Model History

No three letters conjure up visions of rallying prowess more than WRX. Add in three more letters S, T, and I, and you have a highly capable vehicle in any driving condition. Throw in Spec C status and this vehicle is as desirable as they come.

With a 30-year heritage punctuated by names such as McRae, Sainz, Solberg, Makinen and Bourne, the Subaru WRX STi has risen to cult status the world over. With just 1,000 2003 WRX STi Spec Cs manufactured – of which only 300 were red – these vehicles were developed by Subaru Technica International (STI) as part of the homologation requirements for World Rally Championship entry.

Over the standard road-going counterpart, all Spec C models featured a tuned, 2-litre, flat four boxer engine developing 276hp at 6,000rpm and 394Nm of torque at 4,400rpm paired to a slick-shifting 6-speed manual. Handling was improved via an STI developed steering and suspension package with revised control arms. Managing the additional stresses of rally use, all vehicles received upgraded front-mounted oil cooler and transmission oil cooler, while significant light-weighting was carried out which saw lighter glass and body panels adopted, while radio, sound deadening, various trim and other items deleted from the vehicle. The ‘Limited’ specification – as featured here – added air conditioning, electric windows and black interior elements back in.

Equipment

Solid Red paintwork, Black cloth / Alcantara STI upholstery, 17-inch BBS alloy wheels in gold, Brembo calipers in gold, 6-speed manual transmission, Driver Controlled Centre Differential (DCCD) with auto setting, Air conditioning, Electric windows, Electric-folding door mirrors, STI leather steering wheel, STI leather gear knob and hand brake lever, Roof vent, Automatic intercooler spray, 12-litre boot-mounted intercooler water tank, Front mounted oil cooler, Transmission oil coolers, Quick steering rack, Lightweight bonnet, Lightweight glass, Lightweight 50-litre fuel tank, Lightweight radiator and revised cooling system, Lightweight AC compressor, Lighter and stronger suspension and geometry, Smaller battery, Boot trim and sound deadening delete, Shorter ratio 5th and 6th gears, Twin-scroll ball bearing turbocharger, Larger profile cams, Active Valve Control System (AVCS), Rear boot spoiler, Milltek sports exhaust, Subaru boot floor mat, Alpine head unit, Immobiliser, Space saver spare wheel, Spare key, Original JDM Subaru document pack.

Exterior

This rare Spec C Limited presents in great usable condition and looks fantastic in Solid Red, an attractive colour in which only 300 examples were finished. Having just been treated to a full detail and machine polish the paintwork is lovely and smooth with only a few small marks and minor defects to evidence the mileage. Both sides of the car are very straight, and the factory STI decals still remain in place. All of the plastic trims around the car are in fine fettle, and the headlights are free from any damage or signs of moisture ingress. Being really picky there are a couple of light marks on the offside rear light, and on the nearside sill there is small blister. And, while not concours, the underside is in otherwise great condition, especially considering this one has resided in the UK since it was only a few months old.

VIEWINGS WELCOME BY APPOINTMENT ONLY /// ADDITIONAL PHOTOS AND VIDEOS AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST

Interior

The smart black STI upholstery presents to a fine standard with only minimal wear to speak of, even to commonly worn areas such as the driver’s bolster, which in this case hints at only light use. The steering wheel and gear knob also appear surprisingly fresh, both retaining a nice textured finish to the leather. Similarly, all the plastics within the cabin are in excellent shape with no major scratches or damage to report to either the dash, centre console, or switchgear. In the footwells the original carpets appear in fine order, and at the rear of the car the seats are immaculate having clearly seen little use. A few marks and scratches are visible in the boot area but given the lack of sound deadening and carpet this comes as no surprise; also present here is the STI water tank for the intercooler spray, along with a handy rubber floor mat.

ENGINE & TRANSMISSION

Having resided in the UK since 2004 the car boasts a detailed maintenance history with 17 stamps in the book. The last service was carried out in February 2023 at 120,576 miles. Lifting the bonnet the engine bay appears in great order, not overly dressed but in excellent original condition. There are no signs of accident damage or previous poor repair, and the paintwork is corrosion-free. The last cambelt change was completed in November 2020 at 118,632 miles.

WHEELS, TYRES & BRAKES

The Spec C sits on its original 17-inch BBS alloys, all in superb condition with just a few minor marks and chips to report on close inspection, the worst being a small scuff on the face of the offside rear wheel. They are shod in a matching set of desirable Bridgestone Potenza RE070 tyres, each one with ample tread left. The brakes have also been checked and remain in fine operational condition having been treated to new DBA grooved discs and Brembo pads all round less than 1,000 miles ago.

History File

With only 1,000 ever produced – of which just 300 were red – the Impreza WRX STI Spec C is a rare beast indeed. This particular example, a ‘Limited’ model, was first registered in Japan in late 2003 before being imported into the UK just a few months later. It has now driven 120,893 miles in the hands of only 4 registered keepers.

Within the accompanying History File the new owner will be presented with a raft of invoices and MOT certificates, a clean HPI report from February this year, the original JDM Subaru document wallet with manuals, tracker documentation, the spare key, and a fully stamped UK service booklet with specialist 17 entries, as below.

02/06/2004 at 3,000 miles – Powerstation UK Ltd.
07/03/2005 at 13,231 miles – Powerstation UK Ltd.
05/08/2005 at 18,659 miles – Powerstation UK Ltd.
11/05/2006 at 27,885 miles – Powerstation UK Ltd.
11/06/2007 at 40,400 miles – Powerstation UK Ltd.
27/05/2008 at 48,925 miles – Powerstation UK Ltd.
09/10/2009 at 61,375 miles – Powerstation UK Ltd.
24/10/2010 at 70,765 miles – Powerstation UK Ltd.
04/07/2012 at 81,000 miles – Litchfield Imports
15/01/2014 at 89,229 miles – Eurospec 2000
16/01/2015 at 93,904 miles – Eurospec 2000
18/01/2016 at 98,328 miles – Eurospec 2000
16/01/2017 at 103,378 miles – Eurospec 2000
16/07/2018 at 111,020 miles – Eurospec 2000
01/07/2020 at 118,227 miles – Bell & Colvill
30/11/2020 at 118,632 miles – Hurst Cars (service + cambelt)
09/02/2023 at 120,576 miles – TFS Racing

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