Iconic blue and yellow Subaru Impreza was first ever to roll off production line and McRae put it through its paces in testing.
LEGENDARY rally star Colin McRae’s legacy lives on with the car he raced selling for a world record £230,000.
The Subaru Impreza rally car driven by former world champion McRae bears the chassis number 001 meaning it was the first to come off the production line.
The keys were handed straight to the Scot who put the 150mph motor through its paces ahead of the 1997 World Rally Championship.
McRae – who tragically died in a helicopter crash in 2007 – became linked to the famous blue and yellow Subaru colours during the 90s.
The sale of the 300bhp Impreza – used during testing to help drivers acclimatise to rule changes – broke the record for the priciest Subaru, which previously stood at £150,000.
In 1999, legendary motorbike rider Valentino Rossi even drove this exact model in a rally in Italy while it won many races at national events.
Since 2007, though, it’s been off the road and restored back to original condition by the same company who made it in the 90s.
It proved to be shrewd investment for the owner who sold it this week for 50 per cent more than he paid.
Damian Jones, of H&H auctioneers, which sold the car, said: “It’s always great to see a car go for a world record.
“The huge interest and high value of this car goes to show how prominent Colin McRae is the public’s consciousness.
“The car itself is of such great significance because it’s the first of Subaru’s WRC designs.
“During the late 1990s the marque was dominant and associated with such iconic drivers as Colin McRae.
“There is an enormous difference between this car and the road version.”
