Subaru's Latest Hardcore WRX STI Has Us Lusting After This Used S202

Even with the mania surrounding Mazda’s RX-Vision concept at the Tokyo Motor Show, the Subaru WRX STI S207 still had no trouble grabbing the attention of CT readers when it was revealed this week.

The downside of that car? Like previous S20x STIs, it’s only available in Japan. It’s not cheap either, being the equivalent of £32,500, a significant amount more than the regular STI’d ‘Rex goes for in Japan. But, there is a solution: go for one of the S207’s predecessors, like the S202.

Yes, it may be from the pre-facelift second-generation stock of Imprezas - which means you’re lumbered with that much-maligned bug-eye look - but it’s worth overlooking that fact since this is such a potent bit of kit.

Based on the already stripped-back WRX STI Spec C, the S202 goes a few steps further. The brakes are uprated, the suspension littered with parts from STI’s go-faster parts catalogue, and the 2.0-litre EJ20 boxer-four is capable of 315bhp, not far off the output of the brand new S207. The whole lot is finished off with a set of 10-spoke Rays wheels shod in Pirelli P Zero Rosso boots, plus a jolly great roof spoiler for good measure.

As with the S207, the S202’s production run was limited to just 400 units, but the good news is there are currently three for sale in the UK. This freshly-imported, 56,000 mile example is one of them, and looks promising at £9995.

Tempted?