The Subaru Impreza needs to be one of the generally tuned vehicles of the previous few many years. When you’re studying this, I’d wager you personally know somebody who has an Impreza 2.5RS, WRX or WRX STI making 400 to 800HP. You’ve in all probability pushed one, or been in a single, or no less than seen one on the freeway belching black exhaust.

I simply obtained again from England the place I drove a GC8 Impreza (which Subaru constructed between 1992 and 1999) with just below 450 HP. Prodrive constructed it, they name it the P25 and getting one would price you round $600k, to begin—offered that they weren’t already offered out, which they’re. So what’s the distinction between a $600k GC8 Impreza and the one which’s sitting in my barn proper now?

Nicely, initially, the P25 was constructed by Prodrive, the corporate that’s in all probability most accountable for your curiosity in Subaru, after Subaru. And earlier than Polyphony Digital. Within the Nineties and early 2000s Prodrive was the English Racing store that helped Subaru go from a maker of semi-goofy, lovable little vehicles to a maker of semi-goofy, lovable little vehicles and world-beating rally vehicles.

Collectively, the 2 corporations gained six WRC championships—three driver’s and three producer’s. Subaru’s success in rally helped construct the model and threw off road-going, turbocharged, all-wheel drive efficiency variations of the Legacy after which Impreza. At the moment, essentially the most sought-after of these is the 1998 Subaru Impreza 22B STI, constructed to rejoice 40 years of Subaru and three WRC producer’s titles. There have been solely 424 of these constructed, partially to homologate the rally automotive, they usually’re now buying and selling palms within the low six-figure vary. This doubtless prompted Prodrive, lengthy since out of the Subaru stage rally enterprise to suppose, “Huh. We may make one thing like that.”

So, now you have got 25 Prodrive P25s, which Prodrive designed to exceed the efficiency of not simply the 22B, however the precise WRC automotive that impressed the 22B — the automotive that you simply purchase a 22B to fake you’re driving.

Paying Prodrive to take time away from its essential enterprise of constructing racecars and operating race groups to get a GC8 shell to that stage of efficiency with daily-driver/weekend automotive reliability is pricey, however I’m right here to inform you, it’s price it.

There are loads of actually good restomod Porsche 911s on the market, with Singer being considered the head so far as value, refinement, high quality and desirability go. When you put an early Singer on a raise and search for, you’ll see loads of aftermarket Porsche components that virtually any air-cooled Porsche nerd would acknowledge. They’d unimaginable interiors, great engines, excruciating consideration to element, a model/look, and so on. However what you had been truly paying for was numerous hours of growth to make the entire thing work.

I can keep in mind early-Jalopnik contributor Davey G. Johnson telling me that the primary Singer he drove felt like a $90,000 automotive in one of the simplest ways doable. As a result of Singers price much more than that, it could possibly be learn as an insult, however what he truly meant was that it didn’t really feel like a tuned model of an previous automotive. It felt like a automotive that an actual OEM had spent OEM-levels of growth money and time on, dialing within the lots of of part components, finishes and techniques in order that all the pieces felt not simply good or enjoyable, however coherent and regarded — like a automotive that Audi would possibly cost round 100 grand for. That’s primarily what you’re getting right here, however with much more edge.

The sides are intentional, and the entire bundle is fairly refined for what it’s. However, as a result of it’s a Subaru and never a 911, a number of the customized particulars—LED headlights, taillights, don’t land as satisfyingly as they might. The Prodrive items are superbly made and appear to work properly, however there are too many unhealthy aftermarket kits on the market to enterprise too far afield from the extra “OEM” look we noticed on the P25 idea that debuted at Goodwood final yr. (I imagine that automotive turned the automotive pictured right here.) It’s a matter of context, not execution, and sure, a matter of private choice.

The paintwork on the largely carbon bodywork is excellent, and sturdy sufficient to resist me placing a wheel within the gravel on my observe drive (which the Prodrive of us had been thrilled about). The colour, which isn’t World Rally Blue, was blended particularly for this automotive and is ideal, although Prodrive lets clients identify their most well-liked code for each the physique and the Prodrive wheels. The roof pores and skin, trunk lid, mirrors, hood, rear wing and fenders are all carbon.

The inside isn’t precisely luxurious—that is nonetheless an previous Impreza— nevertheless it’s very good, all carbon fiber and pretend suede with a reimagined middle console and digital gauge cluster. Homeowners picked from 25 inside colours and had the choice of a regular seat, reclining carbon seat or a set racing sort seat. You possibly can choice a digital readout for the passenger and a foot relaxation with a bit horn button on your buddy who desires to play co-driver. The toggle swap on the appropriate within the photograph beneath prompts full-power mode, which is humorous since you already thought you had been in full-power mode.

The motor is an EJ25, such as you’d discover in a last-generation STi, however closely modified by Prodrive. The result’s 444 HP, which doesn’t appear massively spectacular till you take into account that this motor is able to reliably delivering sprints to 60 in underneath three seconds. That’s doable as a result of the entire automotive solely weighs round 2500 lbs or about the identical as a ND Miata RF.

In terms of the P25’s driving expertise, the load is the quantity that issues. The automotive is simply so desperate to speed up, flip, rotate and cease. The steering is fast and lightweight, the big AP Racing brakes are extremely sturdy and can pin you all the way in which to the harness.

In my palms, it delivered the weight-transfer sensation you get from an previous automotive because of the compliant suspension, with the acceleration, grip and braking of a contemporary hypercar. It’s unimaginable to think about a contemporary, AWD automotive behaving this manner and albeit, I don’t understand how you’d get the load down anyway. It’s pure magic.

We drove on a tough, slim little observe on the UK’s Millbrook testing facility. The P25’s specifically tuned and absolutely adjustable Bilstein suspension delivered large management and ideal damping. That is the place the event cash has gone, and it’s actually what you’re paying for. You’ll be able to throw the very best, most unique or costly aftermarket components on this planet at your private Subaru, however there actually is not any substitute for spending numerous hours at a observe with actual engineers and growth drivers.

The efficiency highway automotive transmission hierarchy is as follows: 1. Standard Handbook. 2. Sequential 3. Multi-clutch 4. Standard Automated 5. CVT. Whereas the 22B got here with a standard handbook, the 25B comes with a single-paddle, clutched, 6-speed automated handbook sequential gearbox constructed by Prodrive.

Personally, I would favor a standard handbook, however I’d be mendacity if I stated the sequential wasn’t enjoyable to function, particularly when you choose 1st in a crowd, and everybody appears as a result of it sounds just like the transmission internals had been simply forcibly ejected from their case. It additionally has an digital energetic middle diff that all the time appears to be sending energy to precisely the place you need it. It’s going to additionally disconnect the rear finish whenever you hit the hydraulic handbrake.

I’ve little doubt that some readers shall be unmoved by the above, and it’s completely effective to imagine that you would construct a sooner Subaru for much less. Nevertheless, I’d want some actual convincing to imagine you would construct one which’s higher.

Finally although, it doesn’t matter. Twenty-five P25s have been made, and 25 have been offered, all to individuals who very doubtless didn’t should suppose twice about spending greater than half one million {dollars} on a Subaru. In the long run, the real-deal 22B will in all probability be a greater funding, even when it’s not pretty much as good to drive. Hopefully, the P25s see loads of observe time within the interim.