The Blobeye Subaru Impreza WRX STI Is The Best Way To Get Your Blue And Gold Fix On A (Relative) Budget

It's 12-13 years old, but the best of the 2000s Imprezas is a brilliant buy if you're looking for boxer character, timeless good looks and absolutely furious speed
The Blobeye Subaru Impreza WRX STI Is The Best Way To Get Your Blue And Gold Fix On A (Relative) Budget

If the news about the Subaru WRX STI’s new Nurburgring record has reminded you how good that classic blue and gold colour scheme would look on your driveway, we’re here for you.

Wind the clock back 13 years and the flagship Subaru still bore the Impreza name. This was arguably the best-looking of all the Imprezas, nicknamed the Blobeye generation and built for just a couple of years between 2004 and 2005. It was essentially the same platform as the rest of the 2000-2007 models, but it was far prettier than the cars before and after it while blessed with a vastly stiffer bodyshell than the earlier car that allowed it to ride and handle with more finesse and composure.

The Blobeye Subaru Impreza WRX STI Is The Best Way To Get Your Blue And Gold Fix On A (Relative) Budget

It was also the last car to get the sweeter 2.0-litre boxer engine before it was swapped out for the torquier but less rev-happy 2.5. The smaller engine seemed more eager, but not only that: UK tax laws pin the Blobeye cars’ maximum road tax rates at a much lower outlay than all of its successors. It’s basically a win-win.

You’re looking at a WRX STI Type UK on a 2004 ‘54’-plate, for sale right now for £8,495. Details on the listing are fairly scant but it’s covered 80,000 miles, has been given an induction kit and a loud exhaust and has, slightly annoyingly, been partially de-badged at the back. The pink STi decals would have to go before we even drove it away. Someone has cared enough about it to buy premium tyres, though: Bridgestone Potenzas in this case, and that’s usually a good sign. They look a bit worn, so it’s worth checking whether this seller put them on or whether that was done by a previous owner.

The Blobeye Subaru Impreza WRX STI Is The Best Way To Get Your Blue And Gold Fix On A (Relative) Budget

It looks like it’s almost standard, otherwise. The wheels are correct, the ride height seems normal, the interior doesn’t seem to have been messed with aside from a JVC CD player and the general condition looks very tidy, including the seats and door cards.

The engine put out 299bhp according to the records, but that’s 300bhp in man-maths. The 0-60mph sprint takes a breathless 4.6 seconds and it will happily hit its 155mph speed limiter if you let it. There’s plenty of life left in this beast yet. What’s not to love?

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Comments

Anonymous

That’s all fine, but try finding one in the US that’s not ruined by sketchy modifications and has a $25,000 asking price

07/25/2017 - 18:20 |
6 | 0
H5SKB4RU (Returned to CT)

I think hawk eye looks better

07/25/2017 - 18:31 |
20 | 2

I just bought a crashed hawkeye, can’t wait for it to be fixed, so i can tear up some dirt roads.

07/26/2017 - 14:24 |
6 | 0

i regret this statement…the one that turned me into a petrolhead was the blob eye

;-;

01/22/2018 - 12:12 |
0 | 0
Ewan23 (The Scottish guy)

Do you no think i know this already haha 😂

07/25/2017 - 18:47 |
0 | 0
Tuna

I think that this is the ugliest gen. of WRX. The Hawkeye is much better in my opinion.

07/25/2017 - 19:51 |
10 | 2
Anonymous

In reply to by Tuna

I think bugeye is… this is freakin’ amazing imho

07/25/2017 - 20:03 |
0 | 0
Anonymous

Damn it, in the U.S. a good blobeye is 17-20,000 dollars.

07/25/2017 - 20:08 |
0 | 0
Anonymous

I’m sorry, speed, handling and looks on a budget? How about the RX-8 From £1000? Rotary power, revs to 9000 rpm. Such good value for money

07/25/2017 - 20:18 |
0 | 0
lowie t

In reply to by Anonymous (not verified)

Boxer > rotaty

07/25/2017 - 22:04 |
0 | 0
SAVAGE DOGG (Ping-Pong Gang) (Corvette Squad)

*HEAVY BREATHING

07/25/2017 - 21:06 |
2 | 0
Uzair Patel

Or I got a solution

Ask my neighbour he flipping wakes me up at 6:30 every flipping morning. Take it off him for some days plz

07/25/2017 - 21:24 |
4 | 0
Anonymous

I feel like time’s been kind to this. It looks a lot less horrific now than it did when it first launched. It actually has a charm about it…

07/25/2017 - 21:45 |
0 | 0
lowie t

I want it.
“Looks at steering wheel”
Okay…. goes to bed

07/25/2017 - 22:03 |
4 | 0