Group A Impreza - want!

[Ant1]

So much want for this.

No idea on values though.

2001 SUBARU IMPREZA WRX STI RA - GROUP A RALLY CAR for sale in London, United Kingdom

A genuine Asia-Pacific Rally Championship Group A (A8) rally car.

collectingcars.com

 

[frayz]

Probably less than you think, genuine S7/S8 world cars are only £125k so i imagine this to be around £40-£60k

 

[McGherkin]

I thought it was WRC, then Group N in that era. Probably wrong.

I love the Bugeyes in WRC trim but it needs the actual WRC headlights, the ones with indicators look weird.

 

[Ant1]

I would take a punt @ 30k but I’m genuinely going in blind.

 

[frayz]

This is what I was building 😅

 

[McGherkin]

 

[Ant1]

This is what I was building 😅View attachment 1562720View attachment 1562721

500 thou + right there. Not sure I can afford that one 😝

 

[Louis]

Always a shame how they look like they've come straight off the local caravan park.

 

[frayz]

500 thou + right there. Not sure I can afford that one 😝

They were about £120k 3 years ago, so doubt they have risen much. They were from an era of WRC cars whereby they were al active diffs etc so not eligible for alot of events and also very expensive to run and source parts for. Nobody wanted them. The later WRC fiestas of recent years all use the same dampers and uprights on all 4 corners whcih worked out about £25k a corner. So in WRC terms they were cheap and easy to fix/replace.

The WRC Sachs dampers on the S7/8 cars were £16k a corner without springs/mounts and that was back in 2001!!!

 

[brisa4984]

Buy it. Before I sell my kidneys and do it myself.

 

[Ant1]

Always a shame how they look like they've come straight off the local caravan park.

Bit like most of the Evos/Imprezas I have owned tbh.

 

[massiveCoRbyn]

They were about £120k 3 years ago, so doubt they have risen much. They were from an era of WRC cars whereby they were al active diffs etc so not eligible for alot of events and also very expensive to run and source parts for. Nobody wanted them. The later WRC fiestas of recent years all use the same dampers and uprights on all 4 corners whcih worked out about £25k a corner. So in WRC terms they were cheap and easy to fix/replace.

The WRC Sachs dampers on the S7/8 cars were £16k a corner without springs/mounts and that was back in 2001!!!

I think they have actually started to go up a bit now, as collectors are starting to get into them. They're not really of interest to people looking to compete anymore, as an R5 car is just as quick nowadays, and considerably cheaper to run as you say. Even the earlier 1.6 WRC cars are being sold on by a lot of national rally folk, and are being replaced by R5 cars, as they're basically as quick and much more affordable in terms of running costs.

I can't remember what sort of money the 2.0-litre cars are fetching. Collecting Cars had an S11 listed with an estimate of 300k, but I don't think it sold. Richard Burns' 2000 RAC Rally winning Impreza recently sold for £610k, but that was a special case, as it was as it finished the event. The collectors are definitely changing the market though. You barely see them competing anymore.

 

[massiveCoRbyn]

As for the car here, I would want to know a lot more about the spec before bidding. Seems to be a lot of chatter in the comments about the spec and how much of the original car is actually there.

I don't know about the APRC, but Group A was basically gone from Europe by the point this car was built, though it still formed the basis of the FIA technical regulations. By 2002, 4WD rally cars in Europe were either WRC cars, or Group N. A WRC Subaru shares basically nothing with a road car. A Group N car is basically standard, but with a Hewland dog box, turbo restrictor, aftermarket ECU, uprated brakes and some other bits (still over £100k new though).

The problem is, a car can still be considered as "Group A", even if it's just got a few extra bits over a Group N one, as fitting certain parts would make it ineligible for Group N. Another problem is that people throw the term "Group A" around because it makes their car sound better.

Putting aside any potential provenance of it being a Possum Bourne car, if it's a standard-ish car, with a factory six-speed DCCD gearbox and a few Group N bits, it might do £15-20k. If it's got a proper gearbox, a catalogue full of Group N bits, or some more tasty upgrades, it could be anything up to £45-50k, but it would have to be a top, top spec car to be worth that. The provenance is pretty meaningless unless the car is in or close to the spec Possum used it, and there is proof that it's the same car.

For reference, this barely got over £20k on eBay, and it's got the Group N Hewland, Ohlins and a forged 2.5 engine: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Subaru-i...2349624.m46890.l49286&mkrid=710-127635-2958-0

As I say, I'd be wanting to know a lot more about it before even thinking about it.

 

[Ant1]

Lost interest when I did my own research. Car cosmetically is completely different from when Possom used it, converted to rhd and more than likely many parts removed.

 

[Ant1]

This is more accurate.

Bonhams : The ex-Possum Bourne,2002 Subaru Impreza WRX STi Group A Rally Car Chassis no. 7A8GF090701004045

Bonhams Fine Art Auctioneers & Valuers: auctioneers of art, pictures, collectables and motor cars

www.bonhams.com

 

[massiveCoRbyn]

£80-100k? Have a word.

 

[adamlstr]

£80-100k? Have a word.

Yeah I don't get that, at all.

Time to call mine a 'Group A tribute' and add a zero.

 

[massiveCoRbyn]

For £50k you could have one on Proflex/Ohlins or similar, with a sequential 'box, a proper rally-spec forged engine, big brakes etc etc.

Loads of the Group N cars have been upgraded to non-homologated spec to make them more competitive on national events.

You'd be mental to spend £80k on that unless you have a massive boner for Possum Bourne.

 

[frayz]

For £50k you could have one on Proflex/Ohlins or similar, with a sequential 'box, a proper rally-spec forged engine, big brakes etc etc.

Loads of the Group N cars have been upgraded to non-homologated spec to make them more competitive on national events.

You'd be mental to spend £80k on that unless you have a massive boner for Possum Bourne.

£60-£80k puts you in a nice 997 Cup car with all the bits too.

 

[massiveCoRbyn]

£60-£80k puts you in a nice 997 Cup car with all the bits too.

Yeah but roundy-roundy isn't as good, and rally GT cars generally get spanked by 4WD stuff

 

[adamlstr]

Yeah but roundy-roundy isn't as good, and rally GT cars generally get spanked by 4WD stuff

Ha, I was sharing a test-day 'trackday' with GT3 458's and 911's at Snett last month, not often I'm one of the slowest cars on track.

 

[frayz]

Yeah but roundy-roundy isn't as good, and rally GT cars generally get spanked by 4WD stuff

I like the roundy roundy stuff too. No matter which way i cut it, Impreza fan on not. A flat 4 will never sound like a screaming 6 cylinder Mezger @ 9k.

 

[massiveCoRbyn]

I like the roundy roundy stuff too. No matter which way i cut it, Impreza fan on not. A flat 4 will never sound like a screaming 6 cylinder Mezger @ 9k.

Yeah that is very true. Well, almost. In most cases, the 911 would win on the noise/fun front but, if someone offered me a genuine Prodrive Group A Impreza from '95/96, it might be a harder decision!

 

[frayz]

Yeah that is very true. Well, almost. In most cases, the 911 would win on the noise/fun front but, if someone offered me a genuine Prodrive Group A Impreza from '95/96, it might be a harder decision!

A proper pre facelift one like L555BAT would be pretty cool. Still the genuine S7/S8 cars for me. I love them all but non looked tougher than an S7/8 in Tarmac trim.

 

[massiveCoRbyn]

A proper pre facelift one like L555BAT would be pretty cool. Still the genuine S7/S8 cars for me. I love them all but non looked tougher than an S7/8 in Tarmac trim.

You're biased though It's funny really, as people generally hated the S7 when it appeared, but most people I know have grown to love it over the years. I think the Richard Burns connection helped a lot too.

A Group A car is tough to beat for me though. The look, the sound, the way they had to be thrown about, just perfect.

 

[Ant1]

I’ll take the S7 if someone can find me one 😅😂

 

[frayz]

You're biased though It's funny really, as people generally hated the S7 when it appeared, but most people I know have grown to love it over the years. I think the Richard Burns connection helped a lot too.

A Group A car is tough to beat for me though. The look, the sound, the way they had to be thrown about, just perfect.

I am to an extent but then an EVO 7 is also my favourite of the EVO shapes. It was unique and most didn’t like that either. 😅

 

[massiveCoRbyn]

I’ll take the S7 if someone can find me one 😅😂

Can't remember the last time I saw one at a rally. Don't know how many they made.

Subaru WRC cars pop up in Ireland quite regularly, as they loved them. Might be a bit more than the car that started this thread though 😂