Prodrive P25 Subaru Impreza Full Track Review: A £550,000 Masterclass in Motorsport Engineering

Vicki Butler-Henderson and Gordon “Flash” Shedden take on one of the rarest and most exciting performance cars ever built – the Subaru Impreza Prodrive P25. Created by the same British motorsport legends who ran Subaru’s WRC team, only 25 examples exist worldwide, each costing around £550,000. It’s a modern reimagining of the Impreza WRX STI, celebrating Subaru’s golden rally era. 

Under the bonnet sits a re-engineered 2.5-litre turbocharged flat-four producing 440 bhp and 600 Nm of torque. Weighing under 1,200 kg – even lighter than the original World Rally Car – the P25 features Bilstein dampers, AP Racing brakes, and Bridgestone Potenza Sport tyres, delivering extraordinary grip, balance, and performance.

Filmed at Knockhill Circuit, Vicki and Gordon experience the P25 alongside the legendary Subaru Impreza 22B – the car that inspired its creation. This particular example is car 000 of 25, as Prodrive skipped number 13 entirely for superstition – a fittingly unique touch for a machine this special.

Together, they explore how Prodrive has brought a true rally icon into the modern age – one that proudly honours the legacy of Colin McRae, Richard Burns, and Subaru’s WRC dominance.

Prodrive P25 Specifications

• Engine: 2.5 litre Prodrive-built turbocharged four- Cylinder boxer engine
• Power: 450 bhp
• 0-60: Less than 3 seconds
• Transmission: 6 speed X-Shift sequential gearbox with helical gears
• Weight: Under 1200kg

What is the Prodrive P25?

To put it in simple terms, the Prodrive P25 is a rally derived machine that has got some seriously impressive numbers. Prodrive made just 25 of these so they are extremely rare, it’s extremely lightweight weighing less than 1,200kg which is actually less than the first Subaru Impreza World Rally Car. To put the rarity into perspective, this thing cost £552,000 when new.

It’s a 25th birthday present to the world created by Prodrive, the team who ran Subaru’s rally campaign for almost 20 years. This is a reimagined, lightweight, modern version of the 1997 two door Impreza World Rally Car.

Performance Details

Let’s chat facts and figures. The P25 has a 2.5 litre 4 cylinder horizontally opposed ‘boxer’ engine which produces 450 bhp and 600 Nm. If you want that translated into a 0-60 time, it will do it in under 3 seconds. It is worth noting that in the video, the P25 is parked next to a 22B which in comparison has 300 bhp and will do the 0-60 in about 4.7 seconds. 

On Track at Knockhill: Launch Control & Anti Lag

First time behind the wheel of the P25, what are you going to do? Launch it of course! Gordon talks us through the launch control sequence and the level of driver involvement required. First, you need to select sport plus mode. Next, make sure that your foot is on the brake. Then, select anti-lag. Once these three steps are complete, you have twenty seconds to launch the P25. We recommend pausing your reading here to watch Gordon launch the P25 in the video.

Driving Modes & Performance

At this point in the video, Vicki suggests that they both channel their inner world rally car driver and co-driver, a suggestion that she might have come to regret. There are three driving modes: road, sport and sport plus. It is Sport Plus mode that provides the instantly recognisable anti-lag feature.

The driving mode you select determines how much horsepower you have access to. Road mode provides 350 bhp, which is more than enough for driving on the road. It's a nice touch that the button which changes the modes has the Prodrive logo on it. Press this button to switch to Sport mode, which increases the power by 100 bhp. Gordon's immediate feedback is that the car comes to life and remember that there is still another mode. Adding to the theatre of sport mode, the dashboard flashes red when you need to change gear.

Sport Plus is the third and final drive mode, giving you access to anti-lag. According to Gordon, it's all about keeping the turbo spinning. Rather than having to spool the turbo boost to generate power and torque, anti-lag provides instant power and torque.

Exterior Design & Prodrive Team

Given all the excitement surrounding how the P25 performs on the track, it's worth taking a moment to appreciate its beauty from the outside. But first, we must tell you that Prodrive has reunited the original team that worked on the 1997 Impreza WRC car. This included Peter Stevens, who was responsible for the exterior design, and technical guru David Lapworth. Opening the bonnet reveals the flat four 2.5-litre cylinder block, which has been completely re-engineered by Prodrive's powertrain team.

The list of names associated with the P25 doesn't end there. If you look closely, you will see a plaque on top of the engine block containing information such as the model and engine numbers, and the name of the person who built it. Tony Hawtin's name is etched onto that plaque. What an honour to have the name of the person who built the engines of Burns and McRae associated with the P25.

The boot, bonnet, sills, roof, door mirrors, front and rear quarters, WRC-style rear wing and bumpers are made of weight-saving carbon composite. It also has an Akrapovič titanium and stainless-steel racing exhaust system. Finally, the brakes almost burst out of the wheels. These are AP Racing brakes with 380 mm vented discs at the front and 350 mm discs at the rear.

Wheels & Tyre Talk

The 19-inch wheels are Prodrive's own design and are surrounded by Bridgestone Potenza Sport tyres. The Potenza Sport tyre has achieved an average rating of 4.6 out of 5 stars from drivers on DriverReviews.

P25 on the Road

There is no official figure for the P25's miles per gallon. However, it's easy to see that it isn't very high, particularly when driving in sport or sport plus mode. The beauty of the P25 is that it is a restomod and so raw. There are no emissions regulations, no need for catalytic converters, and no anti-lock braking or stability control systems. It takes some force to get the car to come to a halt using the brake pedal.

Interior Design & Technology

The interior of the P25 is awash with Alcantara, metal and carbon fibre. There are hardly any traces of old-school, scratchy plastics in here. However, you do have a WRC-style fly-off hydraulic handbrake, which disengages the centre differential to remove drive to the rear wheels, allowing you to swing the back end around. There is also a standard electric parking brake. As this is a road car, there are a few features designed to make it easier to use. These include a screen for mobile phone connectivity and a wireless phone charger. When it comes to the back, customers can choose between two seats and a safety cage.

Ahead of the driver is a digital display with customisable graphics and a data logger that can record a wide range of metrics, including brake pedal pressure. There is just one gear shift paddle: push it to change down and pull it to change up through the six gears. The whole thing is a simple yet beautiful recreation of an authentic late-1990s Impreza, with interior work by the British-based Callum Designs.

Vicki & Gordon’s Verdict

“Oh, wow. Honestly, what a bit of kit” – Vicki Butler-Henderson

“It’s just incredible, what a piece of engineering” – Gordon Shedden

It's fair to say that both Gordon and Vicki are smitten with the Prodrive P25. Vicki goes on to say that it is a fitting reimagining of the original car that also produced the 22B, which features in our video! Gordon concludes the review by saying that, if Carlsberg did Subaru Impreza’s, this would be it in P25 form. However, it would be remiss not to mention the words of David Richards, chairman of Prodrive, who said, "I believe that we have achieved our vision of creating our own modern interpretation of the iconic Subaru Impreza."

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