Subaru’s Impreza 555 was born to be a rally car, and its hard-nosed capability on the most torturous circuits was proven worldwide. In 1993, whilst star driver Colin McRae was in Malaysia, Bruno Berglund and Ari Vatanen debuted the tough-as-nails sedan at Finland’s 1000 Lakes Rally, bringing the 300-horse turbo flat-four-powered hustler home in second place. The win did much to promote Subaru’s ruggedness and their all-wheel-drive technology – and this model of that car will do a lot to promote Sun Star’s always-evolving lineup.
With a parts count that’s bumping ever upward, these little beasties are getting more and more detailed and feature packed. Opening doors, hood, and trunk, steerable wheels and a spring-loaded suspension are on tap, and the cabin is pounded full of plastic details like cross-punched kick plates and metallized control boxes. The paint is good, and it’s festooned with decals for the car’s race day markings. Under the hood, the boxer engine is fully wired and plumbed, the boot holds a strapped-in spare, and the chassis is nicely – if not overly – done. With just a bit more finesse in the details, these models would be barking up a lot of high-end makers’ trees. Rally ’round, folks.
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