This short video shows the development and design of the 1997 Subaru Impreza World Rally Car by Prodrive, and you will see Tiff Needell and Colin McRae testing the car during a shakedown at the 1997 Rally of Spain.
The era of the World Rally Cars began in 1997. The first generation of WRC-spec vehicles replacing the Group A cars. The Japanese 555 Subaru World Rally Team won the first Manufacturers' Championship in that period, with the Subaru Impreza WRC 97 as the championship-winning vehicle.
The Prodrive-produced Subaru Impreza S3 WRC 97 (which was the actual full name of the car) utilized a 2.0-liter turbocharged petrol engine, just as the other WRC cars in the initial season under the new rules (Toyota Corolla and Ford Escort). Traditionally, Subaru used a boxer engine. The horsepower was boosted to 300hp, while the torque was increased to 471 Nm. The gearbox was a Prodrive 6-speed semi-automatic with a pneumatic paddle-shift or traditional H-pattern. The vehicle was equipped with an active hydro/electronically controlled viscous coupling center differential, a viscous coupling front differential, and a restricted slip rear differential.
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