A 1998 Subaru Impreza 22B prototype previously owned by World Rally Championship legend Colin McRae introduced the equal of $606,042 (480,500 kilos) on the Silverstone Pageant public sale on August 26. It was the primary time this automobile was obtainable in a public public sale.
Subaru delivered this 22B in November 1998. It was considered one of three prototypes for the rally-inspired limited-run mannequin. The automaker made 400 of them for Japan, 16 for the UK, 5 for Australia, and the trio of pre-production examples. The examples for Japan allegedly bought out on the primary day.
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The 22B celebrated Subaru’s WRC group successful three consecutive WRC producers’ championships – 1995, 1996, and 1997. It additionally marked the automaker’s fortieth anniversary.
The 22B title allegedly comes from the cigarette model 555 sponsoring the Subaru WRC group on the time. In hexadecimal code, 555 interprets to 22B.
The automobile featured the EJ22 turbocharged 2.2-liter flat four-cylinder. The manufacturing facility rated it at 276 horsepower to adjust to the Japanese automakers’ efficiency settlement on the time, the place they did not promote outputs greater than this. Subaru additionally modified the gear ratios, clutch, driveshaft, brakes, and suspension to create the closest factor attainable to a road-going WRC machine.
Subaru provided one of many 22B prototypes to Colin McRae, WRC driver’s champion in 1995 and got here second plate in ’96 and ’97. The automobile wasn’t a present; he had to purchase it. Subie allowed McRae’s co-driver Nicky Grist and ProDrive’s David Lapworth to buy the second and third pre-production fashions.
This one has coated simply 7,333 miles (11,802 kilometers). It got here with an aftermarket exhaust put in, however the sale included the unique piping and tires. The deal included all the invoices for components and upkeep.
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Two fashions are roughly equal to the 22B in fashionable occasions. One was the 2019 Subaru WRX STi S209. The corporate introduced simply 200 to the US for $64,880 every. The EJ25 turbocharged 2.5-liter four-cylinder made 341 hp and 330 lb-ft, which was 31 hp and 40 lb-ft, greater than an everyday STI at the moment.
The 22B’s religious successor is the ProDrive P25 (gallery above), which prices the US equal of $506,000 (460,000 kilos). All of them have already got reserved patrons. A turbocharged 2.5-liter flat-four engine makes over 400 hp and runs by means of a six-speed sequential gearbox.
Watch this Motor1.com Take a look at Automobile Completely happy Hour to seek out out what it is wish to drive the P25:
