Back in '95, people in the States thought of Subaru as a manufacturer of safe economy vehicles. The U.S. models in Subaru's lineup offered good gas mileage while some even sported an all-wheel drive configuration making them ideal for four-season operation. The first thought of a Subaru as a performance vehicle in the U.S. came from video games such as Gran Turismo which showcased the rally-inpired WRX. In '98, Subaru released their sporty Impreza 2.5 RS into the U.S. market. The RS was offered in both a two-door model as well as a four-door model. Its power plant was a naturally aspirated, 16-valve, 2.5-liter boxer engine that generated a nice amount of torque for a 165-horsepower engine. The Impreza RS was described by some as the PG version of the WRX, a vehicle that wouldn't hit our shores until the 2002 model year. The Impreza RS was enough of a performer in factory trim to spark the interest of the performance community. The RS would be the turning point to Subaru's performance perception. Subaru would release a good car with the RS, followed by a better car with the WRX before launching their flagship STi.

The Deciding Factor

When Kian Shirdel of Orange County, Californica (the O.C.) was car shopping, he came made a stop at the Subaru dealership to take a look at the inventory of Impreza RS's. Kian knew about the Impreza thanks to the WRX rally cars in popular video game. To Kian, the Impreza RS was a WRX minus the turbocharged EJ20 engine. After accepting that this was as close as he could come to a WRX, Kian quickly made his decision. He was soon the proud owner of an automatic 2000 Impreza 2.5RS. Yes, we said automatic. That's all that was available and Kian had already settled on accepting the fact that the RS would be 69 horsepower shy of its Japanese evil twin (WRXs in Japan were rated at 237 horsepower). His choice of an automatic was proof that he never intended to upgrade his new Impreza.

The Taste of Boost

When Kian got involved in the Subaru performance community and had the opportunity to check out a few turbocharged RS's, he knew exactly what he was going to do to his new car. It was time to explore the turbocharging option.

Believing that an automatic transmission was going to be a problem with turbocharged horsepower, Kian contemplated selling his Impreza as the 2001 models would be released with five-speed manual transmissions. The first and last upgrade for his 2000 RS would be a For Sale sign as Kian's silver 00' RS was replaced with a blue 01' RS. Shortly after the purchase of his second Subaru, the modifications began.

The primary mission would be to turbocharge the EJ25 engine. To do it right, Kian knew it would take a stand-alone engine management system. However, the engine management system and the turbocharger system were going to cost more than a few dollars. Kian had already lost a good chunk of change from buying and selling the first car after just one year. Kian would work and save as much as he possible could. Attending high school and trying to build his Impreza at the same time was a task to say the least.

However, the engine management system and turbocharger system would eventually be installed and the Subaru would finally taste boost. Boost led to more power and more power was something that Subaru never intended for the RS. As a result, Kian's quest for more power and faster ET's led to numerous drivetrain problems with the factory transmission. Later the engine would also let loose.

While Kian's intent was to build a Subaru that could dominate the streets, the reality was that this was also his daily-driver that needed to get him from point A to point B. The second RS would survive all the way through high-school. Shortly thereafter the RS meet its fate which left it totally destroyed. The untimely demise of his first-built tuner car would mark a serious low point. Kian not only lost his car, but he also came close to losing his desire to ever to build another car.

Impreza Addict

To the applause of the performance community, Subaru finally got serious and released the WRX in 2002. This was enough to snap Kian out of his depression and reignite his desire for Subaru performance. While Kian contemplated the possibility of jumping into a WRX, he didn't feel like being the designated taxi by having a four door.

Kian also had the option to pick up a "New Gen" Impreza but passed in favor of the RS predecessor. The hunt was on for yet another 2.5RS. Kian's third Impreza was then located. This RS was a project already started thanks to a bolt-on turbo kit and a few other bolt-on performance parts. Armed with his second turbocharged RS, Kian was hitting the street once again. Loving his new Subaru but wanting more out of the set-up, the car was soon due for a total revamping. Kian and his Subaru-performance friends could be found at the midnight street drags way too often. After several encounters with the law, Kian and his friends drifted away from the street racing scene while getting serious about streetable performance.

For more on Kian's impressive Impreza STi grab a copy of DSport Magazine on newstands and tuning shops nationwide.