2004 Subaru Impreza WR1

Let’s get straight into this stunning 2004 Subaru Impreza WR1. The car was purchased as a 60th birthday gift and used mainly for a spot of fun driving at the weekend. It has had just one owner from new and, even better, has only covered 29,885 miles in that time. There is a whole stack of paperwork for the Impreza covering parts, servicing and the original sales invoice, all of which add up to validate the mileage.

When not in use, the WR1 has been stored in a dry garage away from any UV light, which has preserved the paintwork, plastics and interior from any fading which could have occurred if incorrectly stored. In the past 18 months, the car has been part of a private collection, again in dry storage.

Another excellent point is that the car is totally standard and has never been modified, which is rare among Imprezas. This one, as mentioned earlier, is the WR1 which out of the 500 produced, it is believed there are approximately 350 remaining, making this a very sought after model.

Finished in the lovely colour of Ice Blue Metallic (unique to the WR1), it is a refreshing change to see this colour over the usual WR Blue or Sonic Blue (not that there is anything wrong with those, obviously). The Ice Blue Metallic is in excellent condition throughout & the seller believes it could be all original, as you can imagine, with such little mileage covered. Eagle eyed bidders will even note the supplying dealer number plates front & rear, which is always reassuring.

Starting at the front of the WR1, any stone chips are minimal, the head and fog lights are free from any chips, and the lenses have a clear, bright finish to them with no yellowing in sight. The bumper and bonnet look to align as they should. There is a very small worm on the bonnet's leading edge, but this doesn’t look to have broken through the paint. The STI and Subaru badges are in good condition with no water ingress or tarnishing signs. Moving up, the windscreen is free from any chips and in place is the original aluminium WR1 tax disc holder, complete with the first dealer stamped tax disc.

Around to the sides of the Scooby and looking down each side, you will see there is nothing to point out in the way of dings or dents; the car is as straight as a die. All of the doors align as they should, opening and closing with ease. The windows all look in good condition with the correct factory stickers in place, with no apparent signs of any excessive scratches, and the window rubbers show no signs of shrinkage.

To the rear, the boot lid aligns as it should, and no Impreza would be complete without the boot spoiler. Again, this is in excellent condition with no scuffs or damage to see. Just like the front, the light clusters are in good order with no cracks or splits, and the badges have no tarnishing or corrosion.

Retaining the factory Prodrive alloys, these are in excellent order with no kerb marks to be seen. There is some slight water ingress to the Prodrive centre caps, but this is very minimal for 18 years old. The tyres are matching Pirelli P Zero, dated 2012, with a good amount of tread remaining.

Something a little more special for the WR1 is the Anthracite suede-effect seats instead of the blue colour previously used in other models. The front seats are in excellent condition and finished with the STI logo embroidered into the back rest and show no signs of any wear to the usual high wear areas such as the bolsters. The rear seat is also in excellent condition, having never really looked to have been sat in more than a handful of times. The door cards and all doors are also free from any noticeable scuffs and the electric window switches fitted to each are working as they should.

As you would expect, the carpets are excellent, fitted with WR1 factory mats. However, the driver's side does have a small wear hole around the heel area, which is not too bad after 18 years. The headlining also shows no areas for concern; it is just as Subaru intended.

The dashboard is in excellent condition, the instruments are working as they should, and with no warning lights displayed when the engine is running, and the odometer is showing just 29,885 miles. Towards the centre is the standard factory fit Subaru head unit and below, the heater controls & air conditioning (which blows ice cold) showing no signs of any wear. The WR1 gearknob is in good condition, as is the gaiter surround, and just behind, for those who want to alter the centre differential to suit your driving style, you can do this with the adjustable switch.

Around to the boot area, and yes, this is also immaculate as expected. The carpet is clean. Lifting it reveals the spare wheel and tool kit in place as they should be.

The Subaru WR1 has been well maintained from new and looks to have been done on the mileage rather than the time, as the car has clearly spent a lot of time in storage. The 2.0-litre turbocharged engine fires up as it should, giving the distinct Subaru sound we all know and love.

The seller reported that the car drives as you would expect for 29,885 miles. The gearshift is precise and tight, and there are no untoward noises from the engine or transmission. We are also informed that the adjustable centre diff, which can be locked out, is fully operational. Being the WR1, the car received waterspray for the intercooler, which is working as it should. Brembo calipers with a factory gold finish are bringing the car to a halt, and these pull the car up in a straight line with no juddering through the pedal.

As we look to the underside of the WR1, the general condition is really good, with no signs of any leaks; there is just some light surface corrosion to some of the suspension components but nothing to raise any concerns.

There is a whole host of paperwork for the WR1, starting with the original bill of sale, followed by a well-stamped service booklet and the owner's manuals. Everything has been kept in a documented folder showing this has come from someone who has cared for the car and not just a vehicle which has been owned.

There has been a recent service carried out by an independent Subaru specialist run by the chief mechanic who worked at the dealership when this Impreza was sold. The service included the all important cambelt, which was done on the 9th May 2022, just 1 mile ago. A day later, there was a full MoT carried out which it passed with no advisories, as it has done for the past seven years, and even then the advisory was only a tyre close to the wear limit. So this means the WR1 is ready to go and can be happily driven away with peace of mind that it is in good order.

This is a fantastic opportunity to take ownership of one of just 500 WR1 Subaru Impreza’s made to celebrate Petter Solberg winning the 2003 World Rally Championship. So you get the more powerful engine producing 315bhp, the stunning Ice Blue Metallic paintwork and the Anthracite seats. This makes up for a highly collectable and sought-after Impreza, perfect for any Subaru enthusiast or collector who wants to add the rare model to their collection.

Please also see a link below to the initial Subaru press release for this amazing car.

https://subarumedia.co.uk/en-gb/releases/246

We estimate this rally legend to bring in the region of £35,000 - £40,000.

Viewing is always encouraged. This particular car is located with the vendor in Alderley Edge, Cheshire. To arrange an appointment please use the Contact Seller button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.