Subaru Impreza Cosworth CS400 | Spotted

Ford and Cosworth. It just sounds right, doesn’t it? It’s a partnership that spawned the legendary DFV, the all-conquering Sierra RS500 and the outrageously-winged Escort RS Cossie, to name but a few. So intrinsically linked are these two giants that they’ve become synonymous with one another, even though they haven’t done anything together for many years. Ford’s Europe arm has been producing its own performance models largely in-house for the last couple of decades, while Cosworth has continued to do what it does best: building some of the greatest combustion engines known to man.

More recently, that’s been the 4.0-litre naturally aspirated V12 that powers the GMA T.50 and T.33, as well as the 6.5-litre screamer found in the Aston Martin Valkyrie. And speaking of Adrian Newey-designed hypercars, the engine builder is currently working on a 15,000rpm 4.5-litre V10 for the upcoming RB17, which is still believed to be pipeline despite the legendary F1 designer’s switch to Aston. But it wasn’t that long ago when the company turned its hand to building an engine for something a little more attainable for the average Joe. No, it wasn’t a Ford, but a Subaru Impreza instead.

Specifically, the Cosworth CS400, like the one we have here. Quite why Cosworth chose to rework Subaru’s marmite hatch is a bit of a mystery, given that souped-up Scoobies were as prevalent as the humdrum models they were based on (if not more so), with the Japanese marque’s rally partner Prodrive smashing out special editions like they were going out of fashion. Which they were, in a way, as Subaru pulled out of the WRC in 2008 and, with it, drastically scaled back its involvement with Prodrive. With no UK-spec specials on the horizon, and perhaps a desire to distance itself from its Ford past, Cosworth swooped in. 

True to form, the CS400 was all about the engine. While the capacity remained at 2.5 litres, Cosworth stripped it back to the bare block and rebuilt it with new pistons, bearings, condos and gaskets. The intake was also reworked, the turbo scaled up and the exhaust freer flowing to bring power up to 400hp. Far more powerful than anything STI or Prodrive had come up with before, resulting in a claimed 0-62mph time of under four seconds. The firm also chucked in some serious hardware to sharpen up the chassis, including Bilstein dampers with firmer Eibach springs, AP Racing front brakes with six-piston callipers and lighter 18-inch alloy wheels.

It all looked very promising, though initial impressions at the time were lukewarm. Some journalists found the engine too laggy, which called into question the blistering acceleration figure, and the steering light and lacking in feel. Others, meanwhile, praised the CS400’s abidance of traction and nuanced damping. As with all limited-run specials, the CS400 is viewed in a vastly more positive light nowadays and is regarded as one of the most sought-after Impreza hatches ever made.

That’s partly down to so few being built, of course. Cosworth cobbled together just 75 cars, many of which were further tuned by their owners or wound up in a ditch. Or both. Fortunately, neither of those fates befell this example, which has covered just 12,000 miles and boasts an all-Subaru service history. That does mean it packs quite a premium, with the seller asking for £53,995. A slight rise over its original £50k price tag, and a good deal more than some other CS400s that have passed through the classifieds of late. But none of those were as tidy nor as original as this, and that’s always going to command serious money. Alternatively, there’s this one-of-20 Litchfield Type 20 available with over 500hp on tap for half the price of the Cossie, though you’ll probably want to put some cash aside to repaint the wheels and rip out all the aftermarket dials.

Engine: 2,457cc four-cylinder boxer, turbocharged
Transmission: six-speed manual, all-wheel drive
Power (hp): 400@5,750rpm
Torque (lb ft): 400@3,950rpm
MPG: 26.9 (standard STI)
CO2: 243g/km (standard STI)
Year registered: 2010
Recorded mileage: 12,000
Price new: £49,995
Yours for: £53,995