Od czasu pojawienia się Subaru na scenie motoryzacyjnej we wczesnych latach 80., obecność marki w czołówce międzynarodowych rajdów samochodowych nadała japońskiemu koncernowi wysoki status. Rozpoczęcie współpracy w 1990 roku z brytyjskim koncernem Prodrive umożliwiło Subaru wytyczenie właściwej drogi, ale dopiero model Impreza Turbo z 1993 roku dokonał przełomu. Team Colin McRae/Derek Ringer wygrał nim Rajd Nowej Zelandii, a następny sezon przyniósł trzy kolejne zwycięstwa w Rajdowych Mistrzostwach Świata. Subaru w 1995 roku w końcu osiągnęło swój długo oczekiwany cel – zwycięstwo w Mistrzostwach Świata. Subaru zdobyło również tytuł Mistrza Producentów w 1996 i ponownie w 1997, a kolejne Mistrzostwa Świata Kierowców zostały zapewnione przez nieżyjącego już Richarda Burnsa w 2001 roku oraz Pettera Solberga w 2003. Subaru Impreza WRC99 (generacja S5) wystawiona na aukcji to egzemplarz z 1999 roku, zbudowany aby rywalizować w Rajdowych Mistrzostwach Świata w sezonie 1999/2000. Zarejestrowany jako „T15 SRT”, po raz pierwszy pojawił się w zawodach podczas Rajdu San Remo w 1999. W styczniu 2000 roku „T15 SRT” został zgłoszony do Rajdu Monte Carlo, z Richardem Burnsem za kierowcą i Robertem Reidem na miejscu pilota. Pod koniec pierwszego dnia Burns był drugi w klasyfikacji generalnej, zaraz za Tommim Mäkinenem, niestety problemy z zapłonem zakończyły sen o Monte Carlo. W tym samym roku Prodrive sprzedał „T15 SRT” do Francji, gdzie Armando Pereira brał nim udział w mistrzostwach tego kraju. Subaru odnotowywało znaczące zwycięstwa aż do roku 2003. Sprzedana w 2004 roku Michelowi Sambourgowi, rywalizowała w mistrzostwach Francji na szutrze, wygrywając mistrzostwa. Michel Sambourg zatrzymał samochód do 2009 roku, nadal regularnie startując. W 2009 roku samochód nabył Gilbert Magaud, rywalizując w nim okazjonalnie do 2011 roku.
Nabyte w 2018 roku przez obecnego właściciela, „T15 SRT” wymagało całkowitej renowacji. Rozkręcona do ostatniej śrubki Impreza przeszła gruntowną renowację bez szczędzenia środków. Finalnie odtworzono barwy z Rajdu Monte Carlo z 2000 roku. Ukończenie wszystkich prac zajęło prawie pięć lat, zanim silnik został ponownie uruchomiony przez byłego inżyniera Prodrive, Terry’ego Stempla. Obecnie samochód w świetnym stanie wyceniony na 430 – 520 tysięcy funtów szterlingów sprzedany został za 448,5 tysiąca.
Ex-Richard Burns, Monte Carlo and San Remo Rallies
1999 Subaru Impreza Prodrive WRC
GOODWOOD MEMBERS’ MEETING
16 April 2023, 13:00 BST
Chichester, Goodwood
£430,000 – £520,000
Sold for £448,500 inc. premium
1999 Subaru Impreza WRC99 Rally Car
Registration no. Not UK Registered
Chassis no. PR0/WRC/99.011
Engine no. 358816/355305
• Stage winner in the 2000 WRC Monte Carlo Rally
• Rare works WRC participant
• Extensive and known history
• Extensively restored and in 2000 Monte Carlo Rally livery
• Sold with its Prodrive expertise
Since its arrival on the scene in the early 1980s, Subaru’s presence at the forefront of international rallying has given the Japanese concern a profile out of all proportion to its relatively modest stature as an automobile manufacturer. Subaru’s first venture onto the world stage was at the 1980 Safari Rally with the un-competitive Leone model, and the arduous African event would remain the focus of the firm’s rally campaign for several years. In 1990 the commencement of what would turn out to be a highly successful partnership with the British Prodrive concern enabled Subaru to undertake a full international season for the first time. Despite adequate power from the Legacy 4WD’s turbo-charged engine, and the presence of Finn Markku Alen in the Prodrive works team, outright victory at international level continued to prove elusive, though Scot Colin McRae’s back-to-back RAC Open Championships in 1991 and 1992 hinted at greater things to come.
Following the arrival of the new Impreza Turbo model in 1993, Subaru made its long awaited breakthrough in August of that year when Colin McRae/Derek Ringer won the New Zealand Rally, the marque’s first major international success. The following season brought three more World Rally Championship (WRC) victories – two for McRae and one for Carlos Sainz – before Subaru finally achieved its long-sought goal of outright victory in the World Championship in 1995. In a closely fought contest, Subaru team-mates McRae and Sainz won five of the eight rounds between them – the split being three/two to the Spaniard – with the Drivers’ Championship eventually decided in the Scot’s favour by virtue of his greater consistency. Subaru also claimed the Manufacturers’ title, a feat it would repeat in 1996 and again in 1997. Further Drivers’ World Championships were secured in 2001, courtesy of the late Richard Burns, and in 2003 when Petter Solberg emerged triumphant.
Based in Banbury and founded by David Richards, Prodrive played a significant role in the World Rally Championship as well as in the World Endurance Championship, creating some of the most competitive Subarus, Ferraris and Aston Martins of the last 20 years! For the WRC model, the Prodrive team effectively started from an empty shell to create one of the most famous rally car of its era. This project, led by David Lapworth, assisted by Peter Stevens (who designed the McLaren F1), commenced in 1996 in accordance with the new WRC rules for 1997, which were less strict than the previous Group A rules.
This 1999 Subaru Impreza WRC99 (S5 generation) was built to compete in the 1999/2000 World Rally Championship with the late Richard Burns. Registered as 'T15 SRT’, the car’s first competition appearance was at the 1999 Sanremo Rally where, crewed by Burns and navigator Robert Reid, it retired due to a transmission failure after the first day. At the time they were in 5th place, just behind the Mitsubishi of Tommi Makinen, who would go on to win.
In January 2000, 'T15 SRT’ was entered in the Monte Carlo Rally, still with Richard Burns at the wheel and Robert Reid in the co-driver’s seat. Richard did a very good job during the first day with 2nd place in the SS1 Tourette du Chateau; then another 2nd place in the SS2 St Pierre; 1st place in the SS2 Norante; 3rd place in the SS4 Selonnet; and 2nd place in the SS5 Rochebrune. At the end of the first day, Richard was 2nd overall, just behind Tommi Mäkinen and ahead of Gilles Panizzi. The night was extremely cold from Thursday 20th to Friday 21st, and ignition issues ended the Monte Carlo dream of no fewer than four cars: the three Peugeot 206s and Richard Burns’ Subaru. François Delecour, who was 5th overall, told us this story, recalling that four cars in the top 10 failed to start on the Friday morning because of a relatively minor issue, which would have serious consequences. Later, on the Sunday, Tommi Mäkinen won the 68th Monte Carlo Rally for Mitsubishi, with Juha Kankkunen finishing 3rd for Subaru.
That same year, Prodrive sold 'T15 SRT’ to Armando Pereira in France, who competed in the French Championship, winning his class at the Rallye International de la Côte Chalonnaise at the Rallye Alsace Sélestat Vosges in 2001, and finishing 1st overall at the Rallye National des Images in 2001. The car also won the Rallye Le Touquet in 2001 driven by Benoît Rousselot. In 2002, in the hands of Alain Vauthier, 'T15 SRT’ won the Rallye National Epernay Vins de Champagne the Rallye National des Images for the second time. In 2003, still with Alain Vauthier, the Subaru secured another win at the Rallye National Epernay Vins de Champagne, while Jean-Pierre van de Wauwer won the 2003 Rallye de la Famenne as part of the Belgium Championship.
Sold in 2004 to Michel Sambourg, 'T15 SRT’ was converted to 'gravel’ specification in order to compete in the French Gravel Championship which it won after performing consistently all season long. Michel Sambourg kept the car until 2009, still regularly competing in the French Gravel Championship. In 2009, Gilbert Magaud bought 'T15 SRT’ and competed with the Subaru in the occasional gravel rally until 2011 when the car finally retired from competition.
Acquired in 2018 by its current owner, whose childhood dream was to own one of the most important rally cars of its era, 'T15 SRT’ was in need of a complete restoration after years of competition. The work was carried by VMS Competition, based in the South of France, a company that specialises in rally cars dating from the 1980s to the present day. Completely disassembled, the Impreza underwent extensive restoration with no expense spared, including refinishing in its 2000 Monte Carlo Rally livery. A lot of rare and original parts were found and purchased to complete the car, including carbon fibre seats and the magnesium wheels as used in Monaco 2000. It took almost five years to complete the restoration before the engine was restarted by former Prodrive engineer, Terry Stamper.
This car comes with Prodrive’s detailed inspection report, conducted in March 2023, which concludes as follows:
„Based on the inspection and combined with the car’s serial numbers, units and life numbers, it can be concluded that Subaru Impreza World Rally Car WRC99.011 (T15 SRT) is a genuine Prodrive built car. Subaru Impreza World Rally Car WRC99.011 (T15 SRT) has undergone a major restoration which has been carried out using all the original parts where possible.
„The car, as inspected, is a standard Subaru WRC bodyshell. The bodyshell itself has had a significant amount of fabrication work which has been carried out to a good standard and in keeping with the homologation for this period of car. Fitment of the non-genuine body panels have become more common and to be expected from the time the car was built to the present day.
„From a visual perspective (the car was not statically run or tested), it is fair to state WRC99.011 (T15 SRT) overall is a very good sound example and with some small minor changes such as: replacing out of life parts (fuel cell, fire extinguishers, seats), correct specification non-copy parts, such as front and rear boot lid.
„The vehicle shows no obvious signs of heavy damage, but where restored any previous damage or repairs required have been carried out to an acceptable standard from what can be seen. Obviously, with a car of this age it would have had and has been subjected to both gravel and tarmac events, so body repairs and general wear and tear would be expected.
Following the details highlighted within the report the vehicle would be representative of the period.”
Prospective purchasers can view the accompanying Prodrive Legends report for further details which includes extracts from the works rallies movement schedules, set-up sheets and post-event reports.
Lamp pod lights, a second set of wheels and its programming computer are included as part of the Lot along with FIA Gold book, correspondence from Prodrive dated April 2000 and a GB Certificate of Permanent Export from 2003.
In short: what we have here is a genuine, ex-works Subaru Impreza rally car, driven in period by a future World Champion and certified as genuine by its constructors, Prodrive, which has had numerous modifications made in order for it to remain competitive in the course of a lengthy and varied competition career.
Please note that this vehicle is from outside the UK. Our customs agents, CARS UK will manage all post sale customs administration. A fee of £350+VAT will be charged on the buyer’s invoice to administer both import or export customs movements. If the buyer also chooses to ship with CARS UK, this will be quoted separately. If this vehicle is to stay in the UK, it will be subject to Import VAT at the standard rate of 20% and Import Duty at 10%+VAT on the hammer price. This vehicle will not be available for immediate collection after the sale and will only be released on completion of customs clearance. If you have any questions regarding customs clearance, please contact the Bonhams Motorcar Department.