Tuesday 20th December 2016

Subaru Impreza Turbo: Spotted

It's standard (well, close enough), low mileage and less than £5K - get one while you still can!

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It's hard to explain the current fascination with early Subaru Imprezas around PH at the moment. Dan's ongoing love for his Forester STI must have something to do with it, and the BRZ refresh was also a nice reminder that Subaru do interesting fast cars. Why there's a specific focus on early Turbos though, it's difficult to be sure.

Ain't she a beaut?

Perhaps it's the fact they're so rare nowadays. Can you remember the last time you saw a first generation Turbo looking this good? The odd badly modified one will be clocked burbling down a high street, but standard cars are largely notable by their scarcity. Moreover, there's a nostalgic appeal as the rally rep is very much an old fast car fad now. In the same way that hot hatches weren't really a thing in the mid-1990s, so the Japanese four-wheel drive saloon largely died out by the middle of the 2000s. Sure, Subaru will still sell you a WRX STI - rather enjoyable it is too - but the widespread appeal, the cult following almost, from enthusiasts is no longer there.

Hence the appeal of cars like these. The Impreza and many of its ilk were famed for their tuning ability, yet here is a car that has survived 16 years with nothing more than a pink STI badge and a stainless steel exhaust. Easily reversible mods, in other words, which would leave you with a standard version of one of the fast car icons. For less than £5K. And you don't need us to tell you how valuable roadgoing versions of successful competition cars currently are.

There's more. It's covered just 70,000 miles, the service history is full and there has been a cambelt change, although the ad doesn't state when. Even the wheelarches are in one piece! And blue with gold will always look good on a four-door Subaru.

Exhaust is the only performance mod

In fact, it's difficult to think of what similar cars you might buy for the money. Because Evos only ever came to the UK in more powerful variants, it would cost twice the money of this Impreza to get into an Evo VI of any kind. As for other notable performance cars from the era, you'll be doing very well to get any kind of DC2 Integra Type R for less than £5K, leave alone one with so few miles. The Accord Type R is perhaps a more natural fit against the Subaru, and available for less money. Again though, good luck finding one as presentable. Fiat Coupe Turbo? This one has more than twice the miles of the Impreza and is only £1,000 less. There aren't any Mondeo ST200s available, but this ST220 looks good value is fast four-doors are your thing. If Imprezas are your thing though, this has no competition history, no four-wheel drive and is considerably less desirable.

It's difficult to know where the downsides are with this Turbo. Its appetite for fuel will probably be more noticeable in 2016 than it was in 2000, and Dan will tell you how pricey Subaru servicing can be. That being said, Imprezas are slowly but surely appreciating as the market realises how significant they are - in the same way hot hatches were the big thing in the 80s, cars like the Impreza were all the rage in the 90s. Get one now to remind yourself why, and before they're all gone for good!

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SUBARU IMPREZA TURBO
Engine: 1,994cc, 4-cyl boxer turbocharged
Transmission: 5-speed manual, four-wheel drive
Power (hp): 217@5,600rpm
Torque (lb ft): 214@4,000rpm
MPG: N/A
CO2: 239g/km
First registered: 2000
Recorded mileage: 70,000
Price new: N/A
Yours for: £4,650

See the original advert here.

[nicfaz]

Great cars. 215bhp doesn't sound like much, but they don't weigh much and have total traction - mine felt pretty fast! They also have that old fashioned turbo rush that makes them feel faster than they actually are. Had to sell mine because the seat had no lumbar and it was crippling me, but fond memories.