Require proof that genuine performance and excitement can be had without selling your children and/or home? Check out this 1993 Subaru Impreza WRX.
To aspiring gearheads who appreciate all things JDM, Subaru is perhaps defined by one model above all others; the Impreza. Courtesy of late Scottish rally hero Colin McRae and his driving exploits, the Impreza shot to fame as a powersliding, tire shredding colossus of the WRC scene.
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Campaigned on the world’s toughest rally stages to devastatingly successful effect, the turbo model fast became a must-have status symbol for every car enthusiast. Igniting the global demand for blue and gold livery, McRae’s outstanding performance enabled the Subaru World Rally Team to claim WRC’s Championship Constructors’ title on three consecutive occasions.
However, while this motorsport pedigree and collector car status remain highly commendable, what if you require added practicality over the turbo sedan’s ludicrous power? Step forward, this 1993 Subaru Impreza WRX. It’s all the rally lineage you could possibly need, with extra space for your dog.
Offered by Toprank Motorworks of California, this fresh 26-year-old import offers 208 horsepower from an EJ20 four-cylinder DOHC Turbo unit. That’s good enough for a 0-60mph time in 6 seconds and top speed of 137mph. Your groceries will be home in double quick time.
Besides the added space, the WRX (World Rally eXperimental) serves up an indefatigable driving experience courtesy of rally-honed technology, including stiffened suspension and full-time all-wheel-drive. There are 41,825 miles (66,920km) recorded on the odometer, but we can assure all interested parties that the vehicle drives as though it has just left the showroom.
As far as everyday cars go, this 1993 Subaru won’t grumble when presented with daily commutes or the school run. However, when nobody is looking, you can unleash your inner racing driver without the ‘Fast and Furious’ stigma associated with similar Japanese offerings.
While power delivery may be trumped by modern equivalents after nearly three decades of continuous development, each modern incarnation of the Impreza WRX has undergone a tech-driven workout where charm has been diluted. You can have more fun with an early Impreza over its current brethren.
After further lashings of driver aids and auxiliary electronic manipulation, contemporary counterparts simply can’t offer the same excitement behind the wheel. Sure, they can scream towards the national speed limit with more gusto, but there is something far more satisfying about having genuine input at the controls.
Not to say that the 1993 Subaru Impreza WRX is devoid of technological advancement, but it does strike a perfect balance between raw adrenaline and precision engineering. As a blend of retro styling, everyday use, and sheer entertainment on wheels, little can provide the same smiles for the money – which is $15k, should you be seriously tempted.
Get a closer look here.
