1999 Subaru IMPREZA

Of course, there are Impreza Turbos and there are Impreza Turbos and the RB5 is the first of many limited edition Imprezas that were to come.

But this, Genesis, if you like, is the OG. Built to celebrate works driver Richard Burns first year with the team, all were finished in Steel Blue paintwork with matching Alcantara interior trim. The RB5 sits on a set of 17-inch Speedline alloy wheels and the car is further pinned to the tarmac by an STI-style rear wing that provides huge downforce at speed.

A solid rear bulkhead gives the chassis a little extra rigidity and a set of PIAA driving lights, complete with RB5 covers, light the way. And look great, obviously.

The driver gets to play with a short-shift gear lever and there’s an RB5 numbered plaque and RB5-branded mats just in case the occupants forget where they are.

This Impreza Turbo saloon was first registered in April 1999 and further benefits from a Prodrive Enhancement Package. This period dealer option comprised a Prodrive Performance Package (‘WR Sport’ dials plus an extra 30bhp) and a WRC-replica rear wing.

Number nine in a series of just 444 cars, it has been in the vendor’s family since June 2016. Used as a daily driver by his son for many years, it’s just been treated to almost £7,000 of welding and restorative work by Old Town Restorations only a couple of months ago, so it’s solid and ready to face the next third three decades with the same equanimity as it did the last.

The Steel Blue coachwork is in fine order thanks to a twin regimen of careful curation and selective refurbishment. This hand-in-hand approach has reaped dividends as it’s led straight to the car you see before you today.

The panel fit is excellent, with good alignment and neat panel gaps, and the flanks are straight and true and free of ripples.

The frameless doors fit well too, and the absence of a sunroof will be a boon for taller drivers.

The Prodrive rear spoiler, complete with high-level brake light, is in good shape and certainly adds an even more purposeful air to a car that’s not exactly a shrinking violet in the first place.

The 17-inch alloy wheels have been finished in black and are free of serious kerbing damage but do have a few scrapes.

There is a little work to do but only a little. The nearside PIAA driving light is cracked, as is the finish to the plastic bumper around it (#92). There’s the odd rusty fastener too (i.e. #98), a lightly cracked rear light lens (#146), and mis-aligned sill covers (#239) in addition to the usual stonechips and minor marks that every car collects along the way.

The blue and black interior is in good shape. The fabric finish on the firm, supportive, and distinctively-shaped seats is very good, as is that of the matching door cards.

The headlining is just as good and while many Impreza Turbos feature a plethora of additional gauges, this one is refreshingly original.

All-in-all, it’s still a very nice place to be and feels wonderfully fresh and modern.

Flaws? Well, the base of the driver’s seat has a small hole (#17), as does the rear (#135).

The boot also has water in it. The latter is clean though, and as it hasn’t been outside since the restoration has been completed, it’s likely to be water from the pre-shoot valet rather than anything more injuriously long-term.

Oh, and perfectionists will already have noticed that neither the steering wheel nor the stereo are the originals. The latter would need sourcing if it bothers you but the former is in the boot and ready to be fitted if you would like to return the car to its original specification.

Not withstanding the extensively photographed underside restoration (for which some of the invoices from the initial stages are missing as the company that did some early work went bust…) that gave the Subaru new life, you can see from the attached invoices that it has been very well serviced and maintained over the years, something that’s further reinforced in the video, where you can see it starting with alacrity.

We are told it drives very well and that the vendor has been “very pleased with it” in the seven years he’s owned it.

The engine bay is a bit grubby and has a smattering of rust on the odd component, so we can see the car’s new owner will almost certainly want to invest some time and effort to bring it up to the same standard as the rest of the car.

Collectors might also like to look at the suspension, which is not original. It works well though but if authenticity is your bag then you’re probably going to want to get some OE springs and dampers on there at some point.

Oh, and the underside of the boot is believed to have been signed by none other than Richard Burns himself. That’s pretty cool, isn’t it?

With a thick wad of old invoices and bills in addition to a well photographed restoration, this impressively documented Impreza RB5 also has its original Prodrive certificate and a copy of the sales brochure.

There are oodles of old MoT certificates and other bits and bobs too, so please take the time to leaf through them in order to appreciate how well it has been looked after.

The Impreza’s MoT certificate is new and valid until September 2023, and the recent Vehicle History Check doesn’t show anything of any concern.

A whole new generation of enthusiasts is starting to discover the Scooby’s charms, which means that good examples are now finding homes with well-heeled enthusiasts who missed them the first-time round.

Cars like this, an honest and solid example of a rare, early Impreza Turbo RB5. With a huge amount invested to rid the car of the usual underbody unpleasantness, it’s sorted and ready to go in whatever direction the new owner prefers.

Because it could easily be left as it is and would doubtless provide a huge amount of entertainment for a good while yet, or it could be eased back to its original specification in order to maximise its future value.

As for value, despite its status as the first Impreza limited edition its price is probably way lower than you imagine because we think the virtual hammer will drop somewhere between £11,000 and £16,000 – and there can’t be many ways of getting from A-to-B in foul weather faster for so little, can there?

Viewing is always encouraged, and this particular car is located with us at The Market HQ near Abingdon; we are open weekdays 9am-5pm, 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’.