Impreza WRX

The GC8 Impreza WRX

The first Impreza WRX went on sale in Japan on 2 November 1992, a four-door saloon with a turbocharged 2.0-litre flat-four, the EJ20G, and full-time four-wheel drive. It was rated at 240 PS at launch, 260 PS from late 1994, and 280 PS from September 1996, when the revised EJ20K replaced the EJ20G. Most cars have a five-speed manual. A two-door coupé, the STi Type R, joined during Version III production.

From January 1994 Subaru Tecnica International built STi versions alongside the WRX, running to Version VI in 1999; Version III was the first to reach 280 PS. The best known is the 22B STi of 1998, a widened coupé with a 2.2-litre EJ22G at 280 PS, of which 400 were sold in Japan. GC8 production ended in July 2000.

What GC8 owners upgrade

Many GC8s are now past thirty, and a good share of what owners buy keeps one running well: timing belts and engine mounts from the engine range, replacement alternators from Advance Alternator, radiator caps and replacement air filters.

For more performance, owners fit an exhaust system, a boost controller from the forced induction range, pod filters from the intake range and, for a more serious build, camshafts. In the drivetrain, LSD upgrade kits and clutch kits are the regular orders. HKS, Cusco, APEXi, Kakimoto Racing, JUN and Okada Projects are among the names GC8 owners choose.

Genuine parts

Rust is the first thing to check on a GC8: the wheel arches, rear suspension towers, sills and the area around the rear screen. The five-speed gearbox can jump out of fifth, so try it under load, and look for oil leaking from the cam covers. Subaru's interval for the timing belt is 100,000 km, sooner under severe use. The GC8 code also covers non-turbo and automatic saloons, so confirm the grade before ordering belts, seals and gaskets from our genuine Subaru parts catalogue.

Wheels

The GC8 has five studs on a 100 mm PCD with M12 x 1.25 nuts. Early cars came on 15x6 +55 wheels; 16-inch wheels arrived with the 1994 update, in 16x6.5 +55 and 16x7 +53. See wheels that fit the GC8 for other sizes.