As we eagerly await the production debut of the 2015 Subaru WRX, the latest in a long line of rally-bred, turbocharged all-wheel drive machines, let us pause and reflect on what may have been the ultimate Subaru: the Impreza 22B.
The 22B wasn't just any old Subaru. It was special. Only 424 were made in 1998 to commemorate Subaru's 40th anniversary as a company, as well as their third consecutive manufacturer's title in the World Rally Championship. Loaded down with parts from Bilstein and Brembo and Subaru's own racing department, as well as an engine bumped to 2.2 liters, it remains kind of the genesis of what we know an STI to be today.
Subaru decided to pull one of the only two 22Bs in the U.S. out of their vault recently to let us see and hear what made it so incredible.
Hey, Subaru — while it's out, feel free to loan it to us for a weekend. I'll take really good care of it, I swear.
The Impreza 22B Was The Ultimate Thoroughbred Subaru