Point out the identify ‘Impreza WRX’ to any British police officer of a sure age and watch them flashback to late-night smash-and-grab robberies and high-speed pursuits. Subaru’s rally-bred sedan was the getaway automotive of selection for a era of criminals tormenting UK regulation enforcement.
The Impreza’s sturdiness, honed over gruelling World Rally Championship particular phases, made it equally adept at surviving the chaos of being pushed by way of store home windows – after which evading seize.
Ultimately, British police embraced the adage ‘in case you can’t beat ‘em, be a part of ‘em’ and welcomed the turbo all-wheel-drive Impreza into their fleet of pursuit and interceptor automobiles. From the late Nineteen Nineties by way of to the late 2010s, the WRX was utilized by each sides of the regulation.
Within the Nineteen Nineties, British police fleets have been principally made up of Vauxhall Vectras and Ford Mondeos, making the Impreza a standout on each metropolis streets and rural B-roads. It was additionally extra agile than one other well-known British police automotive of the late ’80s/early ’90s period – the Ford Sierra Sapphire Cosworth.
Australian police, too, discovered the Impreza’s agility preferable to their typical GM Holden Commodores, which have been bigger rear-wheel-drive sedans with extra grunt than a Vauxhall Vectra. In Japan, WRXs served home wants, however principally patrolling for speeders quite than chasing ram-raiders.
For the West Midlands Police Motorclub, mentioning the Impreza doubtless elicits delight quite than disdain. That’s as a result of they ran this Prodrive-built 2004 GDB WRX STI in membership rallies throughout the UK within the 2018 season, with its retired police officer proprietor Paul Clackett behind the wheel.
You see, vehicles just like the Subaru Impreza WRX and its rally foe the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution left such an impression on British police that it wasn’t lengthy earlier than some constabularies shaped their very own rally groups. It turned a novel manner for officers to interact with the group and lift consciousness concerning the risks of rushing – by, properly, rushing – however in managed, closed-road environments.
We don’t understand how profitable the automotive was within the palms of former Constable Clackett, nor within the years earlier than he owned it – the Impreza’s pre-2018 historical past is murky – however I’m positive it introduced pleasure to many because it sloshed round gravel roads throughout Nice Britain.
Initially constructed for Group N, someplace alongside the road, the Impreza was upgraded with the total WRC wide-body and wing therapy. It was apparently fitted with the WRC-spec driveline too, however, regardless, that’s no longer within the automotive.
Present proprietor Tatsumi-san – who bears a putting resemblance to a detective from a Tokyo crime sequence – imported the automotive as a pleasant addition to his Subaru assortment.
Cruising the streets of Tokyo is a far cry from a gravel rally stage within the Midlands, however a minimum of it’s now in semi-tarmac spec.
It took 4 years of tinkering to convey the automotive as much as Japanese highway security and emission requirements, making that quantity plate well-earned. Other than the drivetrain, the Impreza retains a lot of its authentic interval Prodrive configuration.
Seeing a manufacturing facility team-built rally automotive on public roads is likely one of the greatest facets of automotive tradition – particularly when its wearing competitors white with no livery like this one. A giant due to Tatsumi-san for bringing this Subaru from the particular stage to the road.
Toby Thyer
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