From the 360 to the WRX, what a long strange trip it's been.
When the Subaru WRX first arrived stateside for the 2002 model year, it rewrote the book on Japanese performance in the U.S. Suddenly, turbochargers and all-wheel drive were the formula for success in the tuner world, challenging the established Japanese sport compact nameplates and domestic powerhouses alike for go-fast bragging rights. One could even argue that the WRX paved the way for the introduction of the Mitsubishi Evo and Nissan GT-R for the U.S. market. However, the path to get us here has been a long strange trip, as detailed in the following video.
This video comes to us from the fine folks at Hoonigan, who recently paid a visit to an off-site storage area near Camden, New Jersey where Subaru Of America keeps a treasure trove of minty fresh Six-Star vehicles. The hand-picked collection includes some real gems, as well as a few weird obscurities, and provides an excellent overview of Subaru's 54-year history in the U.S.
Without a doubt, the crown jewel of the collection is a nearly flawless Subaru WRX STI 22B, one of the first truly high-performance special edition vehicles the brand ever offered. With a widebody exterior, turbocharged 2.2-liter boxer engine, and oodles of rally-inspired bits and pieces, the 22B is nothing less than the zenith of classic '90s Subaru speed. It's also rather rare, with roughly 425 examples produced, making each surviver extremely valuable. Think $100,000 to $350,000, if not more.
The hangar also houses slightly more modern vehicles like the Subaru WRX STI Spec C Type RA-R, a very long name that equates to a stripped-down, lightweight special edition and the fastest car in the entire collection. Highlights include more than 315 horsepower from the turbocharged 2.5-liter four-cylinder, enhanced aero, bigger brakes, and 100 pounds stripped off the curb weight, making for the ideal Subaru track toy.
Naturally, with Subaru being Subaru, there are several oddballs in the collection as well, such as the Subaru Brat. Mashing together a car-like platform with the open rear-bed of a pickup, the Brat was a clever way to offer a truck without paying hefty tariffs, partly thanks to the twin rear "jump seats" mounted in the bed. Kudos to anyone brave enough to sit in them.
Also notable is the crisp white four-door 1997 Subaru WRX Type RA raced by Dave Coleman and Josh Jacquot in One Lap Of America around the early aughts. At the time, Coleman and Jacquot wrote at the legendary Sport Compact Car Magazine, a publication that provided a good portion of the foundation for performance tuning in the U.S., and seeing the SCC-stickered WRX in the collection is heavy on the nostalgia feels. These days, Coleman likes to race in the 24 Hours of Lemons in a chopped-up Mazda known as the "Frankenmiata," so check out our previous coverage to learn more about that.
There's so much to pick apart in this collection, we could go on and on. Instead, we suggest you unleash your inner Subaru nerd and hit play to see it all for yourself:
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