SUBARU Impreza WRX STi 1998-2000 Photos, engines & full specs

It was one of the iconic cars in the World Rally Championship, a champion of the hearts and a dream-car for many rally-enthusiasts. The Impreza WRX STI was a true rally-car built for the road.

The STI came from Subaru Technica International, which was the motorsport division of the Subaru. It developed a high-performance vehicle underneath a bland looking car. It was a form follow function but in a Japanese way.

With a very few exceptions, such as the SVX, Subaru was never praised for the design of its cars. The 1998 Impreza WRX STI was no exception. Its horizontal headlights and small grille above the bumper were bland looking. The big bumper and apron featured plastic, screwed-in, caps instead of fog lights. A big intercooler was seen through the lower grille. In the back, a bigger than usual wing improved the sporty image.

The interior was not impressive. Just a regular dashboard, normal dials on the instrument cluster, a steering wheel, and a gear-stick on the floor. The sport-bucket seats were a clue that the car was more capable than it looked.

The 1998 Impreza STI was fitted with a turbocharged flat-four engine that produced almost 280 hp. It was very fast at any time standards. A 0-100 kph (0-62 mph) in 5.5 seconds was proof. Its all-wheel-drive system was one of the best in the world, if not the best at the time of its launch. The independent suspension in all corners enhanced the comfort and cornering speed as well.