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| Magazine Features - Subaru Impreza STi5 RA V-limited |
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Two car-crazy lads, plus one
Japanese performance import
specialst, plus tons of trick toys
equals one Impreza STi5 Type RA
V-limited demo car with
a 500bhp potential.
Featured in Japanese Performance Magazine.
(February 2005 - Issue 49) |
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| Magazine Feature | Vehicle Specifcation |
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 Meet two Pauls – Mr Greenhalgh and Mr Westwell – the proud twenty-something owners of Japanese car import company Auto Import Specialists (AIS). Like so many people in this industry, these Lancashire lads are car-mad enthusiasts first and businessmen second. They’ve taken their passion and hobby and carved a career from their enthusiasm for mad modified motors.
It’s been a success, too. Now in their fifth year of business together, and with over a decade of friendship (and car modification projects) behind them, the two Pauls are currently enjoying sales success, thanks to the ever-swelling ranks of people who are into Japanese performance cars. Indeed, the scene has never been so popular, with a record number of JDM cars being imported, despite the Government making life difficult for importers due to the new, stiffer SVA rules.
And, thanks to the success of their Horwich-based business, the two Pauls have recently been able to pour back some of their hard-earned profit into the business to fuel their own private passion: their AIS company demo car – this rare (No 432/1000) Impreza WRX STi5 RA V-limited.
The two Jap-mad lads have always been closely associated with Scoobies – arguably their favourite JDM import, and the marque they’ve sold the most of over the years.
To start with, they began selling imported cars off the street, via the local papers. Now, half a decade on, they have a huge industrial unit selling all manner of modified Japanese performance cars – most of which come loaded with trick toys and mental mods (and all of which can be backed by an RAC warranty, with finance deals also available) – and all are under £10,000. There’s everything on offer – from early Evos, to S14 200SXs, R33 Skylines, GTOs, FTOs, GTi-Rs, STis, 4x4s – and most of them have goodies galore. |
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‘We try to buy cars with interesting modifications already on them. That way you get a lot more car for your money, as you can rarely recoup your outlay making those sort of modifications over here. It seems to be the most cost-effective method to purchase an already modified car, rather than buying standard and then upgrading later,’ says Paul G.
‘I trail the auction sites, looking for cars that suit specific orders, or just go for the stuff that catches my eye,’ adds Paul W. ‘Usually, one of us goes out there to attend the auctions, or we get one of our team members in Japan to check out the car before we buy it, ship it over, SVA and MoT it and then prepare it for sale.’
As for their Impreza STi demo car, the lads knew they wanted something a bit different – and the result is this rare (one of 1000) classic Sonic Blue Scooby – a WRC-inspired STi5 RA V-limited. And, true to form for the AIS lads, it didn’t come across from Japan as anything like standard. The changes were largely cosmetic – including the front and rear diffusers (which are of unknown origin, but really transform the looks of this STi) and other Zero Sports bodywork bolt-ons. These include the carbon bonnet, open-mouthed front grille and fat, flared side skirts, which complement the lines of the diffusers perfectly. Under the bonnet, however, all was pretty much standard 280bhp STi – but not for long. |
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