1995 Ford RS200 Replica (Impreza-based)

Highlights

• Proven Subaru AWD system
• MOT to July 2026
• Uprated brakes, cooling system and ECU
• Full rollcage and stripped interior
• New Cobra racing bucket seats

Overview

The story of the RS200 is the stuff of motorsport legend. First appearing in 1986 and designed to take the fight to Audi and Lancia in the World Rally Championship (WRC), Ford’s design was quirky in the extreme – a unique small coupe bodyshell with a short wheelbase, mid-mounted engine, front-mounted transmission to even the weight out, and some very creative engineering to ensure it had a four-wheel drive system.

It looked and sounded incredible, and Ford was convinced it would show the Quattro who was boss. But, just as the motorsport version of the RS200 was validated, Group B regulations were banned from the WRC. The RS200 was still used in autocross and other forms of motorsport, but the glory of the WRC was forever to evade it.

Thankfully, Ford had to build 200 road-going versions for homologation purposes, so the project wasn’t a total loss to history. Of course these days a genuine RS200 is not only vanishingly rare, but eye-wateringly expensive. We’re talking anywhere from £200,000-500,000. Which is a lot.

How grateful we are then, that the car world is replete with a delicious combination of engineering geniuses and the sort of eccentrics who look at a car, stroke their chin and say “what if…” Because otherwise projects like this simply wouldn’t exist. Ladies and gents, we are very proud to present the Suba200. Or RSaru. Fordaru? Look, we haven’t quite worked out the details yet.

Anyway, what you’re looking at is a phenomenally accurate visual replica of an RS200, only made from the shell and running gear of a 1995 Subaru Impreza. Yes, really. So the engine is in the front, it retains Subaru’s bombproof 4WD system and there’s a healthy dose of extra cooling going on at the back to balance things out. It’s fully liveried up to look like a Stig Blomqvist Ford Works car, and believe us when we say it sounds as good as it looks, all barks and whistles and violence, just like a period RS200, with a side of Subaru burble.

It’s quite, quite mad. Utterly wonderful and certainly one-of-a-kind, but completely barking. As you can probably imagine, we adore it. And we reckon it would make any driveway, garage or collection significantly cooler by its mere presence.

History and documentation

• First registered in the UK 1 April 2005 (believed to be a Japanese import)
• Current MOT expires 9 July 2026
• Four former owners, current owner since 17 April 2021
• V5 present in owner’s name
• Note that the V5 still shows the details of the donor car and, as far as we are aware, the vehicle has not been through an IVA test
• HPI clear
• 136,944 miles on the clock

Interior

• Stripped out rally style interior
• Flock covered dash
• Carpets with Ford branded rubber overmats
• New Cobra ‘Monaco Pro’ racing seats
• New 5-point racing harnesses
• Full rollcage, painted in white to match the bodyshell
• New lightweight door cards fitted, trimmed in black vinyl with a blue stitched hexagon pattern
• Fabric door pulls
• The upper part of the Impreza dashboard remains, as does the instrument binnacle and gear lever surround
• Overall the interior looks to be in good order, with a good standard of finish for a race car
• No faults or issues are reported with any of the cabin’s functions

Exterior

• Fibreglass RS200 replica bodyshell fitted, with front and rear clamshells for access to mechanicals
• The underlying body has been stripped, sand blasted and resprayed in solid white
• Full works replica livery and decal set fitted
• The bodywork looks to be in good order, with no damage or cracking we can see
• The paintwork and livery looks well, with no notable marks, scuffs or damage we could identify
• New perspex window kit fitted
• Twin Hella Rallye 1000 spotlights fitted to the front
• Blue mudflaps fitted to all four arches
• Underneath the car looks clean and solid
• Full underbody protection fitted
• Newly fitted set of white 17-inch STI rally wheels, wearing a matched set of Avon tyres (225/45)
• We’re informed that a spare set of Subaru wheels is also included in the sale

Mechanical

• Subaru 2-litre turbo boxer engine completely rebuilt with new uprated turbo, new pistons, rings, bearings, oil pump and sump kit
• 5-speed manual transmission completely overhauled including new red competition clutch 
• All-wheel drive system
• Custom RamAir intake reverse manifold system to larger front-mounted intercooler 
• New high output alternator
• Adjustable front suspension
• New competition grade brake lines
• New custom 3-inch exhaust system
• New big brake kit fitted all round with new brake calipers and disks
• All new wheel bearings
• Competition bushes 
• Upgraded ECU with performance map
• Aluminium performance radiator with twin fans installed at the rear
• Coolant header tank and new battery relocated under the rear clamshell
• All lines have been moved inside the car
• A full spare gearbox is included
• We’re assured that the car runs just as it should, with no faults or mechanical issues reported

Summary

We want an RS200. You want an RS200. Anyone who loves cars wants an RS200. For most of us, that will never happen, the harsh realities of money and rarity being what they are.

But we could buy a fabulous replica that looks amazing, sounds like Thor stubbing his toe and goes like a particularly angry leopard. Yes, we could do that. And what a buy it would be. Every drive, every track day, every car show – they would all be improved by this magnificently mad creation.

If you’ve a space in your garage for something a bit wild, then you’ve simply got to consider this.

To arrange a viewing, click the 'Book Viewing' button located under the 'Place Bid' button. Viewings can be booked up until the day before the auction ends, after which the option will change to 'Contact Seller' for further enquiries. This seller is located inSelby, North Yorkshire.