This 1997 Subaru Impreza STi 22B Prototype Is The ‘Holy Grail’ Of JDM Collector Cars

This 1997 Subaru Impreza STi 22B prototype is as rare as they come, perhaps making it the 'holy grail' amongst collectible 1990s JDM cars.

If you’re an avid fan of retro JDM performance cars with a galactic bank account to match, then this perhaps is your once-in-a-lifetime chance to acquire said genre’s ‘holy grail’. Yes, this 1997 Subaru Impreza STi 22B prototype car – number 000/400 – is headed to auction soon and, aptly, it won’t be a bargain.

Now listed via UK specialist auction house Bonhams, this ‘prototype 0’ hold not just the lore to command serious cash and currency, it has the matching history and immaculate condition to warrant it too.

The genesis of the limited-run 22B special version of the coupe-bodied Impreza was built by the Japanese automaker to celebrate its third consecutive FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) title. This very car was what Subaru showed off at its stand during the Tokyo Motor Show in 1997 too.

This was also the very car Subaru premiered at the Tokyo Motor Show in 1997. It spawned a limited-run of 400 units, all snapped up in just two days of said debut too.

Bearing the chassis number 061819, this was the only pre-production prototype built in 1997. After its motor show debut, it was gifted to David Lapworth of Prodrive initially, namely because Lapworth was instrumental towards this special limited-run model’s development.

Following which, the car spent some two decades in the care of a private Japanese collector before being acquired by its current owner who seeks to cash in on its rarity. Fuelling the latter further is the fact that its odometer reads at just 70 KM, and the fact that the tuned powertrain was frequently fired up too.

As the images sprawled here would suggest, this prototype has received the best possible attention throughout its life, hence explaining its museum-worthy appearance. For the avid JDM and rally homologation specialties fan, there much to bask in this all-original genesis model too.

This prototype's signature 2.2-litre 'boxer' flat 4-cyl turbo was also frequently fired up over the years to keep it in running order.

Note the 70 KM readout in the odometer (left) and the commemorative plaque signifying its status as 'prototype 0'.

Key highlights include the gold-finished 17-inch BBS alloy wheels, the Bilstein shocks its rides on, the carbon fibre strut tower bar primed, beefier (read: larger) brake calipers, plus a whole lot more. Arguably, the centrepiece is of course its 2.2-litre ‘boxer’ flat 4-cyl turbo heart, good for 280 HP and 363 NM of twist.

All 400 road-going units that spawned out of this prototype were spoken for in just two days after its motor show debut, but this one sits one rung above which in terms of rarity, perhaps second only to the competition-spec versions that were actually driven by the likes of the late – great – Colin McRae.

Perhaps this justifies the astronomical estimate that Bonham’s has valued this car at, which ranges between US$450,000 to US$550,000. This equates to RM2,083,275 to RM2,546,225 by today’s exchange rate. However, we reckon this may just be a ‘safe’ reserve – expect it to fetch much MUCH more.

Whilst the 'prototype 0' featured may be out of reach for most, these used and recon Impreza, WRX, and WRX STi aren't. Best part? They're all listed for sale now! See details below...

If you think you can outbid the rest of the world’s greatest collector’s on this piece of automotive history, then you’d best head on over to the Bonhams site and register. However, should this be just out of reach for you, or perhaps your wallet, fret not as we’ve got several budget-friendly alternatives available.

A healthy number of used and recon Impreza, WRX, and WRX STi can be found currently listed for sale by our dealer-partners here at CariCarz.com. Though not as rare as the prototype featured, these are far more obtainable and, crucially, all also promise to deliver the same sort of thrills as this 1990s-era original does.