With the Subaru Impreza having won a total of 162 championships around the world, it’s no surprise that the Impreza has won six WRC titles in eight years. Many people believe the 1997 Subaru Impreza S3 WRX was an Impreza at its peak, while others believe it was Subaru at its peak, and still others believe it was rally cars at their peak.
The 1997 Subaru Impreza S3 WRC and Colin McRae are rallying’s ultimate dynamic duo, and together they have forged one of the most impressive partnerships in World Rally Championship history. The pair would go on to become some of the most recognizable personalities in the sport.
How much did the FIA help the Impreza S3 WRC?
Via: FormaCar
The Impreza S3 WRC was developed for the 1997 rally season and was intended to replace the Impreza 555 to coincide with the FIA revision of the rules and formatting for the new phase of World Rally Car competition. Engine modifications, suspension geometry and aerodynamics were some of the elements that teams were now allowed to design much more freely and with far fewer restrictions.
Among the many notable redesigns were the new camshafts, cylinder ports and combustion chambers that allow 310 hp and 367 lb-ft of torque to be blasted straight out of the Impreza. The 2,712-pound rally machine was ready for its new champion. With the 2.0 liter four-cylinder engine, all-wheel drive and a dog-box manual gearbox, the all-new Subaru Impreza S3 WRC was ready to go!
How did Colin McRae fare in the S3 WRC?
Via: Pinterest
Even if McRae wasn’t able to replicate some of his earlier personal accomplishments, as he did when driving the Subaru Legacy and the Subaru Impreza 555, the S3 WRC would likely become the Japanese automaker’s most memorable machine he drove. The reason the S3 WRC became so memorable was McRae’s fierce rivalry with Tommi Makinen and the fact that this would be his last driver for the Impreza before joining Team Ford Rally in 1999. Although McRae never finished first in the Drivers’ Championship overall with the S3 WRC, his achievements and some eventful but exciting performances proved that the new Impreza S3 WRC was a huge success following its win at Safari.
You don’t have to be on a rally circuit to drive to the Impreza S3 WRC
Another major highlight of this historic car is that it is fully street legal and could be used as an everyday car. Watching the blue and gold of the Impreza cruising to the mall at 20 mph is enough to make the hairs on the back of your neck stand, not to mention watching it skid on rails, turbo wobble and wheelspin.
So the Subaru Impreza S3 WRC had the looks, but mechanically it also had the moves. The two-door shell and CAD-drawn integrated roll cage increased torsional rigidity. The engineers responsible for the Subaru Impreza S3 WRC were also able to reposition the strut suspension to allow more travel for the Bilstein/Prodrive dampers.
Peter Stevens & David Lapworth: The masterminds of car manufacturing!
Via: Flickr
Prodrive sought the complicity of McLaren F1 designer Peter Stevens to design an icon that also helped improve the Subaru Impreza’s image and they were completely successful in both aspects. Stevens worked tirelessly on aerodynamics and exterior design, while Subaru Technical Director David Lapworth worked on the vehicle’s design as usual. Their working combination created an absolute monster of a car. Stevens’ main goal was to convert the new Impreza into a car that generates downforce in order to optimize its aerodynamics and consequently win more rallies and world championships
The all-new Impreza was unveiled at the 1996 Catalunya Rally just three weeks after its completion. With Colin McCrae, Piero Liatti and Kenneth Eriksson at the wheel for the 1997 season. The start to the season confirmed the success of the Impreza S3 WRC as the drivers secured victories in the first three rallies. After the first successes of the Impreza S3 WRC, the Japanese cars had engine problems on several occasions. But once solved, Colin McCrae made an impressive final rush, winning in Corsica, Sanremo and Austria even after his rear wing flew off! Eight victories followed Eriksson’s win in New Zealand, giving the team its third straight Manufacturers’ title.
The conclusion to the madness of the Subaru Impreza S3 WRC as a rally car speaks for itself. The all-new Impreza was absolutely stunning to look at and, for a bonus, fully roadworthy. Performance-wise, the Impreza was incredible, with eight wins, five podiums and a Manufacturers’ World Championship.
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About the author
Thomas Morgan
(13 published articles)
Tom currently works as a radio host, film producer and also as a writer. A true Mancunier, with a great passion for the media industry, he feels privileged to work in so many different sectors of the industry.
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