Monday 16th December 2013

Impreza 22B STI: Time For Coffee?

The most iconic and desirable Subaru ever? It's hard to disagree after this

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This is a rather baffling marketing ploy from Subaru. Though its video for the latest WRX is actually quite good (some boxer warble is present and the car looks far better moving than stationary), it was published just a week after its 22B celebration. Which would you rather see? Exactly.

This video is fronted by Subaru USA's head of product communications Dominick Infante. He fills us in on the car's origins, how the 22B name originated, why it looks the way it does and some other useful trivia bits. That pink STI badge is actually Cherry Red, for example.

Out on the road, the 22B still looks fabulous, its wild appearance so much cooler when you know it was for competition. Understandably given there's just two in the US, it's driven quite tamely but there's easily enough to reignite the passion for classic Imprezas. Just look at that stance!

It would have been nice to end this with a link to a 22B in the classifieds but there aren't currently any for sale. Videos like this certainly won't encourage owners to sell any time soon either!

See it here

 

 

[dlockhart]

somehow it seems down on horses compared modern cars, and possibly agricultural inside, I still think its the best thing they have produced.

[goodhand]

[quote]It would have been nice to end this with a link to a 22B in the classifieds but there aren't currently any for sale
[/quote]

You just missed this one by a couple of weeks: http://www.xtreme-uk.net/deals-done/detail.asp?ID=...

[GC8]

The facelifted (actually from the then-new Forester) dash is better than the original, but theyre both pretty dire.

With regards to power output; you have to remember that all Japanese manufacturers were still observing the 280PS max agreement, so few cars had over three hundred horsepower, even if they could easily manage more.

[KarlMac]

And old friend i no longer see chopped his Evo 4 in for one of these around 2001-2002. I've lusted for one ever since.

[Terminator X]

He cocked up the 22b thing, it's actually Hex for 555

TX.

[300bhp/ton]

It's a cool car for sure. But just too pricey and too limited edition to really appeal properly to anyone other than wealthy collectors.

Surely a drivers Impreza of this era would be an STI Version 6 or similar, maybe a Type R or RA variant.

[Jman93]

Lovely car, personally i think that the classic shape has such a great 90's look to it. I love the RB5 and at the prices they are fetching at the moment, they are all but hard to ignore.

[r11co]

[supertouring]

One of my videos from Top Gear Motorsport from back in 90's with good old Tiff and Colin.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ki8DxFz8ImI

[GC8]

Terminator X said:

He cocked up the 22b thing, it's actually Hex for 555

TX.

It wasnt for competition either, but Im trying to leave Impreza pedantry behind me. Im back to being a 944 pedant now...

[loudlashadjuster]

Always was a lovely looking thing, the 22B.

Commentary leaves a lot to be desired though.

[tbtstt]

Awesome car and great looking video, but I can't believe something on an official Subaru channel has so many factual errors in it!

[epom]

My absolute favorite car and out of all cars available would be my first buy had I a big win.

[LaurasOtherHalf]

an absolute guaranteed future classic, better than money in the bank imho

we'll all be looking back in 20 years in amazement at how you could buy one for £25k

[Terminator X]

<50 UK ones left:

http://www.howmanyleft.co.uk/vehicle/subaru_imprez...

TX.

[WCZ]

£35,000 ! seems expensive

[GC8]

You could buy a 22B a few years ago for far, far less than £25,000! Youll spend a fortune keeping it though which will eat most of your profit.

[tbtstt]

Terminator X said:

<50 UK ones left:

http://www.howmanyleft.co.uk/vehicle/subaru_imprez...

TX.

Thats pretty impressive given how there was only 16 Type UK 22B's in the first place!

[Terminator X]

tbtstt said:

Terminator X said:

<50 UK ones left:

http://www.howmanyleft.co.uk/vehicle/subaru_imprez...

TX.

Thats pretty impressive given how there was only 16 Type UK 22B's in the first place!

LOL, perhaps it's all the UK reg'd 22B's rather than just the "proper" UK ones then

TX.

[richs2891]

How Subaru managed to cock things up I really don't get it, they produced some really good cars in the late 90's early 00's. Then they never seemed to move forward.
Sad really. But 22B I would like a drive in one but trying to find a good straight unmolested one, probably more fake 22B STI than genuine ones.