Subaru Impreza 22B-STi Version in Forza Horizon: FH5 & FH6 Cross-Game Profile
The 1998 Subaru Impreza 22B-STi Version is the rarest factory Impreza ever built — 400 cars produced to celebrate Subaru’s three consecutive WRC manufacturer titles and Subaru’s 40th anniversary. With Forza Horizon 6 launching on 2026-05-19, the 22B is confirmed on the official Forza.net FH6 car list and returns from FH5. This page covers real-world heritage, the WRC 555 livery connection, and verified in-game stats across both titles.
Key Facts
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Full name | 1998 Subaru Impreza 22B-STi Version |
| Chassis code | GC8E2SD |
| Production units | 400 JDM + a handful of export and pre-production/press cars |
| Model year | 1998 |
| Anniversary occasion | Subaru 40th anniversary + three consecutive WRC manufacturer titles (1995, 1996, 1997) |
| Engine | EJ22G 2.2L flat-four twin-scroll turbocharged |
| Displacement | 2,212 cc |
| Power | 276 hp (206 kW / 280 PS) at 6,000 rpm — JDM gentleman’s agreement rated |
| Torque | 363 N·m (268 lb-ft) at 3,200 rpm (unconfirmed) |
| Curb weight | 1,270 kg |
| Drivetrain | AWD with mechanical front and viscous rear LSDs and a driver-controlled centre diff (unconfirmed) |
| Transmission | 5-speed manual |
| 0–100 km/h | 4.7 s (unconfirmed) |
| Top speed | 240 kph / 149 mph (unconfirmed) |
| WRC livery heritage | Bodywork echoes the Prodrive-built Subaru World Rally Team 555 Impreza WRC97 driven by Colin McRae and Piero Liatti |
| FH5 confirmed | Yes — 1998 Subaru Impreza 22B STi |
| FH5 class | B |
| FH5 PI | (unconfirmed) |
| FH5 price | (unconfirmed) Cr |
| FH6 confirmed | Yes — listed as 1998 Subaru Impreza 22B-STi Version on forza.net/fh6cars |
| FH6 class | B |
| FH6 launch | 2026-05-19 |
What the Subaru Impreza 22B-STi Version actually is
The 22B-STi Version is Subaru’s most collectible road car. It was built in 1998 by Subaru Tecnica International to mark two milestones at once: Subaru’s 40th anniversary as a carmaker, and three back-to-back World Rally Championship manufacturer titles (1995, 1996, 1997) won by the Prodrive-run Subaru World Rally Team in the 555-liveried Impreza WRC.
Production was capped at 400 cars for the Japanese domestic market, with a small additional run later sold in the UK (16 cars), Australia (5 cars) and a few one-off press examples. Every car was a 2-door coupe — unusual for the Impreza saloon-based GC8 generation — and every car was finished in Sonic Blue Mica with gold BBS wheels echoing the works rally car.
Under the bonnet, the EJ22G 2.2-litre flat-four was bored out from the standard WRX STi’s 2.0-litre, sleeved, fitted with a forged crank, twin-scroll turbo and unique pistons. Officially the 22B made 280 PS (276 hp) at 6,000 rpm — the maximum permitted under Japan’s 1990s gentleman’s agreement — though period dyno tests routinely measured 300+ hp at the flywheel. Torque was a stout 363 N·m at just 3,200 rpm (unconfirmed).
The wide-arch bodywork was hand-fabricated steel-and-aluminium, 80 mm wider than a standard Impreza coupe and visually closer to the WRC97 rally car than any other roadgoing Impreza. Curb weight came in around 1,270 kg — light by today’s standards and the foundation of the 22B’s giant-killer reputation.
WRC 555 livery heritage: where the 22B came from
The 22B is the closest road car ever offered to the Subaru World Rally Team’s 555-liveried Impreza WRC97. Three components carry directly from the works rally programme:
- Wide bodywork — the 80 mm flared arches, vented bonnet and rear spoiler echo the WRC97 driven by Colin McRae, Piero Liatti and Kenneth Eriksson in the 1997 season.
- Closed-deck EJ block architecture — the same family of strengthened blocks Prodrive raced.
- Sonic Blue Mica + gold BBS wheels — the road-car version of the works team’s State Express 555 cigarette-sponsor livery (the WRT could not run the literal ‘555’ logos in some markets, so road-car branding dropped the tobacco identity).
Subaru’s three WRC manufacturer titles (1995, 1996, 1997) were the direct trigger for the project: STI engineers framed the 22B as a celebration of those titles plus the company’s 40th anniversary. The car was previewed at the 1998 Tokyo Motor Show and sold out in days when the JDM order book opened.
In Forza Horizon, the 22B is the canonical “rally hero” Subaru — the bridge between the kei-class Vivio RX-R that contested the 1993 Safari Rally and the modern WRX STI rallycross supercars. See R34 vs Supra MK4 in Forza for context on how the 22B fits into the broader JDM hero conversation.
22B in Forza Horizon 6 (launch May 19, 2026)
The 1998 Subaru Impreza 22B-STi Version is on the official Forza Horizon 6 car list at forza.net/fh6cars (last updated 2026-04-10), classified as a Class B car at launch. It is one of fifteen confirmed Subarus on the day-one roster — see every Subaru in Forza Horizon 6 for the full Subaru lineup, and the FH6 full car list for the complete 550+ car roster.
| Field | FH6 value |
|---|---|
| Full in-game name | 1998 Subaru Impreza 22B-STi Version |
| Manufacturer | Subaru |
| Class | B |
| Performance Index (PI) | (unconfirmed) |
| Stock in-game horsepower | (unconfirmed) |
| Stock in-game weight | (unconfirmed) |
| In-game price (Cr) | (unconfirmed) |
| Available at launch | Yes |
| Car Pass / DLC | No — base game |
Detailed in-game dyno figures are not yet published by Playground Games as of 2026-05-14; the official car list confirms inclusion and class only. Expect numbers to surface in Forza Monthly streams and the in-game garage once the title goes live on 2026-05-19. In the FH6 Subaru lineup, the 22B sits between the 1990 Legacy RS (Class C) and the 2004 Impreza WRX STi (Class B).
22B in Forza Horizon 5: what carries forward
The 22B is also playable in Forza Horizon 5, where it has been part of the roster since the base game shipped in November 2021. The in-game listing is 1998 Subaru Impreza 22B STi — FH5 drops the hyphen and “Version” suffix used on the FH6 list.
Key points for FH5 players carrying habits over to FH6:
- Class: B in stock tune — same as FH6.
- Drivetrain: AWD, characterised by strong launches and forgiving understeer-into-neutral handling on dirt.
- Stock PI / in-game hp / price: (unconfirmed) — these were not captured in the official sources fetched for this page; refer to the in-game Autoshow for live values.
- Tuning ceiling: typically tuned to S1 (900) for cross-country and S2 (998) for high-PI dirt racing in community shared tunes.
Because both games use the same underlying Forzatech car model, expect FH6’s stock 22B to behave very similarly to FH5’s — particularly on Japan’s mixed-surface roads, which suit the AWD chassis and make it one of the best JDM drift picks in FH6 once tuned. Confirmed numerical parity will only be possible once FH6’s garage data is live.
How rare is the 22B in the real world vs. in Forza?
Real-world rarity vs. in-game availability is the headline contrast for the 22B:
| Metric | Real world | Forza Horizon |
|---|---|---|
| Total units built | 400 JDM + ~24 export | Unlimited (Autoshow purchase) |
| Original MSRP (JDM 1998) | 5,000,000 JPY (~US$40,000 in 1998) | (unconfirmed) in-game Cr |
| 2025 auction prices | US$300,000–$450,000 typical sale band (unconfirmed) | One-time in-game purchase |
| Body style | 2-door coupe only | 2-door coupe (matches real) |
| Livery | Sonic Blue Mica + gold BBS (factory) | Player-customisable; community 555 liveries widely shared |
For most players, Forza is the only realistic way to drive a 22B. The car’s combination of light weight, AWD, and 280+ hp on tap makes it a strong B-class all-rounder and a natural fit for the rally and cross-country events that anchor Forza Horizon gameplay. The 22B’s status as the in-game stand-in for the 555-liveried WRC97 rally car also means community liveries frequently re-create the works Subaru rally team scheme — exactly what Subaru built the 22B to commemorate in 1998.
Real-world vs in-game comparison table
| 1998 Subaru Impreza 22B (real) | FH5 in-game | FH6 in-game (launch) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Class / segment | JDM homologation special | B | B |
| Engine | EJ22G 2.2L flat-4 turbo | EJ22G (modelled) | EJ22G (modelled) |
| Stock horsepower | 280 PS / 276 hp | (unconfirmed) | (unconfirmed) |
| Drivetrain | AWD | AWD | AWD |
| Curb weight | 1,270 kg | (unconfirmed) | (unconfirmed) |
| Body style | 2-door coupe, wide-body | 2-door coupe | 2-door coupe |
| Confirmed in game | — | Yes | Yes (launch roster) |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Subaru Impreza 22B in Forza Horizon 6?
Yes. The 1998 Subaru Impreza 22B-STi Version is on the official Forza.net car list and classified as a Class B car at launch on 2026-05-19.
Is the 22B in Forza Horizon 5?
Yes. The 1998 Subaru Impreza 22B STi has been in FH5 since launch as a Class B Autoshow vehicle.
How many Subaru 22B were made?
Just 400 cars for the Japanese domestic market, plus a small export run (16 to the UK, 5 to Australia, plus a few press cars). It was built to celebrate Subaru’s 40th anniversary and three back-to-back WRC manufacturer titles.
What engine does the 22B use?
A bespoke EJ22G 2.2-litre twin-scroll turbocharged flat-four, rated at 280 PS (276 hp) and 363 N·m of torque (unconfirmed) — bored out from the standard WRX STi’s 2.0-litre block.
Why is the 22B called ‘22B’?
‘22’ refers to the 2.2-litre displacement of the EJ22G engine; ‘B’ is the STi model designation for the wide-body coupe variant. The full name is 22B-STi Version.
Is the 22B the WRC 555 rally car?
No — the 22B is a road car built to commemorate the WRC programme. The Prodrive-built 555-liveried Impreza WRC97 driven by Colin McRae is the works rally car the 22B’s bodywork was styled after.
What class is the 22B in Forza Horizon 6?
Class B in stock tune, the same as its FH5 stock class. Specific PI and in-game horsepower for FH6 are not yet published.
Sources
- Forza.net — Forza Horizon 6 Car List
- Subaru Tecnica International (Subaru Global heritage archive) — Impreza 22B-STi Version — STI Heritage
- Subaru of America heritage page — Subaru Heritage: 1998 Impreza 22B-STi Version
- Subaru Motorsport (Subaru Global) — Subaru WRC History — 1995-1997 Manufacturer Titles
- Official Forza Community Forums — FH6 car list discussion
- Forza Wiki (Fandom) — Subaru Impreza 22B STi Version — Forza Wiki