Subaru’s contribution to this successful partnership starts back in 1992 with their release of the series 1 WRX. WRX stands for World Rally eXperimental and the WRX was, of course, a highly successful performance variant developed on the Impreza platform with obvious rallying intentions from day 1. Whilst the standard Impreza was a relatively mainstream vehicle it did have a secret ingredient that would become the basis for its performance makeover – All Wheel Drive (AWD). In itself AWD, for the Impreza, whilst interesting was hardly a game changer for the standard naturally aspirated versions offered in nearly every market around the world. However, when you inject the Impreza AWD platform with significant power upgrades, that chassis comes alive and allowed the engineers to balance that increased power with almost unlimited useable grip. 

Whilst the standard Impreza, WRX and STi variants were typically offered in the 4-door sedan or 5-door hatch and wagon configuration, Subaru additionally offered a 2-door coupe from 1995. This coupe became the basis for the Prodrive 555 Race team to develop their rally package. Designer Peter Stevens along with Prodrives engineers was given the task of creating a visually stunning body whilst incorporating all of the aero, cooling and other rally relevant design aids. This development created the widebody, functional rear wing and roof treatment, as well as an increased airflow front splitter.


The history of the donor model started in late 1996 when the GC8D Subaru model was introduced. The 2-door model was known as the WRX Type R and 10,000 were produced for the Japanese market only. These models, unusually, had a driver-controlled centre differential, in Japanese technical speak - DCCD. It was essentially a two-door version of the WRX Type RA meaning it also had minimal sound insulation, close-gear ratios and strengthened gearbox. To strengthen the engine and increase reliability and longevity, the pistons were forged and braking enhanced with 4-pot calipers. The road car also had a water-spray nozzle to dampen the top of the intercooler. The water would then evaporate, taking heat away from the intercooler and cooling the intake charge. This version of the WRX had an increased power output from its turbocharged, intercooled 4-cylinder 2 litre engine of 206 kW (276 hp), and weighed in at 1,250 kgs (2,756 lbs). It is widely believed to actually develop around 220KW (295hp), the output being under-reported to the then-established gentlemen's agreement power limit of 206KW.

In contrast the WRC rally version as driven by McRae had 310hp at 5500 rpm and 367 ft lbs of torque at 4000 rpm. The weight was exactly 1230kg, this being the minimum weight requirement to meet the new WRC specifications of that year. The rally car also featured a CAD designed roll cage which not only provided essential crash protection for the driver and co-driver but also created a high level of torsional rigidity as well. In addition, repositioned MacPherson struts enabled increased travel for the custom Prodrive spec’ed Bilstein suspension. This combination of improvements created a car with incredible response to steering input and allowed precise turn and slide manoeuvres required for quick cornering on the variety of loose surfaces encountered on the rally circuits.


In 1997 the McRae’s Impreza you see here (also known as P8) had five 1st  places, one 2nd place, two x 4th places and six retirements. The wins were at the Safari Rally in Kenya, Tour de Corse in France, Rally Sanremo in Italy, Rally Australia and finally the RAC Rally in the UK. Following the 1997 season, P8 was sold and went on to compete in a large number of events in Italian and European rally’s. It was later converted to tarmac specifications and on sold to the Italian Subaru team Amont, where it started a new life. It competed in the 1999 Rally di Monza and was driven by former Ferrari F1 driver Ivan Capelli, alongside his co-driver Dino Zana`a he drove the car to second place by a mere one second. Another drive by well-known European rally champ Alen Markku gained a fourth place in the highly competitive 2001 Rally Costa Smerelda in Italy. Following this last stint of professional rallying P8 made its way to the Girardo & Co. collection and classic car dealership in the UK, run by Max Girardo. 


Max has since had the car restored by Ian Gwynne of BGM Sport and returned to the livery of the rally Argentina specs of 1997. Rally de Argentina was where McRae and Grist had gained a 2nd place with a sensational drive. Max is clearly passionate about this car – ‘This actual car is the one that McCrae drove in the 1997 season and the first car that McCrae won a WRC event in, and it won Safari in Kenya so historically, a really important rally car. It’s sort of the pinnacle of an era, it’s still a manual car, it still has three pedals, it still has a steering wheel, and it still has differentials that work mechanically. Once its set, you’re the one that has to turn in and you’re the one that has to make the car move, It’s not like a modern car that’s got lots of electronics, you’re connected to the car and it’s the last of these type of rally cars. Then later they started getting more complicated, they are quicker, but the driving experience becomes quite different.’

This being the last generation of rally cars of the era, it still has the manual H-pattern gearbox, which means it requires quite a bit of involvement from the driver, much more than with the later, albeit more efficient sequential boxes found in today’s rally cars.

Such was the success of the 555 Rally Subaru, it was soon immortalised with a special production run in 1998 of 2-door WRX’s by Subaru’s performance arm – Subaru Technica International (STi). This model was known as the 22B STi and all were painted in WRC blue and sported gold mag wheels. This 22B STi production car was a wide body version of the 2-door specifically commemorating the three consecutive wins of the manufacturers title from 1995 to 1997. Only 450 of these specials were produced and sold to lucky members of the public. 400 of them were sold into the Japanese domestic market where they reportedly sold out in under 30 mins. Whether that statistic was true or not, it has entered folklore and no doubt contributing to the current day high value and collectability of this model.

McCrae’s Subaru S3 is a special vehicle as it survives as a testament to a niche time in rallying. The car was the first to meet the 1997 WRC regulations which took over from the Group A era before it. After the 1997 season the cars developed into much more complex machinery sporting electronic differentials, sequential gearboxes and all the computerised wizardry that went along with these technologies. Proof of this difference is the fact that the McRae winning 1997 model you see here in the photos is actually road registered in the UK and could be driven to the local pub, if Max was so inclined. Today P8 continues to sit surrounded by a seriously cool collection of race cars and classics at Girardo & Co. 
-Colin


The 1997 Subaru ‘McRae’ Impreza S3 you see in these stunning photos is a legendary rally car, and rightly so. It is the perfect combination of Subaru’s evolution of their rally versions paired with one of the greatest rally drivers of all time giving Subaru victories in five rounds of the 1997 World Rally Championship. This was the greatest year for Colin McRae and Subaru, and although McCrae and co-driver Nicky Grist finished 2nd outright in the championship, there was only one point separating them from Tommi Makinen after 14 rounds. Also, of significance for Subaru and their Prodrive 555 racing team was the dominant win of the manufacturers championship for this same year, in what was essentially a brand new package.


Subaru ‘McRae’ Impreza S3 WRC - 1997

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