Subaru WRX STi 22B
To a logical and fair observer, the United States seems like a great place for automotive enthusiasts. Compared to the rest of the world, we are fortunate to have long stretches of fantastic, sparsely populated driving roads; cheap and plentiful gasoline (for now, at least); decent rural speed limits; and of course muscle cars. Most enthusiasts, however, cannot be accused of being logical or fair on this topic. You see, the vast majority of us have felt the sting of longing for a car that, for whatever reason, is not available in the U.S. And if I can speak for the rest of the sufferers, this experience is completely maddening.
Enthusiasts across this otherwise-great country have felt the heartbreak from unrequited love for unavailable supercars, higher-horsepower derivatives of otherwise accessible cars, Kei cars, Australian muscle cars, and even European Fords. I speak from experience, because I have desired all of these.
Longing for the unattainable isn't particularly novel with any form of lust, of course--if anything, it increases the frenzy. Such was the case for me with the Subaru WRX STi 22B--a car so incredibly desirable and so completely unavailable that it nearly drove me insane in 1998.
This story of desire actually began in the early 1990s when Subaru introduced a turbocharged, all-wheel-drive, high-performance variant of its Impreza economy car--not available in the U.S., of course. As a rabid fan of turbocharging, all-wheel-drive, hot hatchbacks, Subarus, and rally cars, it's as if the car had been made for me. Not being able to buy one seemed outrageously unjust.
Here was a go-everywhere, do-anything car with performance that could rival Corvettes and Ferraris, with the practicality and utility of a Subaru--all in a relatively subtle package that evoked the all-conquering World Rally Subaru of late, lamented rally champion Colin McRae. It was a more economical, more reliable 1990s update of the Audi Sport Quattro that had so entranced me in the 1980s.
The introduction of the high-performance STi edition of the WRX increased the pain; but the introduction of the STi 22B special edition nearly drove me around the bend. The 22B, as the name implies, featured a 2.2-liter four-cylinder rather than the standard 2.0. Power was abundant--observers figured the engine produced as much as a stunning 345 horsepower, complemented by major improvements to the brakes, suspension, and drivetrain.
The effect of these upgrades was electric--especially in combination with an exterior that promised nothing other than another toothless tarted-up Japanese compact. Hyper-powerful, with enough speed and traction to run with all but the most exotic six-figure supercars, the 22B was a nuclear weapon with the look of a prison shiv. The 0-60 sprint vanished in the 4-second range, and the 22B hit more than 100 mph in the quarter-mile. Handling and braking were, of course, superlative.
To borrow a theme from the movie Pleasantville, the 22B was in full color while the rest of the world was in black and white--or so it appeared to me as a college student surrounded by drab, anonymous late 1990s family sedans. Of course, the 22B was in no way obtainable. Not only were the WRX and STi years away from their U.S. debut, but the 22B was made in incredibly limited quantities (399 in Japan, 25 in Europe) and was consequently sold at eye-watering prices.
The post-script of this story should be familiar to anybody who has found the unattainable suddenly attainable. The WRX came to America in 2001 and became an instant and justified success. However, by this time my lust had lost the edge of its fervency. I didn't care as much for the new bodystyle, it didn't feel as quick as I had expected, and I disliked the ugly rear wing on the American STi. When shopping for a car several years ago, I finally had a chance to buy a WRX--an occasion I had been awaiting for more than a decade.
I passed. The WRX, even in wagon form, didn't really fit my family's needs. It was too small, too tinny, too expensive, and not really quick enough to make up for those deficiencies. After a decade longing for a WRX, I passed on the opportunity to buy one.
I still love the WRX, and when my family's circumstances are different I could certainly envision buying one--especially as a cheap beater in a decade or so, with the express purpose of wringing out on the weekends.
I can't profess the same level of detachment from the 22B, though. If given the chance to drive a 22B for a year in exchange for being relegated to a bicycle for the remainder of my life, I'd probably start shopping for cycle wear.
Thanks to Flickr users thebloodthesweatthetears (first and third images) and swgn (second shot) for the pictures.
--Chris H.
Paul on November 19, 2008 at 03:14 PM
I can totally relate. Reading the specs of the US issued WRX it sounded like the perfect car. Then I took one for a test ride and for how insanely awesome all of the pieces were, it just didn't come together as a whole. I ended up in a Mazda Protege 5 and am still driving it, fantastic car...
Rob the SVX Guy on November 19, 2008 at 09:49 PM
Chris, check out Nasioc. You can find an impreza with a modern WRX swap for like 7-9k. I like them more than WRXs, they're lighter, better looking, and they're more enthusiast than 'fanboi', if you know what I mean.
Mochi Mochi on November 20, 2008 at 12:11 AM
a few weeks back i made a comment about subaru not being particularly strong in the area of personality. i'd just like to take this opportunity to state on record that i was wrong. i got a chance to spend some time around 80's subarus - a GL wagon among others - and they have been interesting and really fun. the clean and angular lines of the 80s are particularly appealing. the interiors are fresh and open. a friend of mine has an old 90s RS that is one of the nicest looking subaru's i've seen. trim nice lines. but the WRX is one of those cars i still can't quite warm up to for all it offers i want something more.
SarahR_carentusiast on November 20, 2008 at 04:05 AM
Suburau's are one of a kind... the car that everyone knows but your lucky to have driven these beasts! I have always been a subaru fan and sticking up for these has become my second career! I have actually just bought one for a great price and is probably the best subaru I have owned since the 80's. Quick SLick and great handling!
car search on November 20, 2008 at 04:49 AM
I bought my car from visitcars.co.uk. It was easy to search for, just chose Subaru in the drop down search menu and i got at least 10 or so options i would have purchased. seriosuly good if your looking for a used car.
Buffy on November 20, 2008 at 06:15 AM
"decent rural speed limits"? Where? I'll move.
epilonious on November 20, 2008 at 07:10 AM
I dunno.
Subaru's strike me as Japanese Volkswagens: They were once great little cheap cars, but as time wore on they decided they were going to go for that most loathsome combination: the semi-luxurious, sporty vehicle that was somehow drastically less expensive than actual luxury sports cars.
Many of even their most dedicated fans found out what the cheapness actually bought them: Tarted-up finicky little money pits full of "whoops, I guess that wasn't strong enough, but it's still $600+" parts and warranties not worth less than the paper they were printed on.
While things like the 2.5RS and the WRX and the STi are great, fun cars, message boards are full of how best to deal with the RS's nasty wheel-bearing habit, the glass gears of the WRx, and how to finance an old STi since the new ones seem to keep getting uglier with less power. Oh, and lots and lots of complaints about how Subaru of America is a horrible, horrible company and how exactly to write a letter to the BBB to make sure that SoA actually honors your clutch replacement as part of the recall...
Essentially Subaru has turned into that greasy guy screaming "whaddya want!? I sold you a 300 HP one ton AWD car for 30-grand, Of COURSE it's gonna have a few problems if you slam it around like you been doin'"
The best accessory Subaru could issue right now to win back and gain legions of fans is an early 2000's Hyundai warranty. (The ones where you could literally run out of gas 5 times on a long trip and Hyundai would cheerily pay to fill the gas tank each time)
SwedishMetal on November 20, 2008 at 10:16 AM
ZOMG. the STi 22B is, in my opinion, the prettiest car subaru ever made. from the slim profile, to the hood vents, to the ridiculous (at the time) spoiler, it hits me in all the right car places. i am disappointed that Subaru decided to make the STi essentially a compromise car. i've always thought that it should have been the fastest version of a coupe Impreza - and that they should have never stopped making a coupe Impreza.
as a current WRX owner, i don't see the hate. at the time the build quality was far and away better than Mistu, and i trusted the mechanicals better than Ford or GM. and after having me drive it, it's still going strong after 2 years.....
epilonious on November 20, 2008 at 11:11 AM
It's not so much hate... I guess I would classify it as "frustration and angst generation". It's mostly here in the US because Subaru of America seems to have a shiny red "You must have been Racin' It!" warranty cancel button they use way too often. Thus some of the really expensive annoying things like wheel bearings and tranny problems might hit prematurely and without redress. It's enough to scare me off getting a Subaru (then again, I don't mind high-falutin' FWD appliances like the mazda3 and love little scrappy econoboxes... so I am not a good candidate for a bitchin' AWD econo-racer) and I have a friend who loves his Subaru but will not get another one because he detests SoA and doesn't want to give them any more money.
Subaru's are great cars... but there are just enough of them that are unreliable enough and a bad mother-company to make owners of aging ones wonder whether it's better to trade them in towards a reliable appliance-mobile with a crazy old fixer-upper on the side to sooth their carlust.
That, and I have sad predictions for what the Genesis Coupe and the new American-Market Scion tC (the RWD boxer-engined coupe apparently being co-developed with Subaru) is going to do to sales of things like the WRX.
SwedishMetal on November 20, 2008 at 01:32 PM
most of the STI-owning subaru fans i knew would have never thought of trading them in for appliance-cars - but then again a new family can do strange things to a young professional.
as far as Subaru is concerned, i think they have tried to become Mazda, but forgot that only Mazda can be Mazda :) the Impreza is shooting for Jetta-level ubiquity, which is cool i guess, but that means that the STI and WRX have to become more bonkers. this model-year's STI should have been a twin-turbo 350HP coupe monster with a seven-speed SMG; something more than the safe, carryover model they now have, that gets creamed by cars from some has-been company like Mistubishi (i will never forget the abominations of Eclipses i have driven in the past)
Mochi Mochi on November 20, 2008 at 04:25 PM
so here's my WRX question. the premise is as follows: the wrx is not a sleeper. no one thinks its a sleeper. it has never been a sleeper, but the clothing is that of a sleeper or a boy racer. why bother keeping the disguise up. if this this car is so amazing why hobble it with a high center of gravity, a back seat, a trunk, and the brick-like lines of a sedan. make it a 2seater fast/hatch-back. drop its overall center of gravity, and make it a super car and stop pretending. skin it so that it looks something like a tt but with better visibility. make it a head to head competitor with a corvette and an R8. i really don't think anyone would complain, it's not like subaru owners don't spend a lot of time swapping engines and drive trains all over the place.
Rob the SVX Guy on November 20, 2008 at 06:10 PM
I have no idea what you people are referring to about Subarus. My SVX has 197,000 miles. Many have hit over 300k. Yes, it does it wheel bearings if you beat on it. Yes, if you don't change your ATF regularly your transmission will fail, but overall, Subarus are extremely reliable. Last time I checked it went something like Honda, Toyota, Subaru being the three most reliable marques.
Mochi: No. The WRX is great because it isn't a sleeper, or a boy racer... what makes it great is that it is a performance car that is PRACTICAL enough to drive daily, in all types of weather. Subarus LOVE shitty weather. They can hit a pothole and not mind too much. This is what makes them so freakin great. They are not razor sharp performance machines like a vette or NSX, they are generally econobox cars with a durable AWD system and a lot of punch.
Mochi Mochi on November 20, 2008 at 11:21 PM
like i said "but the clothing is that of a sleeper or a boy racer". you can't put those fenders, that hood scoop, AND that wing on a car and not be a "boy racer". Look at that freakin' wing man, it's like something that Boeing would roll out of the hanger.
so its not as good as a vette or an R8 - fine. maybe it's practical - great - then let it be a real sleeper. i love sleepers. if the WRX were a sleeper it would get my respect. but declaring itself as a boy racer which it does - no matter how much you protest, rob - and is exactly how this car is dressed, is just one big turn off. the styling for this car should go one way or another - extreme sport or full on sleeper. assuming this middle ground boy racer thing with styling that is just not inspiring is a let down. not funky enough to be cute and cuddly, not quiet enough to be a sleeper, not smooth or aggressive enough to be a sports coupe/sedan/car. great practical car with good performance and handling in a lot of conditions but with uninspired styling and a few too many pretentious allusions to grandeur. feh :P
but hey! an 87 subaru GL wagon with adjustable ride height is actually pretty damn cool;)
Cookie the Dog's Owner on November 21, 2008 at 05:26 AM
I was discussing cars with a buddy of mine over breakfast yesterday. he said there were a lot of things he liked about the WRX, but the boy-racer looks put him off. Over the course of the discussion, we hit on the idea of getting a stock Impreza and sticking a WRX drivetrain and suspension in it. *That* would be a sleeper!
Rob the SVX guy on November 21, 2008 at 05:36 AM
Mochi, you aren't getting it. It isn't "as good as a vette", it's better in a lot of ways. A vette is great, on smooth pavement and sweeping turns. But this isn't designed for that. It's a car that is sold to the public purely so Subaru could compete in the WRC. Those fenders were to house wider tires with tons of suspension travel. That hood scoop is to cool the intercooler located on top of the engine, where it cannot easily be damaged. That wing is functional, when sliding around corners it keeps the back end of the car wanting to stay behind the car, which is why it has such a large surface area when viewed from the side. It basically acts like a rudder. It has nothing to do with being a sports car or being a sleeper, and EVERYTHING to do with being a rally car. I find the car beautiful because it's form DOES follow it's function. I think you'd have to go to a few rally races to understand... there should be some near you. Check them out.
Rob the SVX guy on November 21, 2008 at 05:38 AM
Cookie: IF you don't like the boy racer aspect of the WRX, just get a Saabaru, the 9-2X aero. It's a WRX with a saab front end and slightly tweaked interior, but same engine, drivetrain, chassis, etc.
Chris Hafner on November 21, 2008 at 08:09 AM
I think the stock WRX actually is a bit of a sleeper. It won't sneak up on anybody, since everybody knows to be cautious of Imprezas, but the base WRX is a really good performer in the body of a fairly stock-looking Impreza. This is especially true of the last generation wagon - it has a (functional) hood scoop but is otherwise clean. It is certainly less heinous than the STi of that generation.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/thebronzgod/761223254/
Rob beat me to it, but in my opinion the rally heritage is what sets the WRX apart form hot-rodded Civics, Scions, and the like. Mochi, you ask that Subaru just be honest and make their car a supercar. Well, in a way, that's what Subaru did with the 22B, it's just that the model was a top-flight rally car instead of a sports/GT racer.
It's a different paradigm from a Corvette or a Ferrari. The 22B was essentially a road-going version of Colin McRae's championship-winning WRC car - much of the equipment, the profile, the details, even the colors were the same. As a limited-production road-going rally car, it's a more modern version of the Ford RS200, or Lancia Delta Integrale, or Audi Sport Quattro, or Renault R5 Group B, or the Peugeot 205, or any other of the special rally greats that have been offered to the public in high-performance, limited edition form. Those cars started as economy cars too (with the probably exception of the Audi), and the transformation from kitten to world-conquering lion is incredibly compelling.
I think the competition heritage here, and the fact that a base WRX is a pretty decent foundation for a competition car even today, gives the WRX credibility. In a way, the base WRX is a bit like a Datsun 510 - a humble small car that can be a world-beater. I'd hate for the explosion of tacky custom-tuned imports to obscure the fact that the WRX is a great performer with a strong motorsports heritage.
Chris Hafner on November 21, 2008 at 08:11 AM
By the way, Mochi, I agree that the styling isn't inspiring on the new WRXs (though I like the generation that formed the basis of the 22B).
Brake Pedal Pad on December 11, 2008 at 09:34 PM
[deleted, spam]
Martin C on January 02, 2009 at 02:00 PM
Interesting reading. There are however few issues with regard to 22B. Firstly it is Subaru: modify or not to modify... You modify the B and there is hord of enthusiasts who will like to stone you. Another one is to use it as a daily driver: why to endure the pain of being stuck daily in a traffic jam in machine like that (and expose it to other drivers).
Lastly: no way I would not trade rest of my motoring life for a year with 22B. There are to many great machines waiting to be enjoyed. Trust me on that one, I know.