1995 Subaru Impreza Series McRae

The owner is a lifelong Colin McRae fan (who isn’t?) who has fond memories of running a standard Impreza Turbo as his company car back in the day. So, when the opportunity arose to buy a genuine, low-mileage SERIES McRAE Impreza Turbo (number 170 out of the 200 built) he jumped at it. Having now owned the car for the past seven years, he tells us that he has invested an enormous amount of both time and money to bring it up to the condition you see today.

Which we think this was a wise investment made by an appreciative owner who appreciated the rarity of what he has; with the price of these special editions rising stratospherically, this was a decision that could be made with both his head and his heart.

Although some of us, of a certain age, think that the era of the 4-wheel-drive turbo rally weapon was a mere blink of the eye ago, this car is over 20 years old. And at that age, rust is a genuine issue, and Subarus are no different - this one has been sorted.

The bodywork was starting to show signs of rust on the A-pillars where ham-fisted windscreen fitters had damaged the rubber seals in the past, a piece of buffoonery that allowed water to get in and rust to develop. So, being the sort of chap he is, he bit the bullet and had the bodywork professionally restored.

Of course, one thing led to another and the work ended up being a bit more involved than he first thought, eventually stretching to include repainting the front and rear bumpers and repairing the area where the rear wheelarch joins the rear bumper. All Impreza weak points. However, the result is nothing short of stunning and we think it was worth every penny.

The electrically operated slide-and-tilt metal sunroof was another area that was resprayed before being refitted with a new seal. As a result, it looks terrific, works as it should and is completely watertight.

The four alloy Speedline Safari wheels have also been professionally refurbished in their original gold finish and are now wearing matching Pirelli P7 tyres, all of which have good tread. (You’re probably tired of us telling you this, but matching tyres are an infallible sign of a diligent owner.)

There are a couple of small car-park dings in the door but there’s a fine line between a beautifully finished car and one that’s just too good to actually use and the owner is keen to keep his Impreza usable without fear of ruining an impossibly concours paint job by driving it.

The original SERIES McRAE Recaro driver’s seat is in excellent condition with almost no visible wear. The rest of the seats and the matching door trims are in nigh-on perfect condition, as is the dashboard, which hasn’t suffered the indignity of having been modified with extra gauges or switches like so many have over the years.

The car also sports the original floor mats, Subaru-branded head-unit, and the numbered plaque on the centre console, bearing the legend “170 SERIES McRAE by Prodrive Subaru 1995 World Rally Champions.”

There's a recurring theme with this car. It's originality, provenance and condition lift it well beyond a normal good Impreza.

More fantastic news: the engine was fully rebuilt by a local main dealer in May 2017 using original equipment parts specially imported from Subaru in Japan for the job. The flat-four engine is now as good as new, as you might expect when you learn that the final bill topped £7,000.

The good news doesn’t end there because the car has also had new brake discs, calipers and pads all round, a new/old stock OE exhaust, and new front wishbones in addition to the usual service and repair consumables (see invoices in the Gallery). It now drives exactly like it did when it was new and is ready for another twenty years of everyday use before it’ll need anything major doing to it again. You really have got to admire Subaru’s reliability, haven’t you?

The online MOT history shows the car only ever having failed on tyres, the odd blown bulb, and worn brake discs. There is no mention whatsoever of structural corrosion or any other scary diversion.

The car comes with a fully stamped service handbook, wallet, the original owner’s handbook, a SERIES McRAE brochure, and a number of old MOTs and other miscellaneous paperwork.

Please visit the ‘Records’ section of this listing where you will find a huge number of invoices and other paperwork to support our claim that this car has an impressively comprehensive service history.

Colin McRae has a fanatical following and the SERIES McRAE cars are held in very high regard, especially in showroom trim; interestingly, the owner is a member of the SERIES McRAE Club and on a recent pilgrimage to Scotland to commemorate the 20th anniversary of Colin’s World Rally Championship win he couldn’t find a single unmodified car other than his own.

And originality is where the interest lies, specially with those for whom a classic car should provide a safe place to store their money as well as a thrilling drive. For this reason, investments don’t come any more solid than a car like this.

But, it’s going to cost you. We estimate the car will sell for around £14,000, which is right at the top end of what they’re selling for, but you will be the owner of what is possibly the finest SERIES McRAE Impreza Turbo in the world. And to own a car like that, an investment of £14,000 seems like something of a bargain to us. Just look at the prices of 205GTi’s with similar provenance.

Viewing is always encouraged, and this car can be seen in the Huntingdon area; 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’.

If needed, please remember we have a network of trusted suppliers we work with regularly and can recommend: Thames Valley Car Storage for storing your car, AnyVan for transporting it, and Footman James for classic car insurance.