Prodrive P25 Subaru 22B Tribute Item Highlights:
- Prodrive, the UK shop behind the 1990s WRC cars that led to the Subaru 22B, pays a modern homage, the P25
- Based on an original GC8 Impreza WRX, the Prodrive P25 features a carbon fiber body, a 400hp turbocharged boxer and a host of suspension, brake and drivetrain upgrades.
- With a price tag of $564,000 and a UK-only production of 25 units, the P25 is rarer and more expensive than an original 22B.
Nostalgia, while a powerful force, is not the only thing that shapes classic automotive world; respect too. And among rally and JDM fans, few cars are more respected than the Subaru 22B. Often considered the Ultimate Impreza, the 22B has inspired countless tribute builds and clones. But now the spirits behind the Subaru WRC cars that the 22B has emulated are paying homage to it. And just like the original, the Prodrive P25 takes the WRX to a whole new level.
Legendary motorsport company Prodrive has another WRC-inspired GC8 Impreza
Many know at least Subaru Tecnica International, the ‘STI’ in ‘WRX STI’ and the performance division of Subaru. But there’s another name worth remembering, and that’s Prodrive. The UK store has participated in all sorts of events including Le Mans, British Touring Car and World Sportscar. However, it is more closely related to Subaru and rallying.
When the WRC moved from Group B to Group A rules, Prodrive was the one who builds Subaru rally cars. And these cars dominated in the 1990s and early 200s. Subaru won three consecutive titles from 1995 to 1997, with Collin McRae in the 1995 victory. Additionally, in 1997, Prodrive Imprezas won eight of the 14 WRC events. It was these victories that inspired Subaru to do the original 22B.
But while Prodrive helped design the 22B, Subaru never sold it in the UK. He did, however, commission the shop to manufacture a version for the European market, the Impreza P1. Based on the GC8 Impreza WRX STi Type R, it lacks the enlarged boxer engine of the 22B. But it has similar body, chassis and suspension mods, plus OZ Racing wheels and a larger rear wing.
However, in the years following the 22B and the P1, Prodrive did not sit idle. In addition to racing, the shop has also provided suspension, composite engineering and prototyping expertise to the automotive and aerospace industries. It’s what allowed him to recreate the Ferrari 550 GTS race car, for example, and build Ian Callum’s BRX T1 off-roader, The reader said.
And now, 25 years after that 1997 victory, Prodrive is transforming a limited number of GC8 WRXs into supremely modern homages to the Subaru 22B.
The Prodrive P25 is a GC8 Impreza WRX transformed into a Singer-level carbon fiber Subaru 22B tribute
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When I was in high school, I watched an anime called eX-Driver which featured a WRC-prepared WRX in its first episode. Reading the specs of the Prodrive P25 makes it seem like it’s not just an homage to the Subaru 22B, but an actual recreation of that car. And I mean that in the most impressive way possible.
At first glance, the Prodrive P25 looks almost identical to the Subaru 22B and the Impreza P1, which is no coincidence. For one, the same guy who designed the Impreza WRC cars and the P1, Peter Stevens, also wrote the P25. And second, underneath its carbon fiber body, the P25 is a GC8 Impreza WRX. However, as this carbon fiber part suggests, it is far from stock.
First, those carbon composite body panels, including the fender and mirrors, mean the Prodrive P25 weighs less than 2650 pounds. That’s about 100 pounds lighter than a stock GC8 WRX and about 200 pounds lighter than a stock Subaru 22B. It is even lighter than the OG Impreza WRC rally car, The reader Remarks. And that’s with an upgraded interior with leather, Alcantara and, yes, carbon trim.
Second, the Prodrive P25 is far more powerful than a 1990s Impreza. Under its carbon fiber hood is a custom-built 2.5-liter turbocharged flat-four engine. It’s based on a modern Subaru boxer block, but thanks to custom internals, a new Garrett turbo, variable valve timing and a titanium and stainless steel Akrapovic exhaust, it produces 400 hp and 442 lb-ft of torque. It’s more than the Subaru 22B or brand WRX 2022. And the engine has adjustable mapping and a rally-style anti-lag that injects fuel into the turbo to hold it in place.
Prodrive went beyond the engine and body to honor the Subaru 22B
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Plus, Prodrive has reworked the rest of the drivetrain to handle that extra power. The boxer is hooked up to a six-speed paddle-shift gearbox sequential transmission with helical gears and an active center differential. Additionally, the P25’s launch control operates in the first three gears. The result is a claimed 0-60 mph time of 3.5 seconds, which explains the AP Racing vented disc brakes.
But wait, there’s more. Besides the active center differential, the P25 also has two limited-slip differentials, one front and one rear. The interior also contains two hand brakes: an electronic parking brake and a rally-style hydraulic one that also disengages the rear differential. Additionally, the reworked suspension features aluminum components and adjustable Bilstein shocks. And not only is there a digital display with a data logger inside, but buyers can replace the rear seats with a full roll cage.
How much does the restomod cost compared to a “real” 22B?
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Unfortunately, like the Subaru 22B and the Impreza P1 before it, the Prodrive P25 is not coming to the United States. And even if it did, you’d have to fight tooth and nail to get one, because the company only builds 25 of them.
Additionally, at current exchange rates, the P25 starts at around $564,000 before value-added taxes. It’s more than equal a blank original 22B costsor enough to buy 10 to 15 Impreza P1s, depending on the past collect cars auction results.
Although to be fair, even the 22B doesn’t have all the bells, whistles and carbon fiber that the P25 has. Moreover, a bit like P1800 from Cyan Racing, it’s a car built by experts steeped in Subaru racing tradition. It’s a bit like Enzo Ferrari modifying a 250 GTO. And even if we Yanks can’t get one, we can at least watch him tackle the upcoming Goodwood Festival of Speed hill climb.
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