Race Altered

Our readers will know how much we covet and adore the Subaru WRX. Since we haven't been online for some time we thought it would be appropriate that our new article be about a car that made us famous.Going through our archives we came across a very unique shoot we did some time ago, something that hadn't been done before locally and hasn't been bested yet by anyone else.  

The Subaru tribute shoot took months of planning and a full day shoot later the results were amazing, it was nice to see the famous rally blue heroes together (see here), but one of those cars stood out to me.....

The RA in Type RA stands for Race Altered and is much like an Evo RS. A no frills model for teams and individuals to race in. They had no power windows, no air-conditioning, etc and they were instantly recognizable from the roof scoop and the Controllable center differential.

Subaru's marketing department knew how to milk their success on the rally stages in the showroom floor and decided to use the RA to drum up more sales. Evocative specials like the V limited and 555 WRC edition spring to mind all based on the Type RA. Basically a spin off of a spin off of a spin off! 

When the GC chassis came to it last iteration with the Version VI it was time to do the same thing. With only 2000 units produced the Subaru Impreza WRX STi Version VI (takes deep breath) Type RA Limited made sure the model went out with a big bang, offering potential buyers with tasty optional extras like a massive wing and Rays racing wheels, alloy shift knob and STi exhaust back boxes. 

Resulting in each unit of that 2000 number run was different to each other in some way. They all had the roof scoop, blue seats and blue dash panels but some would have the regular Version VI wing and the standard 16 inch alloys. It all depended on the buyer. Going through online classified and Japanese auctions will make you realize how sought after these cars are now resulting in prices shooting up over time.

According to reliable sources the car you see here is the only known GENUINE Version VI STi in Sri Lanka and add to that its a Type RA limited (Car number 420/2000). This is not a conversion or a car that has been put together. It is the real deal. It also is one of the cleanest GC's out there.

Now who ever ordered this in Japan opted for the big wing which can be an object of hate or love (We love it) but left the Rays wheels option box un-ticked. But it does have a SPARCO roll cage and rally seats. I deduce these could have been dealer fitted options or aftermarket touches.  

The full bucket Sparco rally seats are relegated to storage as the owner finds them uncomfortable to sit in. The front and rear seats have been replaced with Version VII items.

Everything else is kept intact

 From the iconic Momo steering wheel 

 To the pale blue interior trim that was a signature touch on these limited run cars 

 Even the gauge cluster is treated to the same shade of blue 

The Type RA's famous trick under its sleeve was the Center Diff controller which was a fascinating bit of kit back in the day.

It ain't a true rally car if ain't got one of these!

I still love the standard GC wheels, I personally feel they are the best design for this body shape. In this instance they have been painted grey instead of the famous gold. 

 This car is as they say in the car trade world is 'Topping' condition!

 And it probably has the lowest mileage from all the 2000 cars out there.

Since it belongs to an avid collector and the car shares it living quarters with other unique Japanese, European and American icons it will continue to live a pampered life.

But it does see the tarmac occasionally and is often driven the way it should be. But mainly its original recipe hasn't been altered and it will be around for many generations to come. Its always refreshing to see cars kept pure and unaltered.