1999 Subaru Impreza WRX V5

Listed here is a 1999 Subaru Impreza WRX V5, which was imported into the UK in 2020, and before that, it had just one owner from new in Japan. With just about 47k miles from new, the car is accompanied by its service history, some original manuals and paperwork, and all the UK import and tax documents. Apart from the fact that it was a zero-former-keeper car in Japan and even after two decades has just under 50k miles on the odometer, what makes this WRX even more lucrative is the overall condition of the car: it’s largely scratch and rust-free. The vendor has further meticulously chosen some replacement parts and brought it closer to an ideal UK spec Impreza — one that even Subaru didn’t offer originally!

Finding a clean, rust-free example isn’t the easiest of tasks. And while there was a variety of special edition models (in the UK and from Japan) to choose from, this one is probably the best of both worlds. It has a good balance between performance and practicality, but still highly focussed and plenty powerful, no doubt!

Unlike the usually common Mica Blue cars (which looked resplendent, no doubt), this Impreza is finished in Blue Steel (or Cool Grey). That gives it a slightly understated appeal, and with the added power in this JDM-spec car, it’s going to be quite a surprising sight for the onlookers as they see it take off. In terms of the overall condition, this car is free from rust and since it’s been looked after well during its entire life in Japan, it doesn’t have many marks on the bodywork, either.

After coming to the UK and eventually being bought by the vendor, the car has had its bumpers resprayed. The wheels are refurbed Speedline Super-Reg 17-inch wheels (complete with Prodrive centre caps), which look marvellous and bring the car close to an ideal-spec four-door Impreza. The wheels were standard on the RB5 special edition, and similarly, the WRX now also has UK-spec tail lamps and a rear wing sourced from the RB5.

The resulting car is a very clean WRX that’s neither short on power nor tasteful upgrades. It will grab the attention of keen enthusiasts but for most others, it’ll be another cool Impreza with nice wheels and a ‘wing’. If you’d notice, its original ‘Subaru Impreza’ model designation sticker has been swapped for a more appropriate ‘Impreza Turbo 2000 4WD’, and the Subaru badge is moved to the centre of the boot.

It’s not just on the outside that this 1999 Impreza WRX looks great. The rather inviting interior was specced blue with orange accents. True to its era and origins, it’s not filled to the brim with expensive materials but rather has hard, long-lasting plastic. It’s a well-made cabin and the two decades of use hasn’t taken a heavy toll on it.

If we're picky then the rear seats have some marks, but they’ve fared well without any visible damage. The carpet and centre console both appear to be in pristine shape, whereas the model-specific Momo steering doesn’t look bad, either. The sills are devoid of scratches, and the headlining is good, too. The boot is as tidy as it can get, and it also holds an unused space-saver wheel concealed underneath, along with the jack and tool kit.

In an attempt to make the car more usable in the UK, the vendor has judiciously swapped the wiper and indicator controls (and wiring), and even got UK dials with correct mileage (the odometer reads 47605 miles). The interior also benefits from a single-DIN Blaupunkt London Bluetooth/CD radio. It doesn’t look out of place in the centre console.

One of the main reasons why you’d consider getting this WRX is, apart from how clean it is on the whole, is that it’s closer to the WRX STi than it is to the Turbo 2000. This Japan-spec car had a Boxer Phase II 2-litre engine which was claimed to make 276 bhp. That’s a fair bit more powerful than the Turbo 2000 that the UK market officially got.

In addition to the standard fitments like four-wheel-drive system, rear LSD, etc., the vendor got an HKS speed limiter removal kit; new four-pot front callipers, discs and pads; Vredestein Ultratrac tyres (all fours); Autowatch Cat1 alarm and immobiliser system; and original, JDM-spec decat centre pipe and Prodrive rear exhaust box. This replaced the already fitted Hyper Medalion cat-back system, which according to the vendor, was nice but slightly over the top.

While checking the underside (it appears to be clean and no rust is reported, although a tiny amount of surface rust can be present, the vendor says), he also got the underbody coated with clear wax and repainted any brackets where required. Things like quick-shift gear linkage, STi red dampers, aluminium bonnet, folding outside mirrors, and climate control were standard on this model. The vendor concludes his input on the car’s condition by saying that it’s a clean example with almost nil rust, well-maintained throughout its life, and mechanically sorted, too.

The 1999 Subaru Impreza WRX was first registered in Japan in December 1998 and according to the vendor, delivered to its first owner in January 1999. The car had only one owner in Japan, who regularly serviced the car at the main dealer in Fukaro Prefecture, Japan. Its last service was done in November 2017. Some old receipts and email correspondence (screenshots attached below) show that the car was serviced at the said dealership in Japan, although the service receipts are in Japanese of course.

Its new journey began with an auction, which was won by the car’s first owner in the UK. It was exported from Japan after that, and it reached the UK in September last year. The relevant import documents are included with the paperwork as well. A large percentage of the supplied documents is the collection of purchase invoices for UK-spec parts for the car, some recent service/maintenance, replacement parts, consumables (like Japanese-spec coolant), tyres, etc. Its MoT certificate is valid for another year, and it cleared the test at 47,660 miles with no advisories.

The vendor also includes the original Japanese user manual along with a UK one, a new service book and two sets of keys.

There mightn’t be too many clean Imprezas around, but back in the late nineties and early noughties, the UK customer had a fair few special-edition models to choose from. But one that could bring the Japan-spec engine with four doors? None. That gave rise to individual/grey imports. But finding something as clean as this 1999 example will still be challenging.

At just around 47,000 miles, it’s barely done any mileage, and its overall condition proves that. The upgrades on the car not only make it more usable in the UK but also bring some tasteful uniqueness to the car. For instance, the Speedline wheels just look great and go well with the car’s immaculate exterior.

At an estimated £15,000 - £25,000, one doesn’t just get close to owning a Group-A legend but also a car which can exhibit great pace and grip even when not on a tight rally special stage. The rarity of the car in the UK is unquestionable and Subaru online forum data suggests that just 265 cars (WRX; MY1999 in Blue Steel/Cool Grey) were produced for and in Japan.

While it’s impossible to decide who was better between Burns and McRae, choosing this one isn’t. If you’re looking for an immaculate four-door, JDM-spec Impreza but don’t want the more focussed WRX STi, this can make for a great buy. Even without the legendary 555 livery.

Viewing is always encouraged, and this particular car is with the seller in Saxmundham, Suffolk.  To arrange an appointment please use the ‘Contact Seller’ button at the top of the listing to make an appointment. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.