SUBARU IMPREZA
WRC SAFARI
2000
This car was driven to victory in the Safari Rally in 2000 by Richard Burns. The car came back from the rally and was fully rebuilt by Prodrive to keep in the collection. It was the last time the 1999 specification Impreza WRC would compete, as the new 2000 spec was introduced at the next event in Portugal.
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World Rally Car regulations were introduced by the FIA in 1997. The aim was to allow almost any vehicle manufacturer to take a car from their range to create four wheel drive turbo charged World Rally Car. Under the previous Group A regulations cars had to be based on road-going equivalents that already had four wheel drive and turbo-charged engines. Prodrive took the opportunity to create an all-new Impreza WRC.
The car made its debut at the first round of the 1997 championship at Monte Carlo and won in the hands of Pierro Liatti, it then went on to clinch a third consecutive manufacturers’ title for Subaru, winning eight events that year. The Impreza WRC continued in various iterations up until 2008, when Subaru pulled out of the World Rally Championship.
Results
1999
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New Zealand
15 - 18 July
R Burns/R Reid RETIRED
China
17 - 19 September 1999
R Burns/R Reid 2ND
Great Britain
21 - 23 November
R Burns/R Reid 1ST
2000
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Safari , Kenya
24 - 27 February
R Burns/R Reid 1ST
Specification
Engine
1994cc 4 cylinder boxer turbo
34 mm restrictor
Twin overhead cam 16 valve
Bore/stroke: 92/75 mm
Compression ratio: 9:1
Power 300 bhp @ 5500 rpm
Torque 480 Nm @ 4000 rpm
Drivetrain
Four wheel drive
Six speed H-pattern Prodrive gearbox with semi-automatic paddle-shift
Dry, double carbon disk 240mm diameter
Steering
Rack and pinion with power assistance
Suspension
Front: Macpherson strut with lower L wishbones, coil springs, telescopic water-cooled gas shock absorbers and anti-roll bar
Rear: Macpherson strut with 2 lower transverse and 1 longitudinal links, coil springs, telescopic gas shock absorbers and anti-roll bar
Brakes
Dual circuit with servo, adjustable ratio slit front to rear
Front: 380/304 mm (tarmac/gravel) ventilated discs four pot pistons
Rear: 380/304 mm (tarmac/gravel) ventilated discs four pot pistons
Body
Steel monocoque GC8D chassis with roll-cage. Front and rear steel subframes with central tubular steel tunnel for rear axle 4 door saloon steel bodyshell
Prodrive FIA standard roll cage
Weights & Dimensions
Length: 4340 mm
Width: 1770 mm
Height: 1405 mm
Wheelbase: 2520 mm
Front track: 1510 mm
Rear track: 1510 mm
Weight: 1230 kg