Subaru has occupied a unique slot in the American automotive marketplace since the early-2000s, when the Japanese manufacturer decided to stick with all-wheel-drive vehicles for this country. Previously, cars such as the Subaru Impreza could be had in front-wheel-drive layouts, though with the introduction of the WRX and STI variants, all that went out the window. But even some Subaru WRX and STI fanboy owners probably don't realize that the first cars shipped to the US were actually second-gens, since Subaru had been building the rally-inspired models in Japan since 1992 for the GC8 generation.

Available in coupe and four-door form—and weighing much less than later generations—the GC8 has now become popular as the platform for later gen drivetrain swaps. These builds occasionally pop up for sale (nowhere near the prices of a legit 22b STI) but few look as hardcore as this time attack-prepped GC8 with a full STI swap. Hoonigan Autofocus host Larry Chen recently got a chance to catch up with the car's owner, Dewey Dewitt, at Gridlife Midwest on a rainy weekend when the Subaru's all-wheel-drive layout got a chance to shine.

If It's Too Loud, You're Too Old

Turn the volume up to get the full experience of the flat-four roaring at full throttle—Dewitt reveals that everyone always tells him how loud the car is, though he can't quite hear the full roar after having a tumor removed from his head that resulted in the loss of hearing in one ear.

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An RSTI Swap

Subaru GC8 Impreza STI Swap 3
via YouTube

Dewitt's STI drivetrain swap includes the rare decision to stick with the 2.0-liter Boxer, rather than bumping displacement up, because the smaller powerplant includes thicker cylinder walls, better oiling, and better rod ratios to improve reliability while revving up to a screaming 9,000 RPM, which is a ridiculous redline for a turbocharged setup.

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Stripped And Gutted

Subaru GC8 Impreza STI Swap 4
via YouTube

The interior has clearly been stripped and gutted—impressively, the car is so light that when lifting off the throttle with the claimed 600-plus horses on tap, Dewitt discovered he was losing traction. Now, there's just flat-foot shifts even though he's using a stock JDM gearbox and differentials. Up next for the car might be upgraded differentials, though if the drivetrain is functioning so well right now, perhaps the move might prove unnecessary.

Sources: youtube.com and iwireservices.com.

NEXT: 10 Biggest Differences Between The Subaru WRX And STI