1999 Subaru IMPREZA WRX

Showing just two previous UK keepers, this lovely Subaru Impreza Turbo is unusual; as an early Japan-market WRX it features the 240bhp engine, a trick rear differential - and an automatic gearbox.

First registered on the 11th of March 1999, it came over here in 2017. The vendor bought it in 2018 with 58,000kms on the clock and has added another 50,000kms without incident.

Only for sale because his collection needs thinning out a little, this unusual – and unusually appealing – Subaru Impreza Turbo is being offered with no reserve, so will sell from the very first bid.

The black coachwork looks fine; with tight and even shutlines, no serious dents or other damage, and neatly aligned trim it appears to have escaped the fate of so many Imprezas that have been piloted by drivers with more enthusiasm than talent.

The paintwork is in a reasonable condition, looking good as you walk up to it and shining nicely. The bonnet air intake and vents, huge twin foglamps, and rear spoilers, all of which are an integral part of the Impreza Turbo experience, are present and correct.

As a wagon, it’s got the roof rails too – and who doesn’t love an uber-quick and sure-footed estate car?

A new Webasto Hollandia electric sliding glass sunroof was fitted a couple of years ago, so still looks great, seals perfectly, and operates as it should. Interestingly, the UK cars had them fitted over here rather than in Japan and the chap that did this one used to do them for the importer all those years ago, so it’s a pukka job.

Fitted with a set of matching new Avon ZV7 tyres only a couple of months ago, the five-spoke alloy wheels are in great shape.

As we will never tire of explaining, our experience shows that matching high-quality tyres are an infallible sign of a caring and mechanically sympathetic owner who is prepared to spend the appropriate amount in maintaining their car properly. Their presence does not, of course, preclude the need for a thorough inspection - something the vendor would welcome, by the way – but it does perhaps give you an insight into their attitude towards maintenance.

The towbar is only there to fit a cycle carrier, so you need have no fears that the owner used all that torque to tow fully loaded plant trailers…

Faults? Well, aside from the inevitable stonechips and minor marks it’s clearly had some localized repairs over the years, most noticeably above both rear doors. Work has been completed with obvious masking tape and overspray marks above and around the rear door windows/C-pillars.

There is also a small dent on the nearside rear door and a scratch on the nearside front wing. Standard fare really, and given its generally rust-free status, none of it would bother us unduly.

The interior is standard JDM Impreza, which is to say the hardwearing fabric is in unusually good condition and wears it years more lightly than most British cars.

So, the seats are in great shape. Recaro-like in appearance, they are still firm and supportive, which is handy in a car that is capable of generating the sort of G-forces an Impreza can.

The door cards are good too, as is the Momo steering wheel, headlining, carpets, and dashboard. It also seems to have dodged the sort of extraneous gadgets, dials and switches that so many Subaru fans feel compelled to add.

A UK-spec Alpine DAB radio/CD player has been fitted to replace the Japan-spec radio that cannot pick up the majority of British radio stations.

We think we’ve tried everything and it all works, including the digital climate control.

The useful boot is clean and has been supplemented by DodoMat sound deadening. The floor is as free of rust as the rest of the car and there’s a space-saver spare wheel in there, too.

Oh, and the retractable load space cover is still in there, which isn’t something that can be taken for granted.

A new radiator and top and bottom hoses were fitted to the JDM-spec flat-four engine in September 2018, and a new cambelt was fitted later in the same month. The car has only covered around 20,000 miles since then, so there’s plenty of life left in it, which should reassure the new owner as it’s a £500 job when it does need doing.

As you can see from the attached sheet, the car has also been the subject of a number of home oil and filter changes and other routine maintenance, most recently receiving discs and pads all round earlier in the year.

We’ve driven it and can confirm that it feels tight, pulls very well and, to our surprise, the automatic gearbox suits the car very well. The owner is a long-time Subaru fan and has always driven manual gearbox cars but fell in love with this one’s torquey engine and slick-shifting ‘box.

Other benefits of the auto box include a ‘snow’ function, which keeps the car in second gear for better traction in low-friction circumstances, and a ‘Sport’ button on the side of the gearlever for even faster shifts. (Whether this reminds you of James Bond’s ejector button, or the one Mad Max used to engage his supercharger, probably speaks volume as to the sort of chap you are.)

The car was also professionally Dinitrol treated in 2018, which was a shrewd move as Japanese cars lack the underseal of UK-spec models as they don’t have to repel road salt like ours do.

We’re told that this one was in an immaculate condition pre-treatment and he was keen to preserve this for as long as possible. Nice.

The Subaru’s MOT certificate, which is valid until August 2021, was gained without a single advisory point.

It has a couple of expired MOT certificates plus a sheaf of invoices and bills to confirm the work that has been done to it over the years. It also has its export paperwork and two sets of keys.

Please visit the documents section of the gallery of this listing where you will find photos of this and other paperwork to support our claim that this car has been maintained to a very good standard.

N.B: The invoice for the timing belt shows the registration for the previous sportwagon owned by the seller, attributed to the garage forgetting to update their database. The car was part exchanged for T764NWL in July 2018. 

If you’d like to inspect the car prior to placing a bid – something we would encourage – then please use the Contact Seller button to arrange an appointment.

And please be reassured, we’ve undertaken a full COVID-assessment and put into place strict control measure to enable us to safely facilitate a no-contact, socially distanced viewing that includes disinfection of the vehicle before and after your viewing.

The Impreza Turbo’s reputation has taken a beating in recent years, which means that it is easy to lose sight of how iconic, groundbreaking, and sizzlingly quick they are; even now, few cars can keep up with a well-drive Scooby thanks to that turbocharged punch and faithful, hugely grippy chassis.

And, if you’re free-thinker and not easily swayed by popular culture, then the Impreza’s reputation might actually work in your favour because prices are still low - and that’s a state of affairs that can’t continue forever.

While you will need to find a six-figure sum to buy a low-mileage and original 22B, the vagaries of the modern classic world mean that something like this without the iconic name and an automatic gearbox is likely to fetch less than a tenth of that, which strikes us as an absurd situation. Estimate £4000 - £7000.

And, even more bonkers, the owner is happy to offer this on a No Reserve basis, meaning it will sell from the very first bid no matter what it fetches…

Viewing is always encouraged, and this particular car is located with us at The Market HQ near Abingdon; 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’.