1998 Subaru Impreza WRX STI Type-R Version 5

A brief history:

At the very start of 2014 I found out I was going to be promoted at work and decided the first, most logical thing to do in light of this news, was to buy myself a new car. After pondering a lot of fast GT cars, I took a trip to the 2014 Autosport International and seeing the Type-RA Owners Club stand convinced me that it was in fact, an Impreza that I needed. It was my poster car as a child – granted it’s not in the same league as a Countach/ Diablo etc. But that image of McRae jumping a crest, all four wheels off the road in one of these things still sticks with me now…

Anyway, I think I was still on the M40, with the missus driving, when I found this in the classifieds. The car was a low-mileage (60,000 miles), no UK-owner, relatively clean example with the added benefit/ slight negative (depending on how you prefer your cars) of having a few performance orientated modifications – mainly on the breathing side of things. I went and viewed the car a few days later, and fell in love there and then. It is very clean in terms of the body, there are a couple of car park dings and the odd stone chip, but importantly it is rust free.

Up against the shortlist that I had originally drawn up (XKR etc…) the Impreza is crude, ungainly, obnoxious, anti-social, and all a bit low brow. But I love it. Absolutely, 100% love it and wouldn’t change it for the world.

It underwent a full engine rebuild at the start of 2015, and despite being largely standard, it made 335bhp which I was more than happy with. Sadly, thanks a temperamental temperature gauge and a coolant leak, following a split silicon hose, the block has warped meaning the engine is coming out again. The big question now is, what to do with it next…

Modifications:

• Over-sized Apexi air filter
• Various Samco silicon hoses
• Upgraded head gasket
• Full Apexi stainless steel exhaust system + decat downpipe
• HKS SSQV Dump Valve
• 16” STi/ Rays TE37 ultra-lightweight alloy wheels, wrapped in 205/55R16 Yokohama Advan Neova AD08R tyres
• STi Carbon strut brace
• Clifford CAT 1 alarm & immobilizer
• Personal Neo Grinta red suede wheel, HKB boss & Snap-off adaptor