Background
Fuji Heavy Industries, known for its Subaru brand, established Subaru Technica International (STI) in 1988. A year later, STI partnered with the British Prodrive team to form Subaru Rally Team Europe, later known as Subaru World Rally Team. The aim was to increase Subaru’s presence in international markets through participation in the World Rally Championship. However, in the United States, one of Subaru’s key markets, few car buyers in the US had ever heard of rallying.
To address this, the North American Subaru importer decided to participate in the SCCA ProRally Championship, the US National Rally Championship. In January 2001, Vermont SportsCar, led by Lance Smith, formed an alliance with Prodrive Ltd to enter two Subaru Imprezas in all ten events of that year’s SCCA ProRally Championship.
For the 1st event, Prodrive provided two Subaru Imprezas WRX STI RA, which were lightweight, race-altered versions of the Impreza model. These cars achieved impressive results, with Mark Lovell and Steve Turvey securing second place and Scheible/Maxwell finishing fourth.
For the 2nd event, the Cherokee Trails International Pro Rally, Prodrive brought two Imprezas WRX STI (S7). Lovell’s/Turvey’s car was entered into the Open Class, and Scheible/Maxwell’s car the Group N class. Lovell/Turvey’s car looked like one of the Subaru Impreza S7 WRC ’01 participating in the WRC. With this car, they got their first wins in the Championship, on the Oregon Trail Pro Rally, the Rim of the World Pro Rally and the Susquehannock Trail Pro Rally 2001.
Mid-season, the team upgraded to a new Impreza WRX 2002 (S8), which led to further victories for Lovell and Turvey, who ultimately secured the driver’s title in their 1st year of the Championship, whilst Scheible and Maxwell secured the Group N Champions.
This Car
Is the car that Mark Lovell and Steve Turvey took to 1st place on the Oregon Trail, the Rim of the World and the Susquehannock Trail rallies during their championship winning year.
Technical Specification
Engine: 1,994cc Boxer
Aspiration: Turbocharged
Carburetion: Fuel Injection
Drive: Four Wheel Drive
Transmission: Prodrive/Hewland dog box (5/6 speed), electric centre diff, LSD rear diff 180
BHP: 300