Prodrive P25 will be a modern homage to the Subaru 22B

Race car engineering firm Prodrive has announced a modern take on Subaru's legendary Impreza-based 22B. Called the Prodrive P25, it seeks to offer a modern interpretation the 22B, adding power and technology, while keeping true to the original's iconic look.

In 1997 Subaru won the third of its three consecutive manufacturers' championships in the World Rally Championship (WRC). To mark that achievement, and to commemorate Subaru's 40th anniversary, its motorsports division, Subaru Techinca International (STI), built the 22B the following year. Just over 400 examples were built in a limited edition run.

The standard WRX STi engine was bored to 2.2 liters and was officially listed as 280 PS (276 horsepower) as it debuted during Japan's Gentleman's Agreement era. Real output, however, was said to be in excess of 300 horses. In addition, the 22B had some exclusive aero bits, most notably its flared fenders and larger wheels to match the WRC car. Today, these cars have been sold at auction in excess of $300,000.

The Prodrive P25 will use Impreza cars as a base, but equipped with a 2.5-liter Subaru boxer engine modified to put out 400-horsepower. Rather than an old school 5-speed stick, gear changes will be made with a 6-speed paddle-shift semi-automatic. Prodrive says the body will feature extensive use of carbon fiber.

Based in the UK, Prodrive has helped create numerous iconic race cars, including the Group A Bastos E30 BMW M3, the Dakar Rally Raid Rothmans Porsche 959 and the Mini WRC cars from 2011-13. The Impreza WRC cars can be counted among them, but in Y2K, Prodrive also began building Impreza-based street cars like the Prodrive P1, from which the P25's name appears to be derived (the "25" part marks 25 years since the third WRC win).