It’s nearly impossible to talk about rallying with the mention of Colin McRae. In some ways, he was the man who made the World Rally Championship enter the consciousness of the ‘90s Playstation kids. His flamboyant driving style made him entertaining to watch, and his mantra of ‘If in doubt, flat out’ won him fans the world over.
Another part of McRae’s legacy is Subaru. He gave the Japanese marque its first WRC title in 1995 and became the youngest champion of the sport, a record only beaten last year by Kalle Rovanperä. Sure, he drove for Ford, Citroën, and Škoda in later years, but it’s the image of a blue Subaru Impreza kicking up dirt and flying through crests that remain burned in every McRae fan’s memory.
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Now, it’s your chance to own a piece of McRae memorabilia, provided you have very deep pockets. On of the rally legend’s personal cars is up for sale, a Subaru Impreza 22B. As it is, the 22B is one of the ‘holy grail’ models in Subaru’s history. But the fact that this one belonged to one of WRC’s greatest drivers makes it even more special.
This Subaru Impreza 22B was delivered to McRae in November 1998, and is actually one of three prototypes built. Another 22B was given to his co-driver at the time, Niky Grist. Not only that, McRae’s car bares the serial number 000/399, meaning it’s no ordinary 22B.
Aside from the McRae connection and the limited production run, what makes the Impreza 22B a special machine? For starters, the engine isn’t an off-the-shelf 2.0-liter (or 2.5-liter) boxer from the Subaru parts bin. The EJ22 built for the 22B was built around a separate casting, along with internals unique to this model. It also has bespoke suspension parts and tuning, blistered wheelarches, and a seam-welded chassis for extra reinforcement.
Power, you ask? On paper, it’s listed at 276hp. However, that’s only because the 22B had to adhere to the ‘Gentleman’s agreement’ Japanese manufacturers followed. Given its performance, it’s safe to say the true figure is well over 300hp.
So, how much for this unique piece of history? Silverstone Auctions, the company behind the sale of this car, estimates £400,000 to £500,000 for the car. At current exchange rates, that’s around P26.9-M to P33.6-M. But even without a legendary first owner, a 22B easily fetches over £150,000 (approx. P10-M) should one come up for sale.
