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Colin MacRaes Subaru



Cookson

ClioSport Club Member
  Mk1 Audi TT 3.2 V6
22B, ooooooffffft. What a f**king car. It's comical how nothing lines up on it, but what a machine
 

Crybert

ClioSport Club Member
  Cup 172
22B, ooooooffffft. What a f**king car. It's comical how nothing lines up on it, but what a machine
Why do I think that’s so charming about it. The misaligned panels and lights almost make it. Like the bodywork was an afterthought
 

R3k1355

Absolute wetter.
ClioSport Club Member
In my defence it took Mitsubishi another 3/4 years to do a full WRC car, which was an abomination.

In your defence they won 4 WRC titles on the trot with the car they did have while everyone else was already in full WRC cars.
 

massiveCoRbyn

ClioSport Club Member
  Several
The '97 car was the first Impreza World Rally Car (the WRC technical regulations only came into force from the 1997 season). Mechanically, it wasn't actually that different to the '96 Group A car in many respects. The engine and transmission were very similar apart from the turbo and the use of a front-mount intercooler I think. Suspension was wider obviously, but it was an evolution of the existing car, rather than a clean-sheet design.

I think the body panels are different to those used on the 22B too, but I can't remember how exactly. The 22B was just a tribute to the rally car, rather than a clone of it, hence the 2.2 engine etc. I know the rear wing is different. It's actually higher on the road car to aid rear visibility if I recall correctly.
 

massiveCoRbyn

ClioSport Club Member
  Several
Can't use that word around Impreza owners, they w**k themselves stupid over TMIC.

They do have some benefits, but heat soak is their downfall.

Should also have mentioned that the WRC Impreza also saw the end of the true boxer soundtrack, as Prodrive could finally ditch the standard exhaust manifolds which the Group A regulations required them to retain. The '97-'00 Impreza is probably the best looking WRC car of all time. The lines and overall look of the car are basically perfect. That being said, I would probably take a late Group A Impreza instead. There's something about the four-door body, simple looks and boxer growl that's hard to beat.

I do enjoy Henry Catchpole's stuff. He's a proper car but and I quite enjoy his quiet style. A lot of writers haven't transferred that well into video, but he does a decent job. He gets to drive some nice cars too.
 
  clio172cup
I was torn between buying a 22B and a liquid yellow V6 for my Fortieth birthday especially as i had the Number plate D2 WRC to compliment the Subaru but i ended up buying the Clio. No Regrets tho :).
 

gavinf91

ClioSport Club Member
  Evo 9, Fiesta
I was torn between buying a 22B and a liquid yellow V6 for my Fortieth birthday especially as i had the Number plate D2 WRC to compliment the Subaru but i ended up buying the Clio. No Regrets tho :).

my dad has T2 WRC..
.. on a nissan juke
 
  clio172cup
You had the choice of a Clio or a 22B and you took the Clio?


Yep, don't regret it for a second either, went to fetch it with my Son on my 40th birthday, a friend took us to fetch it and me and my Son Came home in it, the Car was like brand new having only covered 7800 miles. It was on a 55 plate and we picked it up on 30th of december 2008. Its a day we will never forget.
 

gavinf91

ClioSport Club Member
  Evo 9, Fiesta
Thats A nice plate, mines on retension now, Sold my Mk2 Focus RS about 2 months ago which the plate was on for about 4 years. It did suit the Car i have to say


it was a very cheap ebay purchase a number of years ago, wouldn’t mind it for one of mine
 

frayz

ClioSport Club Member
22B, probably the most overated Impreza of all time. Rather have a Spec C of any flavour over a 22B.
In answer to the previous questions the 22B used flared arches that emulated that of the WRC car, however they're vastly different both in width and arch line. The WRC arches offer far greater wheel travel clearance.
 

leeds_182

North Yorkshire & Humber
ClioSport Area Rep
I loved my classic sti but I was properly rust paranoid with it - and it still started rusting.

Cool looking cars though.

AF7E3142-81A4-4B1A-96D4-2BB46B162FA2.jpeg
E8230C78-C51A-45DC-94F2-C767993DC648.jpeg
DCE88EF6-37A5-47DF-A4E5-CE44ACFAACBC.jpeg
 

massiveCoRbyn

ClioSport Club Member
  Several
22B, probably the most overated Impreza of all time. Rather have a Spec C of any flavour over a 22B.
In answer to the previous questions the 22B used flared arches that emulated that of the WRC car, however they're vastly different both in width and arch line. The WRC arches offer far greater wheel travel clearance.

Out of interest, why over-rated? It was based on a Type-R wasn't it, albeit with the bigger engine and wide arches.

I have heard that they aren't at their best on UK roads. It will always be the ultimate for me I must say. I almost don't care if it's not the best to drive, it's just the rarity and the arches. It's the only 2dr Impreza I'd actually want to own, they look guff without the wide arches.
 

frayz

ClioSport Club Member
Out of interest, why over-rated? It was based on a Type-R wasn't it, albeit with the bigger engine and wide arches.

I have heard that they aren't at their best on UK roads. It will always be the ultimate for me I must say. I almost don't care if it's not the best to drive, it's just the rarity and the arches. It's the only 2dr Impreza I'd actually want to own, they look guff without the wide arches.

They drive like any other standard Impreza which is as you say, a bit guff. Not that quick, torrential understeer, bags of grip like they all have but otherwise pretty willy handling, and nowhere near as special as it’s looks suggest.
It’s in the same bracket as an escort cossie to me.
Mega to look at, but that’s where the interest stops as they’re both s**t to drive.
They were all £25k for years and were marginal at that money, laughable at the prices they are now.
 

massiveCoRbyn

ClioSport Club Member
  Several
They drive like any other standard Impreza which is as you say, a bit guff. Not that quick, torrential understeer, bags of grip like they all have but otherwise pretty willy handling, and nowhere near as special as it’s looks suggest.
It’s in the same bracket as an escort cossie to me.
Mega to look at, but that’s where the interest stops as they’re both s**t to drive.
They were all £25k for years and were marginal at that money, laughable at the prices they are now.

Depends what you're used to I guess. In the world of most 90s cars, things like the Impreza and Cossie were leagues above what most people were driving. Long time ago now though.

The prices are mad for what the cars are objectively speaking, but how good a car is doesn't always mean a lot when it comes to the collector car market I guess. Rose-tinted specs and a big bank balance do funny things to people.
 

frayz

ClioSport Club Member
Depends what you're used to I guess. In the world of most 90s cars, things like the Impreza and Cossie were leagues above what most people were driving. Long time ago now though.

The prices are mad for what the cars are objectively speaking, but how good a car is doesn't always mean a lot when it comes to the collector car market I guess. Rose-tinted specs and a big bank balance do funny things to people.

Certainly in the case of the Escort Cosworth. The Sierra drives so much better imo, the chassis didn’t work as well in the shortened Escort body.
That said, almost Impreza would run rings around most Cosworths on anything but the straight bits.

You’re right, though that the Cossie was a spaceship in a sea of normal road cars. The affordable mans car that would genuinely do 150mph. That said, the Impreza and EVO were in a different league again. The Japanese cars were so much better engineered, certainly in terms of chassis.

They were all the darlings of my generation and I’ve at least owned 2 of the 3 of them.

Few cars pull at the heartstrings like an RS Cosworth, and I don’t care what you drove these days. If you see a Cossie, I put money on it you’ll look at it and smile. 🙂
 

adamlstr

ClioSport Club Member
They drive like any other standard Impreza which is as you say, a bit guff. Not that quick, torrential understeer, bags of grip like they all have but otherwise pretty willy handling, and nowhere near as special as it’s looks suggest.
It’s in the same bracket as an escort cossie to me.
Mega to look at, but that’s where the interest stops as they’re both s**t to drive.
They were all £25k for years and were marginal at that money, laughable at the prices they are now.

Have you driven a 22B?!

Here's mates completely stock 22B 'understeering' all over the place:



:LOL:

A special car, if you ask me. Worth only what people are willing to pay.
 


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