For Sale: 2003 Subaru Impreza WRC

Images thanks to Girardo & Co

This 2003 Subaru Impreza WRC was raced by Petter Solberg in his championship-winning year and contested the 2003 Monte Carlo rally. It’s up for sale at Girardo & Co.

Assembled at Prodrive in 2002, the car, PROGDA03004, was actually road registered and remains that way today. Its wheels first touched a racetrack in January 2003 when it was tested at the Motor Industry Research Association test track.

It was unveiled to the world at the 2003 Rallye Automobile de Monte Carlo, where it was driven by Petter Solberg with navigator Phil Mills. Unfortunately they only saw one day of competition, with an off taking them out of the event early after having run at podium pace all day.

After its period career, the car went back to Prodrive and was sold to Mike Oates, who spent ten years racing it around Europe and Barbados, picking up a collection of wins along the way.

Last year, in 2018, the car went back to England and was given to BGMSport for a refresh. It was stripped back to a bare shell, inspected and measured before being built back up to its 2003 Rallye Automobile de Monte Carlo condition, including that instantly recognisable blue livery. Running gear was checked and refurbished or replaced, and both the engine and gearbox received a full rebuild.

The car is offered in perfect race condition, with no time on the engine and next-to-none on the gearbox. It’s an icon of early 2000s rally that would be a lot of fun in classic rallying, and you could even do the school run in it. For the full details, head to Girardo & Co.

History and images thanks to Girardo & Co