“The second-generation Impreza was developed alongside the rally spec model.”

EXTRA_A - Parking Lights

EXTRA_B - DCCD Down

EXTRA_C - DCCD Up

EXTRA_D - Interior light

One year after the potent Spec C was introduced, Subaru wasted no time finessing the new Impreza, taking a scalpel to the car’s front end after only two years on the market. The round headlights were a bust as it alienated many loyal buyers, so the company replaced them with more conventional-looking tear-drop shaped ones.

The car’s overall aerodynamics were also improved, thanks to development work performed by SWRT (Subaru World Rally Team). The team also improved the torque of the boxer powerplant, raising its peak to 40.2 kgm (290.7 ft-lb). The new exhaust system, which was originally developed for the 2003 Legacy, was more efficient, too. Of particular note was a new center differential that featured an automatic mode. This system managed the distribution of torque between the front and rear wheels through the center differential automatically, allowing it maximum traction through all variety of corners.

The car’s new handling prowess demanded more grip, so wider tires were used in 2004. This year also saw the torque figure of the flat-4 climb yet again, to 42.0 kgm (303.7 ft-lb). By this time the Impreza WRX had caught the attention of performance enthusiasts everywhere, and in 2003 the car finally made its way to U.S. shores. Soon thereafter Mitsubishi brought the Lancer Evolution to the U.S., and the two Japanese rally icons clashed on a new battleground.