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    Classics World Japanese 26 November 2021

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF or read online from Scribd
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    115 views102 pages

    Classics World Japanese 26 November 2021

    Uploaded by

    Netko Bezimen
    Classics World Japanese 26 November 2021

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    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF or read online from Scribd
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    ESTA JJAPANESE| eR ee ee nee 4 D 7 A — we giiPtone JEVEARSIOREXPERTISE. SINCE 1947 Professional grade, high performance car care and detailing products. Market leading expertise for leather care and restoration. Come and see us at the Classic Car Show Birmingham NEC « 12-14 Nov 2021 « Hall 4, Stand 320 iring Live product demos « Special offers » Gift deals and more! aie elec M Orc e) Wheels - Clean/Protect Rerum een el Exterior Detailers/Polishes Tato OTe) eS oa ecm Ss nade * Restoration Products Sey ES rel yer ep Cee eaten ‘CLASSICS WORLD JAPANESE SUBARU IMPREZA. Kelsey Medio Tha Granary, Downs Cour, Yalding Hil Yalding, Maidstone Kent MET8 OAL Free Edin Sat a Ei: San Shon Email: inko@samsketon.co.uk Conor oc oi Hons, (speiseeiny eevee an Forde, on Sacro oe las, ou ‘Woe, foi Wine Ire: ol Sik Fina peltdedgr@gt.com ADVERTISEMENT SALES ‘arden Media Umied Monoging Director: Catherine Rowe Manoger 01238 £50245 0 4 Nal Hepden bockazhe@tondenmedia.co uk Soles Team: 01233 228751 tian Stone Tem@iondermedia co.uk MANAGEMENT Chief Executive: Stove Wisht Chief Operating Officer: Pi Weeden Manoging Director: Kevin McCormick Subscription Marketing Direcor: Gilllamber Retail Director: Sieve Brown Print Production Georgina Horns Print Production Controllers: Kelly Oriss ond Hayley Brown Subs Marketing Exee: Dove So ‘Affliate Marketing. Kole Chomberain DISTRIBUTION Distibuton in Greot Britain Matketforce UR} tc, 31d Floor, 161 Marsh Wall, london, £14 9AP Tl: 0330 390 6555 sbion in Nother felon and he ublic OF kelond Newspeeod Tol +353 23 886 3850 PRINTING Pensord ley cia 2021 9 ol gi sd Kaley Mei ‘Safin nome oe boing epedicon |S ing fone pubiohes Note jo conars eee BRRSIPASS Begapaple aed oa Sree propery ike gna permisono paral ‘epee ms have bee ire hom he eee eee tee mee peace erento Spee eee Be cerayeeetrertie rea Beggase speton Bathe Sle worwkelseyco.uk (KELSEY elcome to the latest issue of Classics World Japanese. This, along with two sister series focusing on cars from Germany cand Europe, will form a collection of publications focusing not on brands, but on individual aspects of our motoring heritage. In this series, we'll be locking at the very best classics Japan hos to offer, discussing their stories and driving them to see if they're everything our hearts promised. The latest in this series focuses upon o model which to @ generation was the ultimate in attainable poster cars The reputation of the Subaru Impreza hasn't always been among the most highly respected in all walks of life. Butas time passes, more and more people can see past the image and recognise it as one of the finest sports soloons of e generation. And not only that, but they represent excellent volue too. Aa Impreza Turbo 2000 is sill aan attainable classic, while for those with more to spend collectible spacials such as the PI make for excellent investments. Whatever level of the market you're looking in, there will be «an Impreza that’s right for you = We've looked at some of the best ‘examples of the best models while putting this publication together, we've delved into the history of the marque, ‘and we've examined the cars in the context ofits closest rival fo try 10 explain not only why these cars held the appeal that they did, but why that ‘oppeal has endured well into the 21 st century. Thank you for buying this bookazine. ‘We hope you'll have as much fun reading it as we did making it Sam Skelton, Editor ‘SUBARU IMPREZA 13 6 WINNING PERFORMANCE The story of Subaru, from manufacturer of tiny kei-cars to the World Rally Championship-vinning tour de force which created the legendary Impreza, 14 BUYING AN IMPREZA We guide you through the potential pitfalls of buying your very own Impreza Turbo 2000, WRX, or limited edition. 24 BON VOYAGE The Subaru Improza is the ideal Japanese classic for a cross-channel adventure. James Howe takes our project Turbo 2000 to France. 30 LIVING WITH AN IMPREZA Frederick Pendle tells us what it really like fo live with a Subaru Impreza as a day to day mode of transport. [sit as fun as you'd think? ICLASSICS WORLD JAPANESE 36 FIRST IMPREZAS COUNT The story of the Subaru Imprezo’s success in Britain, from the base models through to the P1 special dition and its emergence into classic status 40 INDIVIDUAL IMPREZA ‘A wholly personal toke on the Subaru Impreza theme, built by a man inspired by the car's rallying heritage and determined to create the best MODIFYING YOUR IMPREZA 56 IMPREZA DIAGNOSTICS IMPREZA FULL SERVICE We show you how to extract the Running faults prompted us to A guide to keeping your first very best from your firstgeneration take our project Turbo 2000 toa _—_generation Impreza in tip top fettle. Impreza, charting the best specialist, to learn just what can be Whether you use a specialist or modifications you can make to your gained from interrogating the ECU prefer DIY, we bring you all you performance classic. of a modern classic need to know. SYMPHONY OF SYMMETRY HEAD TO HEAD PROJECT CAR Just what is an Impreza Turbo 2000 The ultimate evolution of the first An abridged account of our time like to drive® We sent Jack Grover generation Subaru Impreza for with a Turbo 2000, tackling leaks, ‘out with our long term project car Britain was the P1. We put it against corrosion, brakes and fuses. Seems in order to find out just where the its closest rival; the bishi Lancer like a simple list? That's because ‘appeal lies. Evolution VI Tommi Makinen Edition, Imprezas don't often go wrong, ‘SUBARU IMPREZA | 5 WINNING P How Subaru came to develop the Impreza, and how it went on to conquer the World Rally Championship. sano Sma OOM ASE ACE menufecurr thot came fil farmers and county dwellers ghter in 1945. Natuelly, aeroplane to build F has it did to motorsport cure had to be abolished iconic sporting following the war, and Nakajim ofall ime ~ the Impreza WRK. company was renamed Fuji meant its products were als differen norm, and that appe 6 CLASSICS WORLD JAPANESE jima’s death) that remerged in 1953 to Industries Limited — inside the engine The first cor, he P-1, followed in ut didn’t get past the pr rst car to make produ stl nted in the rear, and the 360 by the Sombar minitruck pan’s improving finan ment of o larger car where Subaru for al that we a water- led flatfour boxer ond, unusually for «a Japanese monufacturer at ‘employed frontwheel drive. The Leone of 1971 proved a 3 car, sill using a boxer engine junch of the fe that proved pivotal tl co fime wh wheel drive meant road vehicle. The Jensen FF had olready proved how difficult it a huge, SUBARU IMPREZA 17 ta oa Subaru's first car was small, simple and successful. ‘wos to market a fourwheel drive car. Could Subaru succeed where others hod foiled? The sales figures speak for themselves. In 1974, Subaru built 100,000 cars in @ single year, with 23,000 of them heading fo America. Fourwheel drive was now optional on the saloons and coupé too, but a refresh in 1979 saw a hatchback join the range of fourwhee! drive family cars — one of which was a stor in the film Cannonball Run. The arrival of the BRAT pick-up just added to the appeal, and even US President Ronald Reagan purchased one for his ranch, The pickup was sold as the MV, or just simply pickup in the UK, cand became a firm favourite on smallholdings and farms. Is go anywhere ability and useful size meant it was ideal as @ runaround, especially 5 a larger vehicle was not always required. Running costs were far lower, end reliability was impressive too. 8 | CLASSICS WORLD JAPANESE wae 44 There was always something a This pair have competed in historic rallies. agricultural about these cars, but the third generation Leone had arrived on UK shores 1985, and it brought new levels of refinement and comfort There wos always something a bit agricultural about these cars, but the third generation Leone had arrived on UK shores in 1985, and it brought new levels of refinement and comfort. It was always merely badged as the DL or GL here, but a ready market sprang up for them, especially the practical estates. It was the perfect cor for country types who didn't fancy either an agricultural Land Rover or increasingly plush Range Rover. The larger Legacy arrived in 1989, cand took soles up to new levels. Now, you could spot Subarus on urban sireets as well as just the countryside, cand when Prodrive got involved to take the Legacy into the World Rally Championship, people started to take notice, THE PRODRIVE EXPERIENCE Prodrive had been formed in 1984 by David Richards and lon Parry. Initially, the new company formed the Rothmans Porsche Rally Team, which won the 1984 Middle East Rally Championship. This experience made it an obvious choice for Subaru, which had enjoyed some success in the world of rallying, but had yet to really make its mark The Legacy, already available with a Subaru range 1987 turbocharged, flatfour engine, proved «an ideal basis. Fourwheel drive had now become the accepted norm in relly cars. The rally car produced 290bhp, cand came fourth in the manufacturers’ 1 would be frustrating too, by year showed ‘omise. Both experienced Ari Vatanen and young unknown Colin MeRas led, though sadly both ‘out. MeRae did win the Briish Championship in « Legacy that year though, and it led to him gaining a full works seat for 192 Somehow, McRae won the British championship again in 1992, yet sill found time fo finish second in the ‘Swedish WRC Rally ~ the best place for baru so for. At the end of the year though, it was another fourth place. ‘would be the Legacy’s last ine, and shine it did, with ing his and Subaru's first ry in New Zealand. While rowds were sill lower than the crazy Group 8 days, enthu: ere really Re ae Mie, Sal starting to enjoy the very distinct F the boxer engines. MeR« ndary driving only added appeal. ‘A BOLD NEW FUTURE - IMPREZA 1993 also saw the lounch of a brand new vehicle for Subaru - the Impreza The soft lines were a complete break way from the traditionally sharp-edged Subarus of the past, yet there was sill a boxer engine allied to fourwheel drive on all but base models. It proved oh hit with buyers, backed by the exploits of the World Rally team. It was the turbocharged WRX that really got enthusiasts excited, as well as the people at Prodrive. The reworked £120 engine featured twin camshafts per bank and developed 240bhp, and journalists who got to try one came back fully enthused. Sadly though, buyers in the UK would have to wait Prodrive was more fortunate, and prepared a team of Imprezas for the 1994 WRC. With 300bhp and TT FNS dN Prodrive's own six-speed transmission, they were competitive rom the off. After all, the Impreza had everything the legacy had boasted, but in a smoller, lighter package. ‘An Impreza had actually been used by Ari Vatanen on the 1993 1000 lakes rally, and might have won but for a problem caused by its extra lamp pod used for night driving. This so badly affected airflow that it forced water into the heating system. This steamed up the windows and Vatanen could only struggle into second place. The big news was the arrival of the Impreza Turbo 2000 in the UK in late 1994. These were detune ly 208bhp, but sill gave Escort Cosworth performance for a fraction ofthe price = £17,499 for the saloon and anot £500 for the fi Inthe WRC, McRae had been joined by Carlos Sainz, with Richard Burns joining the team for New Zealand and the RAC Rally in Britain. Sainz won the Acropolis in Greece while McRae won in New Zealand {again} and on ‘SUBARU IMPREZA | 9 ‘McRae hard at work on the Manx Rally in 1991 in a Legacy. the RAC. Subaru finished second in the forced to develop a Version ll model, to manufacturers’ cham and Sainz appear later that year. ‘The UK got faster models too, with Fine ps Prodrive eratily creating the Impr Turbo Series McRoe. Power was up to 240bhp (from the UK's 208}. Thi tended up just in time for McRae to take pé. the WRC drivers’ title that year. Even a Demand for the RA STi was so high that £28,300 asking price couldn't dissuade Subaru was token by surprise, and was buyers. A legend was forming. 10 | CLASSICS WORLD JAPANESE WRC VICTORY 1 had been a remarkable year for the WRC, with Colin Sainz looking favourite to take the title, But Mitsubishi was proving o fine rival and led the ins by the season-ending RAC took ‘Teom-mates Sainz and McRae were level pegging. It was all set up for maximum excitement. The Mitsubishis Se ees : 44 The hottest domestic market versions were now rated at 280bhp (actual power may have been higher) though 5-door estates had only 240bhp. feed problems and were notin ntention, but the McRae and Sainz battle would go down to the led after twe McRae drove with hi win by just 36 ed to pull n failure, but a fivedoor took a win in Group N, manufactures’ tlle on the tro Reworked engines caused Subaru to claim that 1997's Imprezas were ‘brand new’. The weren't though, they just had revised engines. The hottest domestic market now rated at 28Obhp (actual power may have been higher) though 5-door estates had only ‘240bhp. Here in the UK, we sill had to make do with a mere 208bhp, though the aut to admire the Impreza, wh HISTORY Uda rd ‘even compared favourably with the formidable Lancia Delta Integrale. In Jopan, 1 ;aw the launch of the WRX Type R STi Coupé, which igned with atthe rally ul finished second in the di ‘ampionship but again, Subaru look nours. The third time in a row — ‘SUBARU IMPREZA | 11 UK market special P1 was tuned by Prodrive to work better on British roads than the Japanese specials sold by grey importers. «@ Japanese first. For 1998, UK Imprezas were stil down on power, bu! turbocharger improvements boosted torque, redu turbo log and gave the engines a rat expressive soundtrack according to contemporary reports. Prodrive unveiled the WR Spors, with 240bhp and a host of other mods, for those after o bit extra In Japan, there was o baffling orray of limited editions, but none was more desirable than the 228 STi Coupé. Iwas never homologated for rally 42 | CLASSICS WORLD JAPANESE purposes, s0 this one was street only, but it featured on extremely menacing bodykit and a 2212cc engine ~ stil rated at allegedly 280bhp. Torque was @ meaty 267lb/ft at 32007pm and it could sprint to 6Omph in just 4.3 seconds. Like Mitsubishi with the Evo, Subaru was discovering a ready market for limited editions 1998 was a year to forget for the rally team though, with third position in each championship being as good as DESIRABLE SPECIAL EDITIONS In 1999, 16 of the 228STi twodoors ‘were sold in the UK, but Prodrive had unveiled the RB finished in Coc in the UK before But better was i another disappointing veteran Juha Kankkunen and new British interest Richard Burns (who finished second}, perhaps it was best to focus on the road cars, Prodrive delivered again, unveiling the PT in late 1999 and Grey - 6 co ‘ond boosted 237bhp. unwitingly referencing the very first car ever fo wear @ Subaru badge. The P1 managed to match the Jopanese-spec Imprezas for power at last, no mean feat as European restrictions were what had led to the discrepancy in power outputs. It was powerful enough fo hit 155mph and 60mph was just 4.7 seconds away. The P1 also used the two- door body that was a very rare sight in the UK. Autocar called it “shatteringly impressive", and Prodrive sold double the 500 it had planned to build. Increasingly wild bodykits were fitted to models like this $201, fuelling enthusiasm around the brand which endures fo this day. 2000 was the last year of first generation Impreza production, and also the last forthe firstgeneration WRC cars. After some enormous battles cond tials, including victories on the Safari, Portugal, Cyprus, Tour de Corse, Australia and RAC Rallies, Richard Burns could only settle for second in the drivers’ fitle again, pipped to it by Marcus Gronholm, One last special edition we should mention is the $201. With 296bhp, it was, offically a leas, the most powerful first generation Impreza. It also featured every upgrade in the STi catalogue and the most bizarre bodykit. 300 were built ‘and they very much split opinion when it comes to desirably 2001 saw the launch of the ‘New Era Impreza, or Bugeye. It would somehow never quite have the character ofits predecessor and the first generation Impreza remains one of the 20th century's most iconic cars. Not bad for ‘a company that didn't properly enter the world of ears until 1958. SUBARU IMPREZA | 13 Buying the sensible performance saloon which gave the Cosworth |= a run for its money. Gold wheels jm and 555 rally jackets strictly | optional. wo: baru — oF rather, Fuji Heavy Industries had already been in the car business for some time when the Impreza was launched, having become established as a cor producer in 1958. Starting out with mainstream and is fist model to be sold in ony numbers here in the UK was the Leone. An unremarkablelooking ca fact pretty novel, running a water ed fla-four engine and optionally 14 | CLASSICS WORLD JAPANESE avoilable with fourwheel drive Subaru remained a niche player in the UK with its fourwwhee! drive saloons and the ‘Brat’ pickup, but when the bigger Legacy arrived it found a ready market among country types who wanted « mul-purpose 4x without the cost or image of the Range Rover. When British firm Prodrive was enlisted to make the Legacy a contender Con the world rallying circuit, people started to take notice. Its 290 bhp turbocharged flatfour and all-wheel drive made it 6 kind of latierday Quatro tand Subaru soon started fo shed its ‘workhouse image in favour of motorsport glamour. In 1993 the Legacy was joined by the smaller Impreza, known internally as the ‘GCB' and boasting more modern, softer styling but retaining the fourcam EJ20 boxer engine with permanent fourwheel drive AAs with the Legacy, the Impreza found favour with those wanting 4x4 workhorse, but when the turbocharged engine wos added to the mix, Subaru had o hit on its hands. The addition of the unusuallooking estate to the range ‘made it even more practical Launched in Japan with the WRX badge, the turbocharged Impreza was good for 240 bhp, with oficial UK sales beginning in late 1994, To conform to UK regulations, the engine was retuned to 208 bhp and the car was badged 4 Impreza 2000 Turbo AWD. This ‘coincided neaily with Ford's decision to pull out of the performance saloon market ond many Sapphire and Escort Cosworth owners soon defecied to a blue oval of a different kind The world of special edition Imprezas is a minefield so we'll concentrate here oon the official UK-market models rather than the grey imports. The first of these was the 200-0ff Series McRae created by Prodrive in 1995 just in time for Colin to toke the WRC ftle and boasting 16- inch Speedline wheels, Recaro seats and special Mica Blue point. In 1996 the Sport was launched in the UK, featuring similar styling to the Turbo but with the normally aspirated 2litre and 4x4 but no bonnet scoop. Another special edition for 1997 was the Catalunya ~ named afer the rally of course ~ another Prodrivepprepared 200- off edition in Mican Black with carbon- ‘SUBARU IMPREZA | 15 the Jopanese up to 280 bhp, but the 8 bhp. In 1998 minor engine changes were claimed to improve torque and reduice turbo lag without altering the output. In April, the Subaru Terzo [third in talian) ‘was released by Subaru UK, finished in a slightly lighter Mica Blue and the first ‘of the gold wheels, in 16:nch flavour course. A fixed rear seat made the shel rigid and Alcantara trim gripped the occupants 46 | CLASSICS WORLD JAPANESE a oe riven hard and neglected. A cared for Impreza is a reliable machine. One Japanese model which did make it over here albeit in tiny numbers was the 22b STi (Subaru Technica International) sporting « 2212ce engine rated at 280 bhp, adjustable rear wing, quicker steering and the ‘wodoor shell with wide arches. Ju 16 of the 399 produced were officially imported during 1999, but at the same time Prodrive hod developed the RBS ~ named after upand-coming Subaru relly driver, the late Richard Burns — which boasted 237 bhp. Only dd were buil, using the Japonese- market shell with fixed rear seat and in Blue Stee! with 17-inch Speediines and Prodrive’ quickshif. The spec also included air conditioning and Alcantara trim, although buyers could olso opt for the WR Sport option which added «@ Prodrive remapped ECU, modified exhaust and intake pipework and a bigger rear wing, in 1999, the Prodrivedoveloped P1 ‘was introduced, matching the Japanese- market cars for power output despite the tougher European regulations and boasting the two-door body. Finished in Sonic Biue with spoilers, unique interior aand quicker steering rack, they wore 17-inch OZ alloys and were « great riposte to the big numbers of grey: imported Japanese-spec cors arriving in the UK Production was originally tobled «at 500 units which was eventually doubled. The firs-generation Impreza was replaced by the secondgeneration GDB" car for 2001 complete with its rather odd ‘bug eye’ styling. An equally competent car, it somehow lacked the character of he original and has yet to gain modern classic appeal in the same way. WHAT TO LOOK FOR BODY Where modern classics are concerned, the bodywork isn’t usually the issue it would be with the ’60s end ‘70s favourites, but the firstgeneration Impreza can rot alarmingly in the British climate. BUYING GUIDE ‘SUBARU IMPREZA the Japanese domestic market cars now boasted up to 280 bhp, but the standard UK spec remained 208 bhp. ‘Areas like the wheelarches will be obvious but os Subaru specialist Nik Boker at Car and Custom Garage points out, the killer is rust around the Fear sirut turrets, where the strut meets the inner arch which is caused by the seam sealant around the joint Failing cand allowing water in Ws difficult to repair properly as the offected area extends behind the wing and as Nik points out, a simple patch repair is unlikely to solve the problem, meaning the sirength of the shell is compromised. In really bad cases a repair will involve removing the outer wing and replacing the entire turret, Ss — which will require a jig to make sure i's all lined up properly. Tis is of course ‘an expensive business which means i's often no! financially viable except on limited-edition cors. Sills are also susceptible to corrosion, commonly at the rear end and Nik advises that early cars can also suffer rot around the rear screen. A the front end, rot isn’t quite such ‘an issue but so many of these cars will have seen the wrong side of the hedge ‘at some point that i's worth checking for accident damage. The chassis legs are designed fo crumple and os such are easily distorted so need checking TECH SPEC ‘SUBARU IMPREZA 2000 TURBO AWD: ENGINE: 1994cc flatfour POWER: —-208bhp at 6000rpm TORQUE: = 214 Ib. fiat 400cpm ‘TOP SPEED: 137 mph 0-6-mph: 5.8 sec GEARS: 5-spd man WEIGHT: 1118 kg ‘SUBARU IMPREZA | 17 BUYING GUIDE SUBARU IMPREZA Not all imprezas were fire breathing monsters. This 2.0 estate shows the model's more sensible side, ENGINE In standard tune the Subaru boxer motor is a pretty tough old thing, but as Nik points out, i ll depends on the way the car's been driven - and most Imprezas have been driven really pretty hard ASter all, tho’sreolly rather the whole point of them The early engines can suffer from PI was a UK specific special 18 | CLASSICS WORLD JAPANESE bottom end failure if they're been neglected and driven hard, while the later units tend to suffer with piston slap, but ital depends on the service history Nik soys he's encountered engines which have started to sound ratty at 50,000 miles but also units which have been fine «at 140,000, That of course is with a standard ‘engine. When it comes to modified cors, it all goes out of the window and it's really an unknown quantity, depending on the state of tune and the way i's been driven and serviced. Remapping the turbo engine generally means running boost and this is fine if’s matched by suitably increased fuelling, but al ion. We test it against its closest rival later in this publication. Standard cars or those uprated by known specialists are the safest bet used. Try fo stay away from cars with dubious histories. running too lean under boost and before long damaged or melted piston Nik advises thatthe con rods can also suffer when even mildly modified cars are driven hard, while engine rebuilds can often reveal cracked ring lands on the pistons. The age ofthe units these days means thot head gaskets are often past their best, but replacement can offen reveal other problems related to the age of the castings, like stripped studs and cracked heads. Elsewhere, leaky cam covers can also cause a burning smell Ina nutshell, try to stick to standard cars or ones with mildly uprated engines toa sensible spec from a reputable firm known in the Subaru scene. TRANSMISSION Hoard-driven cars can exhibit « notchy shift, although the later ‘54’ units used from 1999 are more robust, featuring « larger casing. The nut can come off the back of the gearbox, making it jump ‘out of fifth gear but Nik odvises it con be fixed without removing the box, so needn't be the end of the world Pio no ae ‘As the Impreza became more popular with car thieves, police had to buy them fo stand a chance of keeping up. ‘SUBARU IMPREZA | 19 BUYING GUIDE SUBARU IMPREZA Modified cars again are a different story, with Nik pointing out that he's seen big horespower engines entirely strip second and third gears. BRAKES W's a straightforward setup with discs at each corner but the early cars use single-piston caliper which can suffer with the sliding mechanism seizing Later cors use a fourpiston caliper but again they can seize when one piston — usually the lower one ~ seizes. Replacement calipers are easily sourced though and are around £110 exchange, 20 | CLASSICS WORLD JAPANESE ‘SUSPENSION ‘Again, very few of these cars are sill on their original suspension, most having been replaced with performance kit over the years. That's something of @ shame since the stondard setup is firm yet civilised setup ideal for daily use. The cage of the cars does mean that worn criginal bushes will tond to take the edge off the handling but poly replacements are easily sourced to sharpen things up again. INTERIOR This is the easy part. The Impreza was given sick by contemporary road testers for its hard, shiny plastics and unodventurous ‘generic Japanese minicab! interior styling but the trade-off is that those hard shiny plastics were durable in the extreme. Drive a well cared for standard Impreza today ond you'llfind a car with no squeaks or rattles and every switch still doing what i's supposed to do. Intakes a fair bit of abuse to wreck the interior of one of these cars, so if you Find a fatty one then assume i's had « hard life. One thing you can’t do much about i any holes from olorm and immobiliser installations. These cars were once the joyrider’s favourite and since they came with precious litle security from Jopan, « decent alarm or immobiliser is essential PARTS Unusually for o car of this era, parts supply for the Impreza is pretty good ~ thanks partly to their popularity worldwide. There are loads of used parts around and Suboru itself can stil supply many parts too. What can be tricky to source is the import-specific details ike grophics sets and specific trim parts. VALUES Values of he early Impreza have yet to rise significantly, wit taty cars ot around £2000 to £3000. Unless you want a project though, it’s probably best to walk away from these and budget on around £4500 upwards for which you should be able to bag o nice standard example. The rarer limited- edition cars meanwhile will command much more but in terms of enjoyment peer pound spent, a nice standard 2000 Turbo AWD takes some beating ‘And we know: we bought the car in these photos. i BUYING GUIDE SUBARU IMPREZA THE SPORTING OPTION? IF the fullon Impreza Turbo is a bit too much for you, then don’t overlook the normallyaspirated The nonurbo boxer engine is «rugged unit which together with the fourwheel drive makes for a supremely practical car, especially in estate guise. The Sport model offered most of the looks of the Turbo except the bonnet scoop and also came with the bonus of a lowerange transfer box. ‘SUBARU IMPREZA | 21 SUBARU IMPREZA With a golden history in motorsport, popular fame on the road, and diminishing numbers, the Impreza Turbo is a sure-fire classic and values are on the rise vox: soiscuy Fall the iconic rally cars of the 1990s, the Subaru Impreza was the most popular for private buyers on the road. Unlike most other manufacturers, who only made the necessary motions to homologate their cars, Subaru took an active interest in marketing its high-performance Impreza to the general public it was a huge success, and particularly in the UK where Colin McRae’s hero status resonated, the Impreza quickly became the car everyone wanted - and could afford. Looking over the classifieds today, you'd almost forget that they made a nonturbocharged, plain-Jane version with a very un-rallystagelike 11 4bhp. There's more fo it than that, in foc, «2 you'l discover from all the STI and Type Imprezas on sale here; apart from a handful of special editions, our main performance model was simply 22 | CLASSICS WORLD JAPANESE the 2000 Turbo (effectively « WRX) uniil the second generation bug-eyed ‘model internationalised the WRX ond STi monikers. Right from the beginning, grey imports from Japan have played a significant role in the Impreza morket. Today, values are on the rise for all of them. You can sill Buy a cheap Impreza Turbo, but you will have to make more compromises than even just a few years cago. In fac, there are hardly half the number of early Imprezas on UK roads than there were in 2015, and five years before that there were more than twice {as many again, at over 7000, With hardly’ 1500 on the road (and 2800 on SORN), finding « nice 2000 Turbo can be tricky but values haven't yet taken a dramatic turn to reflec his. In 2010, a half-decent example might have traded for £1 500£3000, while now that’s more like £2500-£5000. There has, however, been a noticeable rise in the price of exceptional examples with mileages less than 50,000. The appeiite for highly original cars that might prove to be future investments has increased dramatically over the last ten years, and now i's not unusual to see pristine cars presented very carefully and priced up towards £10,000. This is even happening with some of the later cars, even the once-despised bug-eyed models. Specification is crucially important when it comes fo Impreza valves, and in some cases can even irump higher rileages. The nonturbocharged models are hardly noticed by anyone who can’t stump up the exira £1000 for a turbo, and so trade at the bottom around £500. Estates are also less desirable than saloons, generally speaking, and 50 fend to take about 10-20 per cent less- especially post2000 models which feature less aggressive bodywork and sion. What matters in the Impreza market is often down to what very particular badge you have. ‘The two main special editions of the original Impreza sold officially in the UK and exclusively so) were the RBS cand PI. Only 444 RBS models were made. These were finished in grey metallic paint wih a few other cosmeti details and usually feature the WR Sport Performance Pack and Prodrive suspension upgrades - it has long been «an enthusias’s favourite, more expensive than the standard car and is becoming a collectible, now @ £10,000 cor. The P1 is even more desirable despite 1000 having been made and has become exceptionally expensive over the last 10 years. Packaging many of the STI goodies but aso crucially the Type two- door body, these were once £10,000 cars that have over « decade become £30,000 and up. There was olso o Series MeRae Turbo 2000 produced in 1995, in blue with gold wheels ond Recaro seats, of which only 200 were made and are now highly collectible, and the Prodrive WR Sport slightly less collectible, each usually a litle more expensive than standard 2000 Turbos. The Japanese imports can now make Up half of the UK market of lmprezas, cand their oppeal is understandable. Not only are special models like the early TypeRA (homologation), STi and Vaimited (a lighter-weight STi) available, but they don't suffer from the dreaded rust issues that have lain claim to so many lmprezas in the UK. Consequently, these cars are ot the top of the market, and over the last five ‘years have climbed from an average 0 £7000 to nearly double this. Today, n tip over £10,000 and the fidiest of eorlier Type-R STis can easily hit £15,000 The car that is conspicuously missing here is the most expensive of all: the 2b. This really is a special car, and the fact that there were more unoficially imported to the UK market than the 16 officially sold here sums up the whole Impreza market perfectly. These can be hundreds of thousands of pounds, even if only a special engine and body define the major changes from the standard £500 Impreza GL. Specification is key. This kind of huge divide normally indicates that the standard models are bound to be dragged along at some point, and with numbers lower than ever (both of those on the road and the values), we suggest buying a good ‘example of Japan's premier sports saloon sooner rather than later. ‘SUBARU IMPREZA | 23 BON VOYAGE: SUBARU IMPREZA | TURBO TO FRANCE What could be nicer than an overseas adventure behind the wheel of an Impreza Turbo? France, here we come. swoossoresiaisione his Impreza belongs to Classics ‘World Japanese publisher Kelsey Media and is a firm flat favourite amongst those lucky enough to have regular access to its Thatcham ‘Alarmfobbed keys. Unlike so mony of its contemporaries, this remarkably original 1999 example hos survived the questionable modified car movement of the early Noughties relatively unscathed That a rally-bred saloon with 21 5bhp. cand 214Ib/ft of torque has lasted a 24 | CLASSICS WORLD JAPANESE decade and half without being stuffed into a hedge is also something to celebrate. In standard form, the Subaru Impreza Turbo 2000 is a very capable allrounder. is @ car tha’s os happy cruising on the motorway as itis cuting a bright blue dash across A- and Broads. So when Retro Japanese found itself with an invitation to travel to France to take part in the Circuit Historique de loon, one of the biggest classic and performance car tours in Europe, it only seemed logical to fire up the resident jeck-ofall-trades and make a bee line for Dover. FRENCH CONNECTION The Circuit Historique de Laon has been a staple on the car tour calendar for exactly 25 years this year and the tour's organisers, Scenic & Continental Car Tours, made © special efort to celebrate the occasion. Well over 44 In standard form, the Subaru Impreza Turbo 2000 is a very capable all-rounder. It’s a car that’s as happy cruising on the motorway as it is cutting a bright blue dash across A- and B-roads. 1000 cars joined this year’s tour, ‘and toking to the high seas. joining in on organised runs through Rolling off he ferry in Colais is the stunning scenery of northwestern surprisingly slick operation. There's just France. Participants flocked to France enough time to get used to driving on the from cll over Europe, with strong ‘wrong side of the road before you are contingents from the UK, Belgium and spat out onto France's famously smooth P the Netherlands. and wellmaintained motorway network. Those travelling from Britain were A lunchtime stop on day one wos. able to experience the crosschannel_ scheduled to take place in the town of ‘about an hour's drive south on the «@ huge static display in the town’s two main squares. I's incredible hop courtesy of P&O Ferries. Nothing quite creates a sense of adventure os boarding a boat early in the morning ‘SUBARU IMPREZA | 25 SUBARU FRENCH ROADTRIP how quickly the contents of « dualdeck ferry can disperse and before too long, the array of paricipant cars had broken off into smaller convoys according to preferred cruising speed and/or club allegiance. Being something of a lone ‘wolf, Retro Japanese was free fo Flt between convoys and get a feel forthe sheer variety of classic and performance machinery that wos making its way steadily southward. Morgans, MGs and Triumphs were particularly popular, but pockets of fast and modern machinery had also joined the fun, including @ number of fastmoving Ferraris, Porsches and even an Ascari Ecosse. The Subaru could never hope to keep up withthe more exotic end of the spectrum in a straight line, but nonetheless sot perfectly happily at the 130kph limit (ust a shade over 80mph]; the car feels far happier sat 10mph north of Britain's national speed limit. Honest officer. Oither aspects of motorway life are easily undertaken by the Scooby; entry slip roods ot the exit of many service stops are surprisingly short but getting back up to speed is a brief and foinlly hilarious ‘experience. Under fll acceleration, 26 | CLASSICS WORLD JAPANESE 4& Under full acceleration, the distinctly exhaust note is promptly joined by an addictive turbo ‘whoosh; swiftly followed by punchy, exciting acceleration. the distinctly exhaust note is promptly joined by an addictive turbo ‘whoosh’, swiftly followed by punchy, exciting acceleration. Keep the twolie unit on boost and i's incredible just how quickly licence-roubling speeds can be reached ‘One complaint that can be levelled at the Impreza during long distance, high: speed use isthe drone of that bazooka cexahaust- over some ofthe longer legs of our trip, low-frequency tinnitus was a common side effect. switch to @ more modern performance item would easily sole this niggle, however. RALLY-BRED R's arrival into Arras was a real boptism of fire. Weekend town driving in France is a particularly hectic affair, with alien junction layouts, tight lanes and a generally casval atitude to rightof way. Parked up amidst a sea of classic and performance cars ofall kinds, the Impreza dich’ fel at all outof lace. The meet up at Arras dispersed gradually as a steady trickle of classic machinery made its way southward to Laon, the bose for proceedings for the nex three days. Car parks for almost every hotel around the town’s periphery ‘were packed with exciting cars by the fime | arrived ~ quite a sight to behold. The second day saw porticipants split into separate groups that would then take to a number of prescribed countryside loops, complete with traditional road book and rally plaque. RJ had missed the memo somewhat and | was completely co-riveress, so the first run of the day was a real navigational challenge. | wonder if McRaecodriver Nicky Grist would have been avoilable? The Subaru found itself in = splendidly mixed company. equivalent of fast, lowing inding, technical B Flatiering car at medium to high speeds, in, while grip immensely satis 3d and the pune plant SUBARU FRENCH ROADTRIP = Child-sized sports car, in the form of Honde’s di at the car, small, witchy, rearwheal drive Cappuccino, is that you'd need going very fast indeed to come cl to reaching the limits of the Impreza's planted chassis. Deriving pleasure from its sheer competency is « nic though ‘SUBARU IMPREZA | 27 A brief stop in the smell town of Villiers ~ the locals weren't all enamoured with the Impreza’s loud aftermarket exhaust. ‘THE WESTERN FRONT Day three of the tour saw the winding historic streets of Laon’s old town closed off for a spectacular parade thorough its winding historic streets. The day-long parade was held on a 6km loop and ‘was billed by the organisers as the biggest cavalcade of classic cars and sports cars in Europe’. There wasn't much for Japanese fans, though we did spot a tiny Honda $800. Its high- rewing engine sounded superb while its tiny dimensions were clearly o surprise for many onlookers. The final day of the Laon Historique sow the tour head northwards back to ‘Arras via @ number of exciting roads aand historical sites for a final meeting in the Grand Place. It was a fiting end to an incredible weekend, but we hod a ferry to catch later that evening and needed to fit in some sightseeing on the 28 | CLASSICS WORLD JAPANESE 44 ..The Impreza makes a very strong case for its all-rounder credentials. way — hopping back on the avtoroute saved enough lime to facilitate some slops at some of the First World War cemeteries that dot the unassuming farmland of northern France. | siopped at the Arras Road Cemetery, one of many memorial sites located clong the Vimy Ridge section of what was the Hidenberg Line. Thousands of Canadian, British and German soldiers died at this part of the Western Front in April 1917; its hard not to be moved by the rows of white gravestones, many of which are marked as belonging simply to ‘A Soldier of the Great Wor’ Visiting these sites is @ solemn and sobering experience, but nonetheless i's something that should be included on the itinerary of any road trip through northern France, If you fancy taking to the continent yourself, you'll be hard pressed to find « Japanese classic more suited to the task than a Subaru Impreza Turbo 2000 like ours. Comfortable, high- speed cruising on smooth motorways is easily dealt with and once the roads get interesting, the car's rally heritage shines through. Add in plenty of space for four people and average fuel consumption of around 25mpq during sympathetic use and the Impreza makes «@ very strong case for its allrounder ‘credentials. | think we will be procuring the keys to this excellent example again very soon! NO MORE CAR DRYING - EVER! Filter out all dissolved Me Ve OE eS oak) TMU CMC NN Cm creme) ugly watermarks even when your ol SM IM OMC AMIN OMe SUL g * 7 litre filter produces 400 litres, 14 litre filter produces 1100 litres tf 9-19 Oe MCR cls = * Eliminate drying swirls, save ail iaTsm COLMAN TINT) pee Rast) ile saves money long term PMS (WARM TIL typically last a year The best car cleaning product | have bought in my life. Wish I'd bought one years ago Semele lth eM ACCOMM R USM CH Ne ecneTe A wT peg On 5 ee eam (aoa OMT Ns) eee We Rem Coulee ese LOR eee Cee een i Sod Race Glaze Ltd | +44(0)1780 654065 | www.raceglaze.co.uk LIFE WITH AN IMPREZA Friend of the magazine Frederick Pendle buys an Impreza WRX Wagon. Geeky spec, crusty arches, ferocious ower, but what is it like to ive with? eee ubary Imprezas stil have o S horribly anti-social image to a lot of people, but offer lot of performance for the money. They're no longer the fastest thing on the block, ‘which means the ram raid heroes ond drug dealers have gone elsewhere. If Cheshire is anything to go by, they all now seem to run around in knackered ‘Audi $3s or Mercedes A45 AMGs on fick, leaving a wasteland of badly- modified Imprezas in their wake. ‘A misspent youth waiching Best ‘Motoring videos improved my conversational Japanese no end. It also meont that | wanted the impossible: a mosily unmolested Jopanese Domestic ‘Market (JDM) estate, known within Subaru as the GF8. Eventually, the Autoshite forum answered my call Prodrive exhaust aside, a member's 1995 WRK was within budget and was what | wanted. What's more, it had had «a recent re-spray, new rear brokes and «a fluid service extending to everything ‘part from the rear dif. JDM cars got psychotically short gearing, aluminium body panels ‘and mote power than their British equivalents. I'm the sort of small minded idiot who's impressed by details like these, gladly trading a clock for cup holders. Get past the jiggly low speed ride and it's a riot; while the boot isn't as large as a Volvo 940's, it can sill carry plenty of luggage. My plans are to tidy up the scabs ‘round the windscreen and rear arches — a depressingly common occurrence (on firstgeneration Imprezas (aflictions Kelsey's car is also suffering from), book it in for a rear diff service at Scooby Clini, then enjoy. A CLASSIC IN THE MAKING? I THINK SO. I's high time lame down from cloud nine to look at how my Impreza copes with the real world. Every classic, modern or otherwise, has its compromises — and I've got fo learn how to deal with them. [live in what would be diplomatically described as a ‘vibrant’ part of Peterborough; despite its alarm (which we'll get to later) and a locking steering wheel cover token from an Inn-Bru adver, the thought of leaving my Impreza anywhere ‘cosmopolitan leaves me twitching. Anyway, | thought | knew how the local parking enforcement worked: before a certain fime, you could normally get away without displaying permit [one per ‘SUBARU IMPREZA | 31 LIVING WITH SUBARU IMPREZA car, which is on my modern SEAT) Con you guess what happened when | went home in the Impreza fo pick up «0 book? | was gone for less than 10 minutes; the local council doubtless ‘wiped its officiousness ledger clean for 2018 and was keen to make the most of February. | have a weird relationship with its parking team at the best of times since moving there, I've contested three fines, and won two. On this one, however, I was bang fo rights. ALARM HARMS CALM Let us now discuss the Impreza’s alarm, which was fied by « wellmeaning (but possibly depressed) previous owner. Allavheel drive put fo the test right from the stort, vith fair dose of snow ‘on collection. Translation needed for fueling. Without going into too much detail, the alarm (sometimes) does what its name suggests, and the faclory fob operates the central locking except when they fight each other. I can lock the car without incident, but gaining entry has improved my reaction times tenfold. Silencing a shrieking alarm on 4 petrol station forecour'/friend’s busy road/Ministry of Defence car park/ MeDonald’s drive thru is something I've become adept at; either | get a professional to look at the settings or have it taken out aliogether. A friend suggested the weak drivers’ door lock servo might be at fault, so it's another problem for the lis. IMPREZA IS THIRSTY Is anyone surprised at this? I certainly shouldn't be. | can't find the exact data for my model of GF8, but | suspect it has a capacity of around 50 litres Numbers from the instrument pack (confusingly calibrated in a mixture cof meiric and imperial measurements} suggests I'm getting about 250 miles from a full tank; 20 to 23mpg seems to be the norm. Did | mention it only takes high octane fuel? The affordable asking prices of these cars tell haf the story = that soid, i's better than the mpg horror consumption | was getting from my SVX before its radiator foiled. | managed « Drive It Day trip without «a breakdown! ‘You may recall last year that I tried {yet again) to get my Volvo Amazon back from Anglesey to Conwy without incident; while the car managed most LIVING WITH SUBARU IMPREZA 44 The affordable asking prices of these cars tell half the story — that said, it’s better than the 4mpg horror consumption | was getting from my SVX before its radiator failed. of the trip, it kept stalling at junctions. Having parked the Volvo up in my gran's garage, | spent the rest of the afternoon burning hydrocarbons in my friend Peter's P6 3500, a car which defied common wiselom by performing without hesitation throughout the day. So, to Drive It Day 2018 - and to ploy it safe, | went io Bicester Heritage in my Subaru Impreza; if nothing else, | realised that | could run away very quickly from the organisers who intially decided it was 100 new to go on display. | was given an 8am stat ime to park up in the hanger, which was fine, ‘except | had to pick up a friend from his digs near Wellingborough beforehand ‘GFB boosts ightr oluminium panels and 'psychotcelly shor” gearing. We reckon Jon likes i His beautiful Peugeot 405STI had been ‘wounded by a careless van driver 0 few days eatlier, so he'd changed his mind about wanting to display i. DEMENTED BOOST ‘The Impreza it was — despite its blebby arches and scabby windscreen surround, it was going fo Bicester regardless. My pal happens to live off 341 CLASSICS WORLD JAPANESE the B660, o superb bit of road if you liking driving quickly; having token part in many pub quizzes at hs local | eventually worked out o route which cuts out the A605 and Ald ~ perfect for the demented on boost antics of a WRX at full chat. To exercise the Impreza's legs would have been enough for me — any excuse to get out and use itis fine by me, so | was happy to take the FBHVC at its word, and drive it The trouble started on the way home, when the Impreza started stuttering on boost and coughing back through its exhaust. | suspect the HT leads and coil packs are at fault Scooby Clinic have confirmed that i's @ common fault of Imprezas this age. The fact o [dead] turbo timer/ boost gauge Reverse tuning, as aftermarket alloys are replaced with the correct ones for this model at Guyhirn Tyres. sits in front of the warning stip on the instrument binnacle didn’t help; my current theory is that as one (or more} coil pack overheated, the ECU cut the timing to save the engine and the fault disoppeared (until the under bonnet temperature rose again). The Impreza is long overdue o checkup and the running issue has been geting steadily worse since | bought it, so I'll have to bite the bullet before it forces the car off the road — the premium fuel it uses is expensive enough without it cracking out of the back box like machine gun fire. | managed to track down the Subaru's immediate history via the ‘Autoshite forum - an online alternative t0.a receipt folder, if you will - and realised that, Prodrive back box apart, it had had a saloon ECU fitted to up the power a bit, the only deviation from standard specification in its repertoire Sports Wagons were the poor relation of the Impreza WRX range, and the very bottom of the tree in performance terms. To that end, they left the line with a smaller turbo and a more conservative map, unless you raid the parts bin as a previous owner did. Hl hove to wait until lean get it near Scooby Ciinic’s rolling road to see what power it’s actually making at the wheels; my patent pending backside dynometer will be very surprised if there’s more than 250bhp at the crank. Luckily, the previous owner-once- removed did o lot more to the car than just replace the ECU; he removed the horrendous 1 8.inch Ripspeed alloys (and, to his credit, got money for selling them instead of throwing them in the frag), replaced the missing WRX badge Con the tailgate, removed the very poor all round window tint, and swapped the original seats back in place of the ‘new cage’ GDB items. REVERSE-TUNING: A NEW TREND? How many Impreza GC and GF8s do you see nowadays? Kelsey Media's Turbo 2000 is more or less as Subaru intended, bor its sillquieterbutquite- antisocial reduced diameter exhaust system, ‘My GF estate is closer sill, bar its five spoke alloys from a later model. Having hammered my Impreza brochure archive, | reolised those particula wheels became current on 1997 cars; having found a correct replacement set online I'l keep the rims the car came with for track days. So many people have modified Imprezas over the years that standard par tond to get short shift. From what Tean gather, my car has been in the UK since 2006, so its original wheels probably got taken off not long ofter it came off the boot. Although the tuning scene has moved on to faster and fiashier cars, the trend is sill to go larger and lairier with Impreza wheels; with 17-and 18.inch hoops sill in demand, 16.nch items tend to be cheap. | paid £90 for my four WRX JDM wheels, ond had Guyhirn Tyres near Wisbech swap them over for me. I like Guyhirn Tyres because the drive out there from Peterborough is interesting — and it remains one of the few tyre local tyre bays that will swap and fit wheels to tyres they haven't supplied. There was nothing wong with the Toyo TIRs I bought the Impreza on ~ at least until Guyhim found cross head screw in the offside rear's shoulder. It very kindly repaired the damage within its £48 fiting chorge = which will do until can find another tyre Performance feels about the some between the two sets of wheels — unsurprising given that they're the same diameter ond offset. | wasn't expecting miracles in fuel economy terms heading to and from an enjoyable Restoration Show and | didn’t get them; with the £120 buzzing away on the motorway between 3500 and 4000 rpm in top, | averaged 21mpg ‘SUBARU IMPREZA | 35 FIRST IMPREZAS COUNT Some cars define an era. Subaru’s Impreza was an instant hit as both a road and a competition car, and remains an icon of excellence on both counts today. so: to come from nowhere. One moment we were celebrating Ford's Sierra Cosworth as a psychotic icon of motoring madness, the next our rally stages were bristling with Imprezas, which then proceeded to dominate British motorsport for more than a decade and a half. As a road car the Impreza also excelled, and itis perfectly reasonable to hail it as a car that took the 1990s by storm. In doing so it established Subaru as 9 manufacturer to be reckoned with Suborus were a rare sight in the UK until 1989, when the Legacy arrived on our shores. This quickly established itself as @ highly capable, reliable and generously. sized car. Rather like Volvo's big estates, it maintains « loyal following of long {erm owners who value its dependability and practicality. Thanks to motorsport, the smaller Impreza was to wow an entirely different crowd. Although we were largely unaware of it here, Subaru had been a successful T: British eyes the Impreza seemed ‘961 CLASSICS WORLD JAPANESE car manufacturer since the mid-1950s, when it emerged as the auto division of Fuji Heavy Industries. The name - for a quiz bonus point ~ isthe Japanese word for the Pleiades star cluster, represented in shylised form on its badges. As for back as the early 1970s Subaru hod combined the elements which make the Impreza and Legacy seem rather maverick - all‘wheel drive, a ‘boxer’ flatfour engine and doors with frameless glazing ~ in the Leone, which evolved through an incredible production run of 23 years, from 1971 to 1994. The Impreza is based on a shortened version of the Legacy’ chassis, which provided the capability for allawheel dive. Is true that in the early years the model was available os a iwowheel drive cor powered by a 1 6:ie engine, but when discussing the Impreza as ‘an emerging classic itis really the two- litre, fourwheel drive variants that get enthusiasts’ juices flowing The stand-out normally aspirated ‘model isthe Spor, « lovely combination ‘of willing engine, sports interior and relatively impressive Fuel economy. However, what put Subaru on the European map was is turbocharged Impreze, the WRX. This car redefined our expectations of what a fairly affordable sports car could be, and instantly began ticking off a list of motorsport achievements equalled by very few other cars. Success as a road vehicle was guaranteed by the fact that Subaru made the Imprezo available €s both a fourdoor saloon ond a five door estate (although some of the most rally-bred models come as a hwodoor saloon). The combination of speed cand utility was hard to beat. One final ‘element guaranteed the Impreza iconic status: that exhaust note. The gruff rumble of a Subaru boxer ‘engine is instantly distinguishable, whether itis emitied by the standard pipe of a non-urbo Sport or a dustbin sized can hanging out the back of « tuned STi. lt became an instant trademark, and when in a much later The Subaru sound is generated by gasflow physics: is exhaust manifolds have tubes of different lengths from different cylinders. The differential in distance travelled by the exhaust gos loads from each cylinder mei they emerge from the tailpipe at different times to each other. This simple principle created the soundirack to a generation's enthusiasm for modifying road cars, ond the Impreza was eminently tuneable. && The 1990s was a high point of enthu: ism for modifying road cars, and the Impreza was eminently tuneable. It quickly gained a huge following and became a modifica’ It quickly gained a huge following cond became a modification magnet ernight, so finding « completely stand feat. impreze nowadays is quite @ ‘Almost every aspect of the car could be worked on, and the engine could n magnet overnight. be modified to produce very sufficient power. A significant tuning industry grew up to service the Impreza alone. This ‘wos inspired by the constantly-unfolding ~ and truly epic - narrative of the Impreza'’s phenomenal success at the ‘SUBARU IMPREZA | 37 EMERGING CLASSIC FIRST GENERATION IMPREZA very highest level of rallying, the World Rally Championship. At the hands of legends such as Ari Vatonen, Colin MeRoe, Tommi Makinen, Carlos Sainz, Richard Burns and Petter Solberg the Impreza dominated the WRC, holding sway over rallying at every level and becoming an icon ofthe sport only really maiched by Ford's Escort RS2000. Subaru had marketing gold in its hands, which it handled with aplomb, The Impreza’s huge fan base was treated to a steady stream of evolutions and special editions of the WRX and ‘ever more focussed STi models, meaning there was almost always an Impreza to which enthusiasts could aspire. ‘Models were released fo celebrate rallying landmarks, such as 1998's 2B STi which was a celebration of the company’s third consecutive WRC manufacturer's title. It sold out effortlessly in Jopan, and only 16 cars were allocated to the UK. The twolire engine produces 123bhp in the Sport model, while the turbocharged motor atthe heart of the WRX and STi gives between 208 ond a declared 276bhp. (At the time, Japanese manufacturers declared a maximum of 44 Awell-maintained Impreza can provide dependable everyday transport as well as serious thrills. 280bhp for their products, olthough Sr reality were producing much What makes the Impreza a modern classic is that its legendary status is underpinned by genuine reliability. A well maintained Impreza can provide dopendable everyday transport as well as serious thrills. ts bodywork doesn't tend to rot, the mechanicals are very good and most garages are perfectly capable of working on them. Obviously the less tuned its, the more reliable an Impreza will be. Older cars can suffer from deterioration of interior components because 1990s Japanese cabins don't tend to match their German contemporaries for quality, but spare parrs for Imprezas are readily available, both new and secondhand — variable driving talent among the model's ownership has ensured a steady supply of accident damaged Imprezas to the nation’s scrapyard This does mean checking the accident history of any prospective purchase is a must, but if you find a genuine, welHloved Impreza you will acquire an investment car. First generation Imprezos are already rising in value, but a good, low-mileage Sport Wagon can be found for under £2000. Nice, unmolested WRX models really start at £3000, while the rarer STi cand special models are priced according to their niche appeal, with some costing upwards of £15,000. However, this is @ car on which, i you buy with caution, you should never lose money. I isthe perfect combination of uly, relicbility, driving enjoyment cond unassailed iconic status, whichever model you acquire. The Impreza has passed through its low-point years as a used vehicle, and is now a steadily: ‘appreciating incipient classic. Every aspect of ownership is positive. Very few rallying greats make a slice of he dream ‘available to ordinary motorisis, but the firstgeneration Impreza does just that ¥ > TUR TAY Huge range of Performance Injectors to sult most petrol Injected cers, Top Feed Conversion Fuel Rails & High Flow Fuel Pumps if FFETITS = EFSTI TEE S =H = FEETTFEEE Gencoe Road, Bushey, Herts, WOES 30P, UK ‘Td +44 (0) 208 4204494 a ee HO W. 1 Web ee PT Lonel wpa J ites | aavara %PAGID Bespoke Engineering / Engines Undertaken & Specialist Parts / Product Supply One amu ee CER he aU NY NYLLS\e IMPREZA be Dies ACCT ee eli mney aw ie a oep Taek eC eel (cleloy Het ww Rive ger wa! # "developed TAMER Reo Rae i ey AD hc ‘0 /'ELASSICS WORLD JAPANESE the ‘Flying Sikh be up and we get chating, ver that his family has SUBARU IMPREZA] 47 re SUBARU STORY INDIVIDUAL IMPREZA Rolly history helped cement the Impreza's reputation. They're huge fun, and this one is no exception. Interior largely stock, bor classy Nardi steering wheel. Having moved to the UK to further his education, it wasn't too long before Gurveer found the Impreza of his dreams. “We bought it eight years ago. Iwas a standard WRX that had been garaged all ofits life." Registered in 2000, this is « very late example of the Fiestgeneration Impreza Unsurprisingly it didn’t stay stock for 442 | CLASSICS WORLD JAPANESE long, with Gurveer added a number of improvements to take ito STi spec, including the Prodrive Performance Pack upgrades offered by Subaru dealers when these cars were current. The exhaust headers are by HKS, with unequal length pipes — all he better for exaggerating that offbeat warble The cenire section is by Toyosports. The brakes are Prodrive calipers with Alcon 2 piece discs, while there is also a lightened flywheel and a shortshift gearchange. The rear lights are JDM-spec STi units, with clear indicator lenses while Gurveer has changed the look of the front end substantially by painting the sidelight Units amber. It gives the front end a Unequal HKS headers boost the classic Subaru soundtrack. SUBARU STORY INDIVIDUAL IMPREZA JOGINDER SINGH ‘The Flying Sikh’ won the East African Safari rally three times, ‘once in a Volvo PV54d and twice in @ Mitsubishi Lancer 1600GSR Incredibly, Singh finished this super- tough rally 19 times out of 22, ‘ttempts, which is pretty remarkable ‘when you consider that in some years, the starting line up of over 80 was whittled down to just seven finishers. He had speed, but he also had consistency and the ability to avoid damaging his car beyond repair striking look, which is very different. The impreza sits on Rota Formula Mesh wheels, which set the whole thing off very nicely. Ths isn't an overly modified car, but one nicely amended to the owners tastes, ATTENTION-SEEKER ‘As we drive around to find a spot for phoios, this car is a reminder of just how rare firs-generation Imprezas are becoming, and it certainly garners attention. I's also a reminder of how car design seems to have lost its woy. Subary itself has never managed to The Lancer that Singh drove to vicory on the East African i. With the Lancer ‘after one of his two victories for Mitsubishi. 44 The fact that these family-friendly saloons offered such staggering performance that really helped them become the stuff of legend build on Impreza with quite so much individvaliy as the first generation had. Iwas always a litle ungainly, especially in base form, but the fitment of a few spoilers, and the menacing bonnet scoop, changed the character ofthe car immensely. Whether humdrum GL or fullykled Prodrive PI, the Impreza was always different. It simply looked like nothing else on the market. Of course, it fabled rallying exploits helped the Impreza along enormously, but it was the fact that these family- friendly saloons offered such staggering performance that really helped them become the stuf of legend. Suddenly, you could walk into a showroom and drive away feeling every bit the next ‘SUBARU IMPREZA | 43 STASI ag < Dele UE NR Teal d5 y ———————_ , 7 ee i rd Bu hae 7 44 There’s a superb level of engineering, great bl era of body control and, ah yes, that soundtrack. ip. Today re than Subaru ond Prodrive went lo in order fo ‘441 CLASSICS WORLD JAPANESE fe new halo car. In some ways, it helped reinvigorate the World Rally ship, with people sill ruing of Group 8. The Impreza helped proved that Group A didn’t have to be boring. Not when MrRae was at the wheel. Winning the manufacturers f 1995, 1996 and 1997, and the driver's fille in 1995 (MeRae] and 2001 (Burns) certainly helped establish the Impreza SUBARU 1996 aes Rota Formula Mesh wheels. 18 @ genuinely impressive mach with Prodrive in the UK responsible engineering this su ‘What I'm irying to get at is that Imprezas always feel a bit special should know. Our publisher has a on the fleet. They feel exaclly how you don't expect a saloon to behave. They feel like « car engineered from the start to be quick and to handle well. There's a S74 superb level of engineering, great body rol ond, ah yes, that soundirac That said, inside, the Impreza feels fairly ordinary. Gurveer lassy Nardi steering wheel, which gives it much more of a sense of purpose, while extra dials hurl information to you from otop the centre console. Generally, the interior has been left alone, though, and is all the betier for it. ‘SUBARU IMPREZA | 45 SUBARU STORY ee dy ON THE ROAD ore oD cl Suboru-burble. One which will upset the Perens Da ey the tuning work is fairly minimal, this ear ee Tt Civie. Keep throttle inputs minimal and Pee eee Stat a Cec ee ee eR Sea ‘fullblooded WRC-esque scream is ee aad Pea ORES reminder that rallying hos never been the {48 | CLASSICS WORLD JAPANESE Pee ean eee eee ere emer at ee ee Se ee thal. The steering is sharp, the handling Peer ore etn] careless. But, the sense of menace is Pe eee a soundtrack. | understand entirely where Gurveer is coming from. This is why, once ieee renner etree makes me want to record it and play it See is Se ee ‘of cugmented sound in cars, this remains re eset a a} Pee Ree Me Cee ete ad SUBARU STORY INDIVIDUAL IMPREZA ‘SUBARU IMPREZA | 47 WHAT IS AVAXHOME? ee a Pe ee Cae ate De ee a a eo Cae Reena ee Unlimited satisfaction one low price Cheap constant access to piping hot media Protect your downloadings from Big brother Safer, than torrent-trackers 18 years of seamless operation and our users' satisfaction All languages Tc lem moo le lla lolita AvaxHome - Your End Place ACM Ta vl ole Lm OL meee ate) lame Nah Mo] ULTIMATE GUIDE IMPREZA MODIFYING We show you how to make your first-gen Impreza even better. Follow our aie to the best mods you can make. ‘4811 CLASSICS WORLD JAPANESE he Subaru Impreza was @ Trent game changer for the performance saloon car market cand for Subaru, thanks initially 1o Colin McRae taking the World Rally Championship in 1995 in one, but also the assortment of high performance cand limited edition models. At the fime, Subaru was wellknown for manufacturing fourwheel drive vehicles, mainly for formers, but what it needed was to prove that its crs could perform. In 1994, the turbocharged WRX STi model was launched, which solved the issue, along with McRoe’s fille the year after. In 1998, the now collectible 228 ‘appeared, which was « widebodied soloon, limited to « production run of @ mere 424 to celebrate Subarus rallying success. The year offer, the similarly marketed RBS was produced, which celebrated Richard Burns’ return ‘SUBARU IMPREZA | 49 MODIFYING SUBARU IMPREZA The Impreza’s boxer engine consists of two halves for the Block, which must be split to access the crankshaft. ‘The standard furbo is located towards the back of the engine bay. Be prepared for seized nuts and bolts, cooked by the engi Performance panel filters can offer the most performance gains Scooby Clinic’ aftermarket turbos use lightened billet internals for your money when compared with more expensive open ‘cones and closed induction kits. to Subarv’s WRC team (444 models ‘were manufactured). Other Imprezas that stand out include the PI, which ‘wos a collaboration with Prodrive, had « similor body style to the 228 ond a limited production run of 1000, The Mk1 Impreza was replaced by the second generation, or Mk2 in 2000. The majority of MkI Imprezas ore fourwheel drive, clthough a budget priced twowheel drive 1.6litre was initially available in the early 1990s. ‘While engines ranged from 1.6 up to 2.54lres (naturally aspirated and turbocharged), most of them have the 2.Olitre and larger turbocharged ‘engine. Power outputs for any of these turbocharged engines in standard tune ‘exceed 200bhp. Subaru made the right decision to market o hondful of high performance Imprezas, which helped to pave the ‘oy for the standard models that 50 | CLASSICS WORLD JAPANESE to provi ‘faster spool and less turbo lag. 44 Airflow improvements for turbocharged Imprezas can include uprating the intercooler, which cools and feeds the air (charge) from the turbo into the engine. everyone was keen to buy. It also helped the modification market as there was some clearly defined products that everyone wanted. So the following pages provide an insight into what's available. ENGINE UPGRADES: BREATHABILITY Allowing the engine to breathe more efficiently is @ must for improving its performance. A standard air filter ‘may strangle the engine, especially at high revs and with other engine modifications. The exhaust can have a similar effect along withthe intercooler for the turbocharger. If funds ore fight, then o performance panel filter often offers more bang per buck than @ more expensive open cone ‘ closed induction kil. Don't expect massive gains, but up to 5% extra is the norm. What may also be noticeable is the delivery of power, which may be smoother. Open cone air fiters can provide ‘greater power gains over a performance panel filer and possibly better results than a closed induction kit that could manufacturers incl Goodridge. strangle the induction system on @ modified engine. The warmer air drawn by an open cone (colder if i has a cold air feed) isn’t generally tan issue on a turbocharged engine because the charge is then cooled by the intercooler. Whereas a performance panel filter will cost around £30, an open cone isn’t much more, but a closed induction kit can cost around £200. The exhaust system can also have o negative effect Con engine performance, strangling the steal brake flexi-hoses are available from a number of MODIFYING SUBARU IMPREZA Grooves and holes dust flow of waste gases. There needs to be some back pressure, but the gases need to flow smoothly. Performance silencers are a good starting point, wih prices from around £200, but also consider the mid pipework, downpipe and manifold, Al ofthese can be uprated for systems that are more freeflowing, Just make sure they remain road legal if you wish to keep driving on the public highway. Airflow improvements for turbocharged Imprezas can include Uprating the intercooler, which cools a eons a= | Wheel alignment is essential to make the most of any suspension modifications. ‘SUBARU IMPREZA | 51 MODIFYING SUBARU IMPREZA cond foods the cir (charge) from the turbo into the engine. The standard inercooler is mounted on the top of the engine and units from later models can be fitted, which have a larger core tnd greater cooling capacity. Front mounted intercooler kits are available from £250, which can provide a ‘greater cooling copabilty, but this all depends on the turbo installed and the performance you want from it ECU UPGRADES While improving the cirflow with the

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