Hagerty | The Drivers Seat with Henry Catchpole. A WRC Car for The Road Driving: Prodrives Subaru Impreza P25.

Back in 1997, Prodrive built the first Subaru Impreza of the WRC era that took over from Group A in the World Rally Championship. Now, to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the WRC97 that Colin McRae, Piero Liatti and Kenneth Eriksson all drove to the 1997 Manufacturers title, the same company in Banbury has produced what it claims is a road-going version of a WRC Impreza and it’s called the P25. Some have suggested that the P25 is a restomod of a 22B (or P1), but although it looks very similar, it is quite a different car under the skin. In fact the skin itself is different, because almost all the P25’s bodywork is made of carbon fibre. In lightest, pared-back track spec it weighs just 1150kg. The EJ25 Engine is also substantially upgraded and produces 450 bhp and 442 lb-ft of torque, meaning a 0-100 km/h time of under three seconds. Sport Plus mode also brings Anti-Lag to the party, which does nothing for fuel economy and everything for response and entertainment. There is also bespoke suspension, a new interior by Callum Designs with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, AP Racing pedals and brakes, a choice of seats and a hydraulic handbrake in addition to the electric parking brake. But perhaps the centrepiece of the whole car is the gearbox; a Prodrive six-speed sequential with helical cut dog gears. It’s operated by a single paddle that you pull towards you to change up and push away to change down. There is also a fly-by-wire clutch that you don’t need to touch at all when you engage the rather spectacular launch control. Sadly only 25 P25s are being produced and each one starts at £552,000. It also won’t be for everyone as it is undoubtedly a pretty focused and at times raw experience. But it is also hugely involving and exciting and lives up to those claims of being a WRC car for the road. As with the other, very different, rally restomod that I drove earlier this year, the Kimera EVO37, the world is a slightly brighter place for it existing. There is also a suggestion that this could just be the start for a new road car arm of Prodrive, so watch this space. I’m hoping for an older four-door Impreza next with a manual and unequal length headers. And to be able to take it to a track. We hope you enjoy the film. As ever, the main man behind the scenes is Glenn Winhall and he was ably assisted on this shoot by Benjamin Cornish.