you hit the hydraulic handbrake.

I’ve little question that some readers shall be unmoved by the above, and it’s completely fantastic to imagine that you would construct a quicker Subaru for much less. Nevertheless, I’d want some actual convincing to imagine you would 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 seemingly didn’t must suppose twice about spending greater than half one million {dollars} on a Subaru. In the long run, the real-deal 22B will most likely be a greater funding, even when it’s not nearly as good to drive. Hopefully, the P25s see numerous observe time within the interim.