Subaru Impreza WRX STi Version I
STI took Subaru's rally-minded WRX, blueprinted its mechanical parts and created the first road-going WRX STi.
1994 Subaru Impreza WRX STi · TTTNIS · CC0 1.0
A$35,250
Based on a completed sale at Collecting Cars on August 20, 2026, an estimated value for this vehicle is A$35,250.
Why this sale: Exact 1994 Japanese-market right-hand-drive WRX STI Version I sedan with turbocharged 2.0-litre flat-four, five-speed manual transmission and all-wheel drive, later imported to Australia. The car showed 74,246 km and carried BC coilovers, an Invidia turbo-back exhaust, 18-inch STI wheels, aftermarket stereo and gauges, and a blow-off valve. Japanese service and import records were included.
Displayed final bid; Collecting Cars’ buyer premium, taxes, transport and later work are excluded. One auction result is a reference, not an appraisal; condition, history, options, location and market timing can change value. Accepted as an identity-matched completed sale. Its extensive non-stock equipment and export history require adjustment when comparing a standard example.
More than a set of wheels.
Subaru launched the first road WRX STi in Japan in January 1994 as the top Impreza. The earliest cars were ordinary WRXs pulled from the end of Subaru's assembly line and upgraded by Subaru Tecnica International, with production settling around 100 per month. Its turbo boxer sent 250 PS through a five-speed manual and permanent all-wheel drive. Later in calendar 1994, the Applied C/Version II family arrived with higher output, so this profile stops at the Applied B car.
Look a little closer.
The first STi did not yet wear 'Version I' as a formal badge; the label was applied later to separate it from Version II and the versions that followed.
Photos show an example of the model or generation. The pictured vehicle’s year, equipment, or modifications can differ from the specification described here.
Hand-finished before the production line caught up
Version I was unusual because completed WRXs were removed from the normal line and modified by STI. That low-volume method explains the roughly 100-cars-per-month pace. From Version II, STi production became more integrated, so the first version marks a manufacturing transition as well as a specification change.
Source: Subaru Germany · WRX STI rally-era history ↗Version I and Type RA are not interchangeable
The standard Version I made 250 PS and kept normal road equipment. The Type RA STi was a competition-oriented derivative with higher output, less sound deadening and equipment, intercooler water spray and a driver-controlled center differential. Those features must not be back-applied to this standard road saloon.
Source: Subaru/STI 30th anniversary history ↗Where these facts come from
- Subaru Germany · WRX STI rally-era history
- Subaru/STI · STI 30th anniversary history
- Automobile-Catalog · 1994 WRX STi Version
Selected facts checked for this edition. Some source pages link to broader model families. Last reviewed 2026-10-03.