If you happen to be a hardcore Subaru fan with loads of cash lying around, you don’t want to miss this one!
When it comes to the greatest Subaru of all time, the Impreza 22B sits quite near the top of that list. It was first unveiled at the Tokyo Motor Show in 1997 to celebrate the brand’s 3rd consecutive FIA World Rally Championship win. And with only 400 units ever produced, the 22B is considered one of the rarest and collecting-worthy Subarus.
Indeed, we’ve seen rare Subaru Imprezas being auctioned off in the past, but the one coming up at Bonhams Quail Auction this Friday, August 18, might be the most desirable yet — the one and only 1997 Impreza 22B Prototype! It’s the exact one built for display at the 1997 Tokyo Motor Show and has been kept in pristine condition ever since. And if you love Subarus to death, you might not want to miss this one; though, it’s expected to sell between $450,000 and $550,000, so you might need to quickly un-freeze your assets to join the bidding.
Despite being a 25-year-old car, this Japanese prototype managed to retain its near-delivery mileage — 43 miles, to be exact. When the 22B came out in 1997, there were only five prototypes, and one happened to find itself in the hands of David Lapworth as a thank-you gift for designing Subaru’s magnificent WRC-winning rally car. Interestingly, all of these pre-production models have a little plaque saying “000/400”, making them even more special than the production ones.
Surely, the Impreza 22B Prototype has got to be one of the rarest JDM unicorns ever, with an interesting background story. The designer, Peter Stevens, has indeed nailed his job at making it as close to a road-going rally car as possible, with the fat wing on the back, Eibach springs and Bilstein dampers. Oh, and those sick-looking BBS-forged alloy wheels are just marvelous, aren’t they?
It’s 2.2-liter turbocharged flat-4 heart is claimed to produce 280 hp. That output might look small by today’s standard, but considering there was a voluntary horsepower limit among Japanese manufacturers, it’s possible the 22B is actually more powerful than what’s stated on paper.
Nonetheless, good luck to whoever’s participating, and early congratulations to whoever shall win this gem — we’ll envy you!
Gallery: 1997 Subaru Impreza 22B Prototype
