Subaru Impreza 2.5RS - Built to Compete

One day in 2012, I borrowed a friend’s GC to go rallycross racing. I’d heard it was fun, and my SCCA membership covered a few disciplines. A single event and I was absolutely hooked. On the way home, we picked up a 1995 Brighton sedan. We attended a few more events, but it just wasn’t the right car. There was only one choice: a Subaru Impreza 2.5RS coupe. In Rally Blue Pearl, of course.

In 1999, Richard Burns and Juha Kankkunen drove the Impreza WRC to five World Rally Championship victories. This 2.5RS wasn’t a factory rally car, but it carried the shape, color, and all-wheel-drive appeal that made that era of Subaru impossible to ignore. Even today, almost three decades later, people stop to talk about the car and how the WRC shaped their love of the Impreza.

I found my 1999 at auction in 2012. What followed was 12 years of rallycross: a first-season Stock All-Wheel Drive championship, years of Prepared AWD competition across multiple states, and a chassis that kept coming back through dirt, mud, ice, rebuilds, and another weekend on the grid.

Competition History & Evolution

Stock All-Wheel Drive: First-Season Champion

Straight from the auction yard to the competitive grid, the car entered its first rallycross season in Stock All-Wheel Drive in 2012. The package proved competitive from the start, securing the class championship on its first try. The goal was always the same: keep it simple and fun.

Prepared All-Wheel Drive: Multi-State Championships

With the baseline proven, the car moved into Prepared All-Wheel Drive in 2013. Over successive seasons, it competed at events in Colorado, North Carolina, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, New York, and Pennsylvania. The 2.5RS built a record of consistent results, taking event wins and class championships year after year across multiple regions.

Beyond Rallycross: Ice, Autocross & Track Days

Rallycross was only part of the schedule. The 2.5RS stayed active across disciplines, with little room for an off-season:

• Ice Racing: Keeping skills sharp and finding traction on Georgetown Lake with Our-Gang Ice Racing.

• Road Courses: Running on pavement at venues including PPIR, HPR, and Summit Point.

• Autocross: Competing with SCCA regions in Colorado, DC, and Pennsylvania on tight, technical cone courses.

A New Engine: Modified All-Wheel Drive & Winter Competition

After years of competition, the original engine finally let go. Rather than shelving the chassis, I brought it back with a budget-friendly JDM 2.0L naturally aspirated engine for Modified All-Wheel Drive.

The focus shifted to making the most of momentum, setup, and reliability. Since the rebuild, the car has continued competing at winter events such as the Mach V Refrigerator Bowl, alongside a steady schedule of HPDE weekends.

Partners & Support

Keeping this car competitive has taken long-term support, ongoing development, and dependable help at the track. These are the people and brands behind that work:

• Kartboy: Supporting the build since day one with shifters and bushings that sharpen shift feel, car control, and handling. Driver-focused hardware that has stood up to years of competition across dirt, ice, and pavement.

• ZF Design: The go-to name for all Subaru driveline needs. ZFD specified and installed the rear differential, putting their driveline expertise into one of the car's critical competition components.

• Racecomp Engineering (RCE): Tarmac 2 coilovers at all four corners keep the car planted and provide the adjustment needed to dial in the chassis. Separate compression and rebound adjustments allow the damping to be tuned as the setup and track demands evolve.

• Zebulon Motorsport Consulting: Will bring invaluable professional track experience, custom engineering, and carbon-fiber aerodynamic elements to the build. Their support will help guide development as the 2.5RS progresses toward dedicated time attack competition.

• Get Fast Events: The proving ground for driver training, seat time, and ongoing chassis testing.

• John at Eaton Motorsports: Providing maintenance parts support and trackside setup expertise to keep the car reliable and ready to run.

Spec Sheet

• Chassis: 1999 Subaru Impreza 2.5RS

• Acquired: 2012, at auction

• Primary Disciplines: Rallycross, ice racing, autocross, trackcross, and HPDE

• Organizations & Event Providers: SCCA, NASA, Get Fast Events, Subie Events

• Current Engine: JDM 2.0L naturally aspirated, FBO, Project Lambda Tuning

• Competition Classes: SCCA Rallycross Stock All-Wheel Drive (champion), Prepared All-Wheel Drive (multi-year champion in Colorado, DC, and Pennsylvania), and Modified All-Wheel Drive

The Next Chapter: Gridlife ClubTR

For the 2027 season, the plan is Gridlife ClubTR. After years as an all-surface competition car, the 2.5RS is being developed into a dedicated time attack build around the class rules.

That means continued chassis development, suspension setup, custom engineering, and aerodynamic work. The direction is changing, but the approach remains the same: build, test, compete, and keep improving.

Be Part of the Next Chapter

We’re interested in working with people and companies who want to contribute to that development through parts, engineering, technical expertise, or project support. This is a car built to be driven, tested, and developed, with each stage adding to a competition history that started in 2012.

Have something to bring to the project? Let’s talk about working together.

Follow the Build

Here for the car? Watch the 2.5RS playlist on YouTube and follow its story on dirt, ice, and pavement.

Watch the Subaru Impreza 2.5RS playlist on YouTube.