The Subaru Impreza is known for being a popular choice for car enthusiasts to modify. If you’re reading this, chances are you know someone who owns an Impreza 2.5RS, WRX, or WRX STI that has been tuned to produce anywhere from 400 to 800 horsepower. You may have even driven one yourself or seen them on the road, emitting black exhaust. Recently, I had the opportunity to drive a GC8 Impreza, which was built by Subaru between 1992 and 1999, in England. This particular GC8 Impreza, called the P25 and manufactured by Prodrive, had just under 450 horsepower. It’s a highly sought-after car, with a price tag of around $600,000. However, all 25 units of the P25 have already been sold. So, what sets apart a $600,000 GC8 Impreza like the P25 from the one sitting in my barn? Well, the P25 was built by Prodrive, a company that played a significant role in Subaru’s success and is responsible for the interest in Subaru cars. In the 1990s and early 2000s, Prodrive was an English racing shop that partnered with Subaru to achieve six World Rally Championship championships. This partnership led to the creation of high-performance versions of Subaru’s Legacy and Impreza models. One of the most coveted models resulting from this collaboration is the 1998 Subaru Impreza 22B STI, which was built to celebrate Subaru’s 40th anniversary and its success in the WRC. Only 424 units of this model were produced, and they now fetch prices in the low six-figure range. Inspired by the success of the 22B, Prodrive decided to create something similar. The result is the Prodrive P25, a vehicle that outperforms not only the 22B but also the WRC car that inspired it. Building a GC8 shell to this level of performance while maintaining daily-driver reliability is a costly process, but it’s definitely worth it. Comparing the Prodrive P25 to a Porsche 911 restomod is apt. While Singer is regarded as the pinnacle in terms of price, quality, and desirability, a closer look reveals various aftermarket Porsche parts recognizable to any Porsche enthusiast. Singers feel like cars that have undergone extensive development to make everything work seamlessly. Similarly, the Prodrive P25 feels like a car that received OEM-levels of development time and money, resulting in a coherent and well-considered vehicle. However, unlike a Porsche 911, some custom details on the Prodrive P25, such as LED headlights and taillights, do not provide the same level of satisfaction. The paintwork on the carbon bodywork is excellent and durable. The interior, while not luxurious, is stylish, featuring carbon fiber and faux suede materials. Customers had a variety of interior color options and seat choices to personalize their P25. The engine powering the P25 is a heavily modified EJ25, capable of delivering 444 horsepower. Combined with the car’s lightweight construction (around 2500 lbs), the P25 can accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in under three seconds, providing an exhilarating driving experience. The P25’s handling is impressive, with quick steering, powerful brakes, and precise control. The suspension, specially tuned by Bilstein, offers exceptional control and damping, representing where the development money was wisely spent. The P25 comes with a single-paddle, clutched, 6-speed automated manual sequential gearbox built by Prodrive. While a conventional manual transmission would be preferred by some, the sequential gearbox is enjoyable, especially when shifting into 1st gear and experiencing the robust sound it produces. The P25 also features an electronic active center differential that optimally distributes power to the wheels. Some may argue that they can build a faster Subaru for less money, but it would be hard to surpass the quality and performance of the P25. Ultimately, it doesn’t matter as all 25 P25s have already been sold to buyers who likely didn’t hesitate to spend over half a million dollars on a Subaru. In the long run, genuine 22Bs may prove to be better investments, even if they don’t match the P25’s driving experience. Nonetheless, it would be great to see the P25s being driven extensively on the track.
The Unmatched Subaru Road Beast: Introducing the Prodrive P25 Worth $600k
Denial of responsibility! Swift Telecast is an automatic aggregator of the all world’s media. In each content, the hyperlink to the primary source is specified. All trademarks belong to their rightful owners, all materials to their authors. If you are the owner of the content and do not want us to publish your materials, please contact us by email – swifttelecast.com. The content will be deleted within 24 hours.