Tamiya 24218 Subaru Impreza WRC 99

The 1997 World Rally Championships saw a relaxing in the rules pertaining to vehicle modification. Subaru was the first team to take advantage of the leeway, bringing out the Impreza WRC. That machine featured an all-aluminium horizontal four-cylinder turbo engine paired with a vertically mounted gearbox. The layout placed the gearbox in a balanced position behind the front axle, heightening manoeuvrability and ultimately contributing to a Manufacturer’s Championship for that year.

The bulk of the improvements to the 1999 model centred around the engine and gearbox. Foremost was the adoption of an electronically controlled throttle system. This system converts the position of the throttle in to electronic signals, heightening throttle response. The Impreza WRC was also equipped with a 6-speed, semi-automatic gearbox. This system enables sudden shifting, such as from 6th to 1st gear. Work is also continuing on the development of an electronically controlled damper system. The Impreza WRC is driven by J. Kankkunen, R. Burns and B. Thiry. Kankkunen and Burns finished in 1st and 2nd place respectively at both the 7th Argentina Rally and the 10th Finland Rally. The 8th Acropolis Rally was also taken by Burns, setting the scene for an intense contest in the latter half of the season

About the Model

• Scale is 1:24
• Model length is 183.5mm
• This is a plastic model assembly kit recreating the Impreza WRC that Subaru ran in the 1999 season
• From the honed aerodynamic form to the various mechanisms and encompassing a detailed interior, the form of the car is captured in style
• Clear underguard parts can be left unpainted to show off the detail beneath
• Synthetic rubber tyres have realistic tarmac tread patterns
• Choose between two different marking options