The Subaru WRX STI challenged the notion that spine-tingling performance had to be buttoned-up, expensive, and European. As Mercedes and BMW dialed up the power, luxury, and creature comforts of their flagship cars, Subaru positioned the STI as the rebellious alternative – a cheaper, brash, in-your-face performance sedan based on the universally beloved Impreza. The STI was a true rally car for the street, using Subaru’s most sophisticated traction technology to deliver the ultimate in grip and road feel. Originally launched to the European and Japanese markets in 1994, it immediately earned motorsports fame with rally champion Colin McRae behind the wheel. In 1998, Subaru released the widebody, race-spec WRX STI 22B, designed for Subaru’s 40^th anniversary and to commemorate the World Rally Team’s third consecutive FIA Championship title. Of the 424 22Bs produced, 400 were delivered to Japan, 16 to the UK, and 5 to Australia, along with 3 prototypes. As American Subaru enthusiasts salivated over the 22B that would never make it to their shores, Japanese buyers snapped up the first 400 22Bs in a record-breaking 48 hours.

The US market finally got its first taste of the STI in 2004, immediately after Subaru’s World Rally Team drove modified STIs to World Rally Championships in 2001 and 2003. To complement the oversized rear wing, the roadgoing STI’s BBS alloys, modeled after the set used on the championship-winning cars, added an extra dose of celebrity DNA that made the car an instant classic in the US market.

By 2004, Subaru’s flat-four had grown to 2.5 liters and 300 horsepower, thanks to a massive turbocharger and intercooler fed by a functional (!) hood scoop. Power was routed to all four wheels through front and rear full locking differentials and a 6-speed manual transmission. Famously, the center console housed a button that let drivers customize the torque split between the front and rear axles, routing up to 65% of torque to the rear axle and 35% to the front. And massive Brembo brakes paired with a quick-ratio power-steering system to make for absolutely sublime stopping and handling. In 2004, that level of technology was reserved almost exclusively for true rally cars, showing the close relationship between Subaru’s racing culture and the production line. The STI launched during the peak of the import tuning movement in the US, meaning that the vast majority of first-generation STIs in the US are heavily modified. Finding a slammed, vinyl-wrapped, tuned ’04 STI is much easier than finding a well-documented, bone-stock example.

This completely stock 2004 WRX STI is a special example. Chassis #JF1GD70624L516306 was delivered to its original owner, a Sanger, Texas schoolteacher, on December 9, 2003, who owned it until it joined LBI’s stable in late 2019. This one-owner example lived a pampered life in climate-controlled storage, seeing just over 22,000 well-documented miles and exhaustive dealership service history from day one.

All oil changes, tire replacements, and system checks happened at 5,000-mile intervals through Huffine’s Chevrolet Subaru in Lewisville, TX. The car was maintained with an open checkbook––major service included a cooling system service on 9/28/2012 at 20,120 miles and a timing belt replacement on 3/12/2018 at 21,662 miles. Four new Bridgestone Potenza 225/45/R17 tires were fitted on 7/31/2020 at 22,870 miles. Most importantly, on 7/22/2020, the car received a completely clean bill of health from Rafferty Subaru in Philadelphia, PA. Over 20 pages of service invoices are available for review by following the “View Documents” Tab.

The first-generation STI was so popular that most enthusiasts can find a tuned example on their local Craigslist or AutoTrader pages. But what those modified cars miss is the true, unadulterated spirit of the STI as Subaru wanted us to experience it. This car is for the purist who wants to time travel to the 1990s World Rally Championships after every stoplight and during every daily commute. It offers one of the last opportunities to jump in the driver’s seat and feel exactly what Subaru’s powertrain engineers dialed in, the minute ergonomic, chassis, boost, and throttle changes that maximized the car’s original, sublime balance. This direct link to the heart of Subaru’s brand is what makes us so proud to offer this example at LBI.

Included in the sale are purchase documents from new including the bill of sale and original window sticker, service receipts, manuals, original advertising literature and clean Carfax.