Barn finds are an endless source of curiosity and occasionally lead to incredible finds. The latest to hit the headlines is none other than Scottish rally racing legend Colin McRae’s long-lost Prodrive Subaru Impreza, found by chance here in Australia after a decade of dust-collecting – and only sold last week.
For the uninitiated, this isn’t just any old rally car. This is one of the most famous and valuable cars of the World Rally Championship in history. Driven by McRae himself as well as Carlos Sainz Sr. – father of Scuderia Ferrari F1 driver Carlos Sainz Jr. – before retiring in 1996, only 63 examples were commissioned from Prodrive. Though you wouldn’t be the first person to assume it was nothing more than a slightly fascinating pile of junk.
“The rally car was originally valued at between $ 15,000 and $ 20,000, but an extensive investigation of its origins by ICAARS revealed a significant history that leads us to believe that it is well worth more than $ 1 million could be, “says the Chief Inspector of the International Authentication and Assessment System for Classic Automobiles (ICAARS).
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“After six months of examinations and provenance checks to check the authenticity of the cars, ICAARS has revealed an absolute gold treasure in this barn. Our inspections often reveal hidden potential. However, one can imagine how excited the owner is about this good news. “
“This is a really rare and breathtaking barn find … you won’t find one like it.
The Prodrive Subaru Impreza from Colin McRae is completely unrestored. That said, in addition to the original 2.0-liter turbo engine, six-speed manual gearbox and iconic blue paint job, it comes with a lot of wear and tear from participating in the World Rally Championship; and beyond, a hell of a lot of work before the anonymous shopper can take it out on a Sunday night cruise.
Colin McRae’s Subaru Impreza, auctioned last week through Lloyds, is currently valued at $ 360,000 (AUD 493,000) based on its last sale price – which was paid in Bitcoin of all things.
