Subaru Impreza 22b WRX STI

Impreza 22B STi at a glance

Why Subaru built the 22B

The first Impreza was announced on 22 October 1992 and went on sale in Japan in November, replacing the Leone. The WRX arrived at the same time with 177 kW (240 PS), and from late 1993 Subaru Tecnica International (STi) built STi-badged versions that ran from Version 1 to Version 6. In the World Rally Championship the Impreza gave Subaru three manufacturers' titles in a row, in 1995, 1996 and 1997, and Colin McRae won the drivers' title in 1995.

The 22B marked two events at once: the 40th anniversary of Subaru as a car maker and the third consecutive WRC manufacturers' title. The broader story of the brand, from aircraft to boxer engines and all-wheel drive, is told in our history of Subaru.

What the name means

"22" stands for the 2.2-litre engine, larger than the 2.0 litres of the other STi models. The "B" is less clear. Bilstein, the supplier of the dampers, was one explanation; Wikipedia says that "B" is Subaru's internal code for turbo models. Another theory reads 22B as a hexadecimal number: it equals 555, the name of State Express 555, which sponsored Subaru's WRC team from 1993 to 2004.

Engine and drivetrain

The EJ22G was a 2,212 cc flat-four with a bore of 96.9 mm and, according to Subaru's own material, a closed-deck block taken from the version III EJ20G. It used electronic fuel injection and an IHI RHF5HB turbocharger, and it was rated at 206 kW (280 PS) at 6,000 rpm and 363 Nm at 3,200 rpm. Wikipedia JA notes that torque was 1.0 kgf·m higher than in the previous STi models.

22B compared with the first WRX

In six years the top Impreza gained 29 kW, or 17 percent.

Power went through a five-speed manual gearbox and a sintered twin-plate clutch with ceramic discs to all four wheels. AUTO BILD gives 0–100 km/h in 4.2 seconds and a top speed of 238 km/h. With 1,270 kg and 206 kW, each kilowatt moved about 6.2 kg; our power-to-weight calculator compares this with other performance cars.

Body, chassis and the WRC look

The body carried wings, a bonnet, a front bumper inspired by the World Rally Car and an adjustable rear wing, all unique to the 22B. The flared wings came from the Peter Stevens-designed WRC car and added 80 mm, giving a total width of 1,770 mm. Bilstein dampers, four-piston front and two-piston rear STi brake calipers painted red, and 17-inch wheels in place of the usual 16-inch ones completed the package.

Production, price and the export cars

The 22B-STi Version went on sale in Japan in March 1998 at ¥5,000,000, and all 400 cars were built between March and August 1998. They sold out quickly: Wikipedia quotes reports of anything from 30 minutes to 48 hours. Hagerty lists one surviving car as number 282 of 400 and AUTO BILD another as number 309.

After the run for Japan, Subaru built 24 more cars for export: 16 for the United Kingdom, five for Australia and three prototypes. Prodrive fitted the UK cars with longer gear ratios and UK-specification lights, and they were registered in 1999 through the Single Vehicle Approval scheme. Including all versions, Subaru built 424 cars.

Values today

In July 2020 the UK dealer Appreciating Classics offered car number 309, a Japanese right-hand-drive car with only 436 km. The asking price in 2020 was £295,000, which AUTO BILD converted to €323,855. That was more than a new McLaren 720S at its 2020 German list price of €247,350 or a Porsche 911 GT2 RS at €285,220 (2020).

Hagerty's past-sale records also include a 22B with 36,823 km, and they describe it as the most desirable production Subaru. The later Impreza and WRX generations are covered in our Subaru Impreza WRX overview.

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