Prodrive, Subaru's British motorsport partner, recognized by 1993 that a smaller and nimbler platform would produce a better rally car than the Legacy. The Impreza road car, introduced in that year, was 160 mm shorter in overall length and had a 60 mm shorter wheelbase than the Legacy. It also offered a more neutral front-to-rear weight distribution, which engineers considered critical for competitive handling on the varied surfaces of the WRC calendar.
Work on a Group A Impreza rally car began in 1993. Among the key technical innovations was the inclusion of active differentials — a first for any rally car at the time — which allowed electronic control of torque distribution between axles in response to driving conditions.
The car debuted at the 1993 Finnish Rally (known as the 1000 Lakes Rally), driven by Ari Vatanen and Markku Alén. Vatanen drove the car to second place on its very first appearance.
For the 1994 season, the Subaru team switched tyre suppliers from Michelin to Pirelli. The 1995 season brought stricter FIA regulations mandating more restrictive air intakes in an effort to reduce performance. Subaru responded by introducing a revised boxer engine with modified camshafts and a changed compression ratio, maintaining competitiveness under the new rules.
The car used Subaru's turbocharged flat-four EJ20 engine in rally specification, combined with the symmetric all-wheel-drive system that had been central to Subaru's identity since the Legacy. This configuration proved well-suited to the range of conditions encountered across WRC rounds — from the gravel of New Zealand and Greece to the tarmac of Corsica and Catalonia.
The 555 State Express cigarette brand provided title sponsorship throughout the Group A era, and the car became visually iconic with its dark blue, gold, and yellow livery.
Colin McRae drove the Group A Impreza to Subaru's first WRC Drivers' Championship in 1995, a historic achievement for both the Scottish driver and the team. Carlos Sainz joined Subaru and won the Drivers' title in 1996 behind the wheel of the Group A car, giving Subaru back-to-back championship victories before the transition to the full World Rally Car formula.
Richard Burns competed in the car during 1992 before joining the world rally team proper in 1993. Alister McRae and Piero Liatti also drove for the team during the Group A years.
The Group A Impreza competed directly against the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution, which Mitsubishi continued to develop under Group A regulations long after Subaru had moved on. The rivalry between these two Japanese AWD turbocharged cars defined WRC competition in the mid-1990s.
For 1997, the FIA introduced the World Rally Car formula, granting teams significantly greater latitude in design. Subaru's Prodrive team developed the WRC97, a wholly redesigned competition car with modified aerodynamics, wider bodywork, revised suspension geometry, and increased engine output of approximately 300 hp. This effectively retired the Group A Impreza 555 from top-level competition, though the car continued to be used by privateer teams and remained competitive in Group N and regional championships for years afterwards.
The Impreza 555 laid the foundation for what became one of the most successful manufacturer campaigns in WRC history. Its introduction in 1993 marked the beginning of a rivalry with Mitsubishi's Lancer Evolution that captivated rally fans through the decade. The two Drivers' Championships won with the Group A car in 1995 and 1996 validated Subaru's strategic shift from the Legacy and established Prodrive's engineering direction. The livery, the flat-four exhaust note, and the name 555 became synonymous with rally success, and the Impreza nameplate went on to compete at the highest level of the WRC through the 2008 season.