Is the 22B legal in the US?
The Subaru Impreza 22B is Now Legal in the US, But It's Still Expensive. The most desirable Subaru comes with a hefty six-figure price tag… if you can even find one. The 25 year import rule has a way of shaping US car culture. It says that you can have almost anything you want if you're willing to wait long enough.
Subaru Impreza 22B
This is another example of a car that was previously legal to import in the United States under the show and display rule but starting in 2023, you'll also be able to import it under the 25-year rule.
Subaru 22B STi: Precious Metal
Just a few months ago, a standard production model 22B with around 115,000 miles on the clock auctioned for just over $250,000. A few years ago, another model with just a few hundred miles pulled in $370,000 at auction.
The Subaru Impreza WRX STI 22B is one of the rarest creations from the company, a special two-door version developed during its successful run in the WRC in the mid-1990s. The company only built 425 globally and just five examples arrived in Australia – and this is one of them.
Every car tends to get one during its lifecycle. But the 22B is the most special of special editions. Only 400 were made; 403 if you count pre-production prototypes and 424 including a very limited second run for the UK and Australian markets.
In 1998, Subaru of Japan produced a widebody, coupe WRX STi called the "22B STi" produced between March and August 1998.
Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution V
More commonly known as the Evo 5, this iteration of one of the most legendary rally motorsport super stars will finally be eligible for importation in 2023. Its turbocharged 2.0-liter four-banger was rated at about 280 horsepower and was said to generate an equal amount of torque.
Just 425 were built, the majority of which were delivered in Japan, and its handmade two-door coupe body is unique in the Subaru world.
Built as a double celebration of Subaru's 40th anniversary and triple wins of the WRC manufacturer's championship, the 22B is the ultimate STI. All the Subaru rally-racing goodies are here: a driver-adjustable all-wheel-drive system, wider bodywork, a huge rear wing, and World Rally Blue paint.
The 22B STI comes powered by a 2.2-liter turbocharged flat-four boxer engine producing 276 hp and 268 lb-ft of torque. It routes that force to all four wheels through a five-speed manual transmission.
How many gears does a 22B have?
Power is handed off to a specially reinforced close-ratio 5-speed gearbox via standard twin-plate clutch, and like modern Subaru the 22B came with a driver-controlled center differential.
Subaru delivered this 22B in November 1998. It was one of three prototypes for the rally-inspired limited-run model. The automaker made 400 of them for Japan, 16 for the United Kingdom, 5 for Australia, and the trio of pre-production examples. The examples for Japan allegedly sold out on the first day.
1. The Impreza 22B STI version was a road model recreating the look and feel of the 'Impreza World Rally Car 97', which had won the World Rally Car category for three consecutive years in the World Rally Championship.
The 22B is already among the most sought after JDM machines. The McRae connection only raises the price more. The 1998 Subaru Impreza 22B STi is one of the most sought-after vehicles to come out of Japan. Only 424 examples were built, as well as three identical prototypes.
The 22B was created to commemorate Subaru's 40th anniversary, as well as its third consecutive manufacturer's title in the World Rally Championship, with Colin McRae and his co-driver Nicky Grist both given prototype 22Bs with matching 000/400 build numbers.
The Subaru WRX STI is a variant of the Subaru WRX sedan produced by in-house tuning company Subaru Tecnica International between 2014 and 2021.
Subaru is a subsidiary of the Subaru Corporation, formerly known as Fuji Heavy Industries, which Toyota does have a small stake in. That said, while Subaru does partner with Toyota on multiple models, such as the Solterra (built in a Toyota factory) and BRZ, it is still an independent company.
Whichever way you look at it, Subaru created a truly fabulous machine. Only 399 22Bs were built for sale to the domestic market (another 25 were made for overseas markets including 16 allocated to the UK) and they pre-sold within 48 hours in early 1998, costing a shade under £40,000 at the time.
The $41,600 22B debuted in Japan one year ago, and Subaru quickly sold out its 400-unit production run.
Most JDM vehicles don't conform to the federal motor vehicle safety standards (FMVSS) that are a must for car registration on U.S. roads. Fortunately, there is an exemption to this rule for any vehicle that is 25 years old or more, regardless of where it was built.
Is the Evo illegal?
This 400-HP, Right-Hand Drive Mitsubishi Evo Is Illegal In America. If you live in the US, you'll have to wait at least another 11 years to import a seventh generation Mitsubi...
The earliest versions Evo VIII wagons were built in 2005, which means they won't be legal to register in the U.S. until 2030.
Overall, the key difference between the Subaru WRX and WRX STI is performance. The Subaru STI is the more powerful and performance-oriented of the two. It comes with a bigger engine, stiffer springs, thicker tires, more powerful brakes, and more. By comparison, the WRX isn't something to sleep on.
Subaru Impreza 22B STi - 1st Gen (1998 to 1999)
Often considered to be the holy grail of Subaru Imprezas, the 22B STi was a limited production high performance variant. The 22B was created... Often considered to be the holy grail of Subaru Imprezas, the 22B STi was a limited production high performance variant.
The original car used the 2.0-litre Boxer engine like that in the rally car, but for the 22B it was bored out to 2.2-litres. It also got other improvements, such as nozzles to spray water into the intercooler when driving hard.
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