Subaru Impreza WR1 Heads to Auction

Subaru Impreza WR1 up for grabs at auction on TheMarket.co.uk, and it’s kind of a big deal.

This isn’t just any Impreza. We’re talking about one of only 500 made for the UK to celebrate Petter Solberg and Phil Mills winning the World Rally Championship back in 2003.

It’s like a final hurrah for Subaru’s classic 2.0-liter turbo engine.

This particular one, number 153 to be exact, is coated in a cool Ice Blue Metallic.

Subaru Impreza WR1
Subaru Impreza WR1

And because it’s a WR1, it got some tuning from Prodrive right from the factory. Those guys tweaked the engine’s computer and exhaust, boosting the power up to 320 horsepower.

It’s got a six-speed manual transmission and something called a Driver Controlled Center Differential, which basically means you’ve got a lot of control over how the power is delivered.

Back in the day, it could do 0 to 60 mph in just a little over four seconds. The car looks the part too, with dark gray Prodrive wheels, gold Brembo brake calipers, and that massive rear spoiler that screams rally car.

Now, this Impreza has seen some action, with about 95,782 miles on the clock. But it sounds like it’s been taken care of.

The car’s service history is super complete, with records going back 22 years and 18 services. That’s a lot of love.

They even replaced the timing belt and water pump not long ago, in November 2023 at 95,250 miles, and had another service this February.

Subaru Impreza WR1
Subaru Impreza WR1

So mechanically, it sounds like it’s in great shape. The only thing to keep in mind is that the rear tires were flagged as something to watch on the last inspection, so you’ll want to factor in the cost of replacing those.

The inside has a black and blue theme, with supportive seats, a neat aluminum gear knob marked with WR1, extra gauges, and a Pioneer stereo with Bluetooth.

It’s not perfect, with a few small marks here and there, but overall, it looks like someone really cared about keeping it nice.

Subaru Impreza WR1
Subaru Impreza WR1

These Impreza STIs, especially those limited editions that remind everyone of Subaru’s rally wins, are becoming more and more valuable.

So, this WR1 could be a rare chance to snag a special piece of UK car history. If you’re into Subarus or rally cars, it might be worth checking out.

Shawn
Shawn

Shawn's an IMI-certified tech who's been getting his hands greasy with cars for over 15 years. He's also spent 7+ years as a pro auto journalist. Whether it's DIY stuff or really detailed reviews, he puts his actual, you know, car smarts into everything he writes—giving you info you can count on.

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