See a Subaru Impreza 22B for yourself - meet one of the most sought-after Japanese vehicles ever
Only a handful were ever made but the Evolution of Japanese Cars exhibit at Bill Richardson Transport World is set to feature a Subaru Impreza 22B – a car some consider the ‘holy grail’ when it comes to vehicles manufactured by the automotive powerhouse.
When the Subaru Impreza 22B was announced in 1998, the 424 vehicles slated for production sold out in just 12 hours – an incredible feat. With such a small number of the vehicles ever produced, the Subaru Impreza 22B is universally regarded as the manufacturer’s most sought-after car.
Named after the 2.2-litre, turbocharged boxer engine that sits under the hood, the two-door Subaru 22B has a body that features widened front and rear fenders: leaving those lucky enough to ever get a glimpse of one under no doubt that this is one car that is all muscle.
Advertised as boasting 280hp (208Kw) – typical of virtually every other Japanese sports car at the time – the 22B reportedly came with a number that was actually north of 300hp. The result? A vehicle that could shoot to 100km/h in just five seconds. Needless to say, that was a fairly impressive record back in 1998. The Subaru 22B is a monster.
Of the 424 models manufactured, 400 were built for the Japanese market. Sixteen were sent off to the United Kingdom – two of which wound up in the hands of Scottish rally driver Colin McRae (son of five-time British Rally Champ Jimmy, brother of Alister, and himself the 1991 and 1992 British Rally and, in 1995, the youngest-ever winner of the World Rally Championship Drivers’ title – a record he still holds) and his co-driver Nicky Grist as a thank you.
(We reckon that beats a bottle of wine, hands down.)
A further five of the 22Bs made their way to the Australian market, where they were originally stickered with an eye-watering price tag of $AU132,000.
Needless to say, spotting a Subaru Impreza 22B in the wild is a rare occurrence. Make sure you don’t miss checking out the one within the Evolution of Japanese Cars exhibit here at Bill Richardson Transport World.
Running from 23 October 2020 to 12 April 2021, this temporary exhibit might be your only chance to see one in the metal. Access to the display of Japanese vehicles is included in general admission to Bill Richardson Transport World.