Dan Trent: Open Wide And Say RA-R
Dan Trent
I confess I have a bit of a weakness for quirky Subarus. You probably picked that up from my very first column here, fixating as it did on an old Justy. And the fact I recently went out and bought an imported Japanese market Forester STI, its eccentricity and technical intrigue enough for me to set aside the fact it cost double what an entirely suitable UK spec 2.5 XT in equivalent condition would have set me back.
So indulge me. A friend was asking if she should replace her Audi S3 with an RS3. Predictably I hurriedly trotted off to the Japanese corner of the classifieds to tempt her with a more interesting alternative. She leans more towards the Mitsubishi camp but even a committed Evo fan had to concede this particular Impreza was something a bit special. And it is, being among the rarest of rare groove JDM specials and one of just 300 built, originally exclusively for the domestic market. Finding one in the UK is not easy.
You're looking at it thinking 'it's a white imported Impreza with no wing and a stupid price tag'. It is both of those things. It also has, even by the standards of the genre, a ridiculous name - just try 'Subaru Impreza WRX STI Spec C Type RA-R' in response to the predictable 'so what do you drive?' social ice breaker. And watch people glaze over before you've even got beyond 'Impreza'. Unless it's me. In which case you'll have just gained a free pint and slightly stalkerish friend for life.
The appeal of JDM exotica like this lies in the near fetishistic level of detail contained on its spec sheet. Japanese market Impreza STIs of this era had a nicer 2.0-litre boxer engine with a zingy twin-scroll turbo, rather than the more gruff 2.5 fitted to UK cars (and my Forester). Blueprinted and balanced like it is in the Type RA-R it has 320hp and will rev out to 8,000rpm, equal-length headers replacing the trademark Impreza throb with a much angrier sounding roar. That's just the start though. Over STI the Spec C package gets you hardcore chassis components and a host of detail upgrades. Type RA-R simply goes further, everything lighter and more exotic. And/or STI pink. I realise it's pretty tragic getting excited by colourful anti-roll bars. But I want some of those bits for my Forester.
I drove one once, albeit briefly. With bare bones soundproofing, quick-rack steering, stupidly short gearing and STI's angriest possible chassis settings, I recall it being a somewhat intense experience, this genuinely being as close to a tarmac-spec rally car as you could probably buy anywhere. On a motorway it'd be insufferable. On a B-road inspirational. That's always been the Impreza's true hunting ground of course, this just taking things to a slightly silly extreme.
But it's an Impreza with a roof vent and an engine bay full of roller bearing this and titanium that, every little piece carrying that little pink STI badge. Suckered. I want it.
Images courtesy of pistonheads.com
Dan Trent
Subaru
Impreza
