2003 Subaru Impreza S9 WRC Chassis 15 – Ex Petter Solberg WRC Finland Car

Important information to note:

This car is offered with UKV5C registration. Interested parties should note that if the car is sold to a private buyer in the UK VAT will be added to the bid price at 20%. For a UK sale B2B the reverse charge mechanism may apply. No import duties will apply for a UK buyer. For a sale outside the UK to the EU, and with the buyer providing the relevant company documentation the VAT maybe zero rated, to a private EU buyer VAT at 20% will be added to the bid price. For an export sale outside the UK and EU, with proof of export VAT will be zero rated. VAT and Import will be charged at the buyer’s local jurisdiction rates will apply at the buyers expense. VAT and Import are not included in the bid price.

Highlights

• Ex-Petter Solberg's car from his 2003 World Rally Championship-winning season
• Finished 2nd at Rally Finland 2003
• 12 overall rally victories in the UK and Ireland between 2004 and 2010
• Extensive restoration to original 2003 works specification
• Comprehensive inspection and rectification works totalling £15,000 completed in July 2026
• Shift gear change working correctly with correct mode selection

The Appeal

The early 2000s were WRC's golden age, and Subaru was at its heart. The Impreza WRX STI became a global icon on the back of Tommi Mäkinen and Richard Burns' exploits, its boxer growl and blue-and-gold livery instantly recognisable even to non-fans. Crucially, road-going STIs shared real DNA with the works rally cars. Buy one, and you were driving something close to a genuine world championship contender. Add fierce rivalries with Mitsubishi, Ford, and Peugeot, and you had an era of raw, characterful rallying that's never quite been matched since.
The Subaru Impreza S9 WRC represents the very peak of Prodrive's development of the Impreza platform for the World Rally Championship. In 2003, these cars carried Petter Solberg to his one and only Drivers' World Championship title: a season that cemented both Solberg and the blue-and-gold Impreza in rallying folklore.

Chassis 15 is one of the cars that made that championship happen. Driven by Solberg himself at Rally Finland 2003, where he crossed the line in second place, this is a genuine works entry from one of the most celebrated WRC campaigns in history. After retiring from the world stage, the car moved to Ireland and the UK for national-level competition, where it proved devastatingly effective, amassing 12 overall victories on both tarmac and gravel between 2004 and 2010.

The car has since undergone an extensive restoration, stripped down to its bare shell and returning it to its original 2003 works specification. Most recently, in July 2026, MMS (Robbie McGurk Motorsport Services) carried out a comprehensive inspection and rectification programme.
Works-specification WRC cars with this calibre of provenance very seldom come to market. A championship-winning driver, a championship-winning season, a documented competition record, and a thorough restoration - this car has got it all.

History and Paperwork

• Subaru Impreza S9 WRC, Chassis 15, registered S500 WRT
• Originally a Subaru World Rally Team works car
• Driven by Petter Solberg at Rally Finland 2003, finishing 2nd
• Part of Solberg's 2003 World Rally Championship-winning campaign
• Came to Ireland and the UK in 2004 for national rallying
• 12 overall rally victories between 2004 and 2010, on both tarmac and gravel
• Notable victories include the Killarney Rally of the Lakes, Malcolm Wilson Stages Rally, and Bushwhacker Stages Rally
• Inspection, service, and rectification works report from MMS (Robbie McGurk Motorsport Services), dated July 2026, detailing £15,000 of work

The Condition

• Extensive restoration completed, returning the car to its original 2003 works specification
• Many new genuine and restored parts fitted throughout
• New fuel bladder fitted
• Four genuine Speedline wheels fitted with brand new Pirelli RA5A tyres
• Rear mirror flaps fitted
• Slide latches fitted to front bumper
• The vendor states that the level of workmanship and attention to detail is of a very high standard

Alongside Martini, Alitalia, and Rothmans, Subaru's blue-and-gold livery is among rallying's most iconic schemes. Following an exceedingly comprehensive restoration from the bare shell up, this car looks just as it must have done in its heyday, returned to accurate 2003 works specification. The quality of the finish is utterly remarkable, which the photographs attest. The work has ensured the Subaru is every bit as capable as it was in its day, and we're sure many a concours event would now welcome such a car alongside more traditional entrants.

The Mechanics

• 2.0-litre turbocharged flat-four engine
• Six-speed prodrive ATM sequential gearbox
• Four-wheel drive
• Inspection, service, and rectification works carried out by MMS (Robbie McGurk Motorsport Services) in July 2026, totalling £15,000

Summary of recent work:

• Brake discs and pads inspected; braking system bled and fluid replaced with SRF brake fluid
• Gas 4X dampers inspected
• Water injection pump removed and tank stripped for inspection
• Fuel pumps checked and tested
• Engine started and brought to full operating temperature; pressures and temperatures checked
• Intermittent driver's screen fault investigated and fixed
• Alternator removed and checked; earth bracket repaired and refitted
• All chassis and engine earth connections checked
• Data logger and screen controller sent to GEMS for repair, refitted, and engine run
• Turbo drain pipe removed from cylinder head and oil leak repaired
• Scavenge union and main internal filter replaced
• Hydraulic pumps swapped and tested; new high-pressure pump fitted
• Low-pressure return pipe replaced
• All engine oils changed
• Steering rack dismantled; accumulator fitted with new seal; bled and reassembled
• Front driveshaft outer CV boots replaced; CV joints cleaned and re-greased
• Gearbox and clutch assembly removed, inspected, and reassembled
• Clutch plates measured at approximately 3.5mm wear
• Gearbox system pressure fault investigated; Dowty seals on shift controller replaced
• Oil seal on right-hand gearbox output shaft replaced
• Gearbox refilled with approximately 7.5 litres of oil; pressure accumulator tested
• System pressure and auto gear-change operation tested
• Complete radiator pack and cooling fans removed and inspected
• Gates cam belt inspected and noted as appearing recently fitted
• All spark plugs removed and inspected

While the quality of finish is such that this car is fit to grace a collection or museum, a great deal of effort has also been made ensuring it is ready to drive just as its makers at Prodrive intended. The above list gives more than a flavour of the level of work the Impreza has recently received. A mere glance at the engine compartment, underside and suspension components speaks volumes about the level of maintenance. We're assured that the car drives superbly, ready to meet its next owner.

Please note sold cars will be stored after 5 days from the end of the sale at the buyers expense. Where a vehicle remains in storage beyond this 5-day period, storage charges of £20 per day will apply.
You acknowledge and agree that, where applicable, your contact and vehicle details may be passed to Hampshire Classics, the appointed storage provider, who will deal with you directly regarding any applicable storage charges and invoicing.

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