The original Impreza 22B STI was created to commemorate Subaru winning three FIA World Rally Championships. It also had the added icing of celebrating the Japanese automaker's 40th anniversary. But today, Subaru has sadly strayed away from its glory days. The coveted WRX STI has been discontinued, and 2023 Subaru cars are as bland when compared to its rich rallying past.
And that's why our in-house render guru Rostislav Prokop, took charge of creating the HotCars Exclusive Subaru Impreza 22B STI Restomod. We took one of the rarest and most desirable Subies out of its comfort zone. Our sharp, sleek, and aerodynamic Restomod brings the 22B Impreza onto the tarmac.
It packs the most powerful road-going Subaru boxer engine ever made and takes a weight reduction class as well. Subaru has already proven its mettle on gravel. We give it supercar-rivaling prowess to shred some slicks!
Modern 22B STI Restomod Celebrates Subaru's 70th Anniversary
The 22B STI was and is still considered the most devoted road-going version of the G.O.A.T of rally racing. But we haven't gotten over this iconic Subie's fame. And so, here's the perfect chin-up job to celebrate the best-ever rally comakers' 70th anniversary. It is no surprise that Subaru has become boring in 2023, and it hurts! Our 22B STI Restomod wants to remind Subaru of its glory days with a modern twist.
We knew that it was like playing with fire to fiddle with such an iconic and timeless Japanese sports car. But Prokop has done an impressive job of retaining the essence of the original. The widebody treatment and the unique blue color have been retained, which made the original 22B STI stand out as the rarest Subaru WRX ever made.
Now, we know that some of you are already up in arms with our choice of changing the iconic Saffron Yellow WRX wheels with a set of black custom ones. But, there is a very solid reason as to why we "upgraded" the Subaru 22B into a more 'sharper' sports car.
The 2023 Impreza 22B STI Restomod Is A Hardcore Track Weapon
The 1998 Impreza 22B STI was at home on the gravel and dirt. It was the closest anyone could get to a hardcore rally car for the roads. We decided to take the complete opposite "route" with the 2023 Subaru Impreza 22B STI Restomod. This, right here, is the most desirable Subaru racecar that is made for the tarmac. Yup, the clever AWD and boxer engine has been modified to shame competitors on the tarmac.
Subaru has, time and again, proved its mettle on gravel. Our Restomod creation takes the 22B STI out of its comfort zone. And for that, we took out the humble (by today's standards) 2.2-Liter turbocharged boxer four engine that pumped out 280 hp and 268 lb-ft of torque. And in its place lies the engine from the most powerful Subaru STI ever made from the factory - the limited edition STI S209. The 2.5-Liter turbocharged unit pumps out 341 hp and 330 lb-ft of torque.
We could have convinced Subaru to give us the monstrous 862-HP flat-four that the Subaru WRX STI Gymkhana car packs, but that will add more weight and complexity. Our 22B STI cleverly balances out the power-to-weight ratio to be a nimble track car. But we did manage to squeeze out more from this already wild engine.
Our Impreza 22B STI with an ECU remap, bigger turbos, and beefier intake system churns out 400 hp and 350 lb-ft of torque. And that is the absolute limit of this poor engine. Going any further will only "blow" things up! It is made to be fast on the straights and holds speed even in corners.
And this is where the "unholy" exterior mods come in. Aggressive aerodynamic upgrades include a sharper front bumper with aero claddings and a protruding splitter. The rear fixed spoiler is unchanged, but if you look closely, the angle has been tweaked for added downforce. Prokop has also added a subtle-looking rear diffuser that aids in drag. And those custom "black" wheels are actually lightweight carbon fiber ones that help reduce unsprung mass.
The goal was to reduce as much stubborn and unwanted weight as possible. And we did it! We actually created a Subaru that replicates its rallying madness on the tarmac. This Impreza 22B Restomod does 0-60 mph in under 4.5 seconds and does the quarter mile in about 12.5 seconds. The top speed is 185 mph, at which, thanks to the clever aero, the Subie stays glued to the ground.
Restomodded Subaru Impreza 22B STI Is A Dragon Among Unicorns
Only 400 units of the 22B STIs were made for the Japanese market, all of which sold out in under 48 hours. Subaru created 24 extra LHD 22Bs for the rest of the world. And that was it; 424 units of the most desirable Subaru WRX sports car in the whole world.
You might have guessed by now that the 22Bs are highly sought-after 90s JDM sports cars. And that also means no one fiddles with the stock setup, let alone create a Restomod. While our creation is in the digital world, if it was boldly created in real, it would be one-of-one. In other words, our exclusive Impreza 22B STI will be a dragon among unicorns.
How Much Is The Subaru Impreza 22B STI Worth Today?
Today, the first-gen Subaru Impreza 22B STIs are rare finds in the used car space. Those who own it won't part ways. But in certain exceptional cases, 22B STIs do pop up for sale. As per Classic, this iconic Subaru Impreza sells for an average of $227,568; with the highest recorded sale at a whopping $312,555. That's breaching Lamborghini and Ferrari territory in 2023!