The Piece Of Subaru Rally Royalty Formerly Locked Out Of American Roads
In the mid-to-late 1990s, Subaru dominated the rally scene with consecutive wins in the World Rally Championship (WRC). This gave enthusiasts some iconic Subaru poster cars, but such Japanese cars were often unattainable under the NHTSA’s 25-year import rule. The all-too-well-known 25-year import rule states that vehicles that are not originally built to meet U.S. Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS) cannot be permanently imported until at least 25 years have passed from their date of manufacture, which has kept away many JDM icons from the country. But things are now changing for those cars from Japan’s glorious 1990s era, and an exclusive Subaru homologation special has been unlocked from the 25-year rule.
The Golden Age Of Rallying And Subaru’s Halo Moment
The late 1990s represented a golden age for Japanese carmakers competing in the World Rally Championship. Rallying had a direct influence on some of the performance cars offered by Japanese manufacturers at the time, with cars such as the Toyota Celica and the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution cementing their names in Japan’s rallying legacy. While Toyota and Mitsubishi had their fair share of success, none quite marked the era like Subaru, securing three consecutive manufacturers’ championships in 1995, 1996 and 1997. Subaru star driver Colin McRae led the Japanese manufacturer to victory in 1995, while simultaneously claiming the 1995 drivers’ championship.
As each manufacturer built the road-going counterparts of their victorious rallying machines, Subaru took its Impreza WRX STi a step further. The GC8-generation Impreza that served as the foundation of Subaru’s WRC success, also gave STi (Subaru Tecnica International, Subaru’s in-house performance and motorsports division) the perfect canvas for a commemorative model that could showcase the manufacturer’s rally-bred technology. Coinciding with Subaru’s 40th anniversary, Subaru introduced a limited-production, rally-bred Impreza to celebrate its three consecutive WRC victories.
A Special Edition Limited To 424 Units And A Locked-Out Spec
Built to celebrate Subaru’s rally success, Subaru unveiled the exclusive Impreza 22B STi in 1998. Adding far more than simple cosmetic upgrades, this special edition of the GC8 Impreza WRX STi underwent a complete transformation. The 22B was noticeably wider and came with a host of chassis upgrades, but at the heart of the 22B was a much more powerful, rally-bred engine than the one you’d find in the standard Impreza WRX STi. Derived from the 2.0-liter EJ20 engine, the 22B received a turbocharged engine with a closed-deck block. Displacement was increased to 2.2 liters, and the engine got a larger bore and stroke of 3.81 x 2.95 inches (96.9 x 75.0mm). Forged pistons were designed to withstand the engine’s high cylinder pressures, while the closed-deck block provided additional structural support around the cylinders.
The closed-deck construction was particularly significant because Subaru would later shift toward semi-closed-deck blocks for its mass-produced high-performance engines. Known as the “EJ22 modification,” the 22B engine was officially rated at 276 hp (280 ps) at 6,000 rpm and 267 lb-ft of torque at 3,200 rpm, keeping power figures in line with Japan’s industry-wide “Gentleman’s Agreement.” Transformations didn’t stop there.
The 22B also received Bilstein suspension, wider front and rear tracks, and wider fenders that increased the car’s overall width by approximately 3 inches. The 22B was fitted with a large spoiler and lightweight 17-inch BBS forged alloy wheels. One of its standout features was a 13:1 Super Quick Steering Gearbox that delivered a hyper-agile, rally-bred steering responsiveness. Every 22B was finished in Sonic Blue Mica, the iconic color associated with Subaru’s rally program.
Unfortunately for American enthusiasts, Subaru never certified the 22B for sale in the United States. Limited to a total of just 424 cars, 400 units were allocated to the Japanese market, with each identified with a numbered plate mounted on the center console. A total of 21 cars were produced for export to the UK and Australia without the numbered plates (respectively 16 units for the UK and 5 units for Australia) and the remaining three were prototypes (identifiable by their plates reading “000/400”).
The Insider’s Car: McRae’s Pre-Production 22B
Subaru’s success in rallying wouldn’t be what it is without their star driver, Colin McRae. After joining the team in 1991, the Scottish driver became one of the defining faces of Subaru’s WRC program, leading Subaru to victory in 1995, winning both the Manufacturers’ Championship and the Drivers’ World Championship. As the driver who helped Subaru turn the Impreza into a global performance-car icon, Subaru offered McRae one of the three 22B STi prototypes (chassis 000/400). The other two prototypes were offered to McRae’s co-driver Nicky Grist and to Prodrive’s David Lapworth. Though it was assumed that Subaru had gifted the cars to thank its drivers, McRae was quoted saying he had to buy his, adding that it “hurt as a Scotsman”. He was also quoted in another interview, referring to the 22B as “one of his favorite cars.” As the man who helped establish Subaru as a force in the WRC and who had a direct connection to the car inspired by the marque’s WRC victories, McRae continued to drive his 22B even after leaving Subaru for Ford in 1999.
The Subaru 22B STi Import Window Opens: Auction And Current Market
While the 22B remained long locked out of the American market, things took a major turn once its 25-year clock ran out. Under U.S. federal law, vehicles can be imported without having to comply with the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS) once the 25-year period measured from the vehicle’s date of manufacture has passed. As the 22B was built in 1998, permanent importation was legally allowed from 2023. The market quickly followed, with chassis number 388 imported to the U.S. in 2024. While there is no reliable count of exactly how many examples have made their way to the U.S., the cars that have arrived have quickly become sought-after collector pieces, such as the aforementioned chassis 388 sold on Bring a Trailer for $205,000 in January 2026. Other auction results continue to prove the car’s value. In August 2023, the prototype formerly owned by Colin McRae sold at the Silverstone Auction (now rebranded as Iconic Auctioneers) for £480,500 (approx. $643,000 today), setting a record for the model.
Overall, it remains difficult to locate the large majority of the 424 22B units, but it is likely that many have remained in Japan, where they were primarily allocated. Most examples are believed to be in exceptional condition, reflecting the 22B’s status as a collectible from the moment it left Subaru’s factory, as all 400 units reserved for the Japanese market did pre-sell within 48 hours after all! The 22B remains a rare sight even at Japanese auctions, but if you ever see one come up, you can now import it through the same legal pathway that has opened the door to so many other Japanese icons of the 1990s.
Sources: Subaru, Bring a Trailer, Iconic Auctioneers
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