Vehicle Description
Chassis No. GC8-071199
22B STi No. 282/400
Over 25 years ago CAR Magazine staged an unusual comparison test
between the new 996-generation 911 and the Subaru Impreza 22B
STi-yet the end result wasn't what many expected. In fact, it ended
with the Porsche driver throwing his keys to the ground after a
vain attempt to stay with the 22B on a twisty road. Was the
rally-bred road model of the World Rally Championship title-winning
Subaru really that good? In a word, yes.
In the years since its introduction, the American consensus
regarding the 22B STi has matured from the mythic unattainable
rally legend to holy grail of high performance Subarus. Among its
many rally-inspired features were widened front and rear
"box-style" fenders, a deeper front bumper with integrated fog
lights and STi covers, an aluminum hood with vented brace, sculpted
side skirts, and a towering rear spoiler-all finished in STI's
signature Sonic Blue Mica. Beneath the skin, the famed EJ22
flat-four was reworked to 2,212 cc, retaining its 280-horsepower
output while delivering a flat torque curve, revving effortlessly
to a redline of 7,900 rpm. A close-ratio transmission with a
driver-controlled center differential received upgraded materials,
and when paired with a twin-plate clutch, the drivetrain was built
to handle the engine's elevated performance. Suspension components
mirrored those of the works rally car, with specially tuned
Bilstein dampers and Eibach springs, while 17-inch lightweight
gold-colored BBS forged wheels added both visual punch and
lightness reinforcing the car's reputation as a road-legal version
of Subaru's World Rally contender.
Imported in February 2025 directly from Japan, this 1998 Subaru
Impreza 22B STi was constructed as limitation number 282 of just
400 cars produced to not only celebrate 40 years of Subaru but
three consecutive WRC titles. Japanese paperwork with the car and a
CAR VX Report show that the 22B was first registered in July 1998
to Omori Industries in Kobe City. The three-page registration
certificate shows additional Japanese owners until an Export
Certificate was issued on 3 February 2025. Additionally, a CAR VX
Report records the rare model specification and a clean history
while in Japan. U.S. import documentation shows an entry date of 27
February 2025 into the Port of Long Beach. With only 400 ever
produced, and as one of a handful currently in the U.S.,
opportunities to acquire the holy grail of performance Subarus are
vanishingly rare-and with just 36,823 kilometers (approximately
28,900 miles) from new, this example, recently sourced direct from
Japan, presents a compelling chance to secure one of the most
iconic rally-bred machines of the modern era.
