Overview of the Subaru Impreza WRX STI GDB
This 2004 Subaru Impreza WRX STI, chassis GH-GDB, is a heavily modified four door hardtop offered at USS Nagoya & Hokuriku as lot 50300. It carries a 2,000 cc turbocharged engine, a six speed manual gearbox and four wheel drive, and the sheet records 93,515 km, approximately 58,108 miles. It scored auction grade 4 with interior grade B. First registration was May 2004 (Heisei 16), and the sheet records shaken valid until 18 August 2027.
The car is not standard. The inspector lists an aftermarket aero kit, alloy wheels, steering wheel, suspension, silencer, additional gauges, air cleaner, door mirrors, strut bar and rear spoiler, plus an aftermarket bonnet and boot lid. In the photographs it is a deep blue with a black bonnet and roof, black wheels with gold calipers and a large Voltex rear wing. This is a Subaru Impreza WRX STI for a buyer who wants a built Japanese car rather than a showroom original.
The Drive Review
The GDB STI is the Impreza at its most focused. The turbocharged flat four makes the familiar off beat boxer rumble, with a strong mid range surge and a keen top end that rewards a wound up engine. The six speed manual has a short, mechanical shift, and the STI's driver controlled centre differential lets you adjust how the car shares power between the axles.
The steering is quick and talkative, the chassis is stiff for its era, and the four wheel drive system pulls the car out of corners with real conviction on wet or dry roads. Compared with a modern performance saloon it is lighter on electronic help and louder inside, and it asks for more involvement. Those traits are exactly why enthusiasts still want one.
This example adds aftermarket suspension, an aftermarket silencer and an aftermarket air cleaner. Those parts will change the character from stock, so the real feel can only be judged in person. Nothing on the sheet tells us the state of tune, the suspension brand or how the engine has been set up.
Auction Details
The car is lot 50300 at USS Nagoya & Hokuriku, listed in the Prime Corner section, with an auction date in Japan of 16 October 2026. The auction start price is ¥680,000. Our guide bidding range is £5,500 to £6,500. That is an estimated range based on the car and the market, not a guaranteed purchase price, and we cannot say the car will sell within it. For the live minimum bid and landed cost, see the price panel on this page.
All bids must be submitted before 9PM UK time the evening before auction.
Vehicle Specifications
Manufacturer: Subaru. Model: Impreza WRX, grade WRX STi. Chassis code GH-GDB, frame number GDB-027667. Body: four door hardtop, five seats. Engine: 2,000 cc, petrol. Transmission: six speed floor manual. Drive: four wheel drive. First registration: May 2004. Odometer: 93,515 km (about 58,108 miles). Exterior: original colour blue, changed to the actual car colour, with the roof a different colour. The colour code box on the sheet is blank. Interior colour is not stated on the sheet; the photographs show black with blue seat trim. Registration plate Okazaki 300 hi 8323. Recycling deposit ¥13,090. Sheet dimensions are length 441 cm, width 174 cm and height 141 cm.
Factory Features and Equipment
The sheet marks power steering and power windows, and automatic air conditioning is shown. The photographs show a sports cluster with red illumination and a blue surround, blue and black seat trim, and a Subaru STI badge on the boot lid. There is no audio unit in the dash, as the inspector notes a hole where it should be. A spare key, owner manuals and a service book are not confirmed. The sheet records that the new car service and warranty book is absent and that the security remote and manual are to follow at a later date. Whether the spare wheel is present could not be read from the diagram.
Japanese Auction Report Translation
This translation was produced and checked by Autoselecta. Sales points: bought directly from a private owner, aftermarket aero body kit, aftermarket alloy wheels, aftermarket steering wheel, aftermarket suspension, aftermarket silencer.
Points to note: modified, please check the actual car; colour changed car; security system remote and manual to come at a later date.
Inspector's report: no audio unit, hole in the dash; aftermarket additional gauges and aftermarket air cleaner; aftermarket door mirrors, bonnet and boot lid; aftermarket strut bar and rear spoiler; cabin partly dirty and scratched; wheel scratches; exterior paint uneven; small scratches and small dents; roof a different colour.
The sheet gives no comment on engine noise, gearbox operation, oil or coolant leaks, warning lights or underbody rust. Those items are not confirmed either way. The service book is recorded as none.
Damage Diagram and Body Condition
The front bumper carries an A mark, a scrape. The bonnet is marked XX, a replaced panel, consistent with the aftermarket vented bonnet in the photographs. The windscreen shows stone chips. On the right side the front door has a U2, a medium dent, though the leader line is not entirely clear. A further scrape mark sits around the right door line, and the exact panel could not be read with confidence. On the left side the rear door has a U1, a small dent, again with the panel not certain. The boot lid is also marked XX, a replaced panel, matching the aftermarket boot lid and wing.
The inspector adds uneven exterior paint, small scratches and dents, and wheel scratches. With the respray from original blue and the roof in a different colour, this is usable enthusiast condition, with a cosmetic finish that is tidy in the photographs but not original. The sheet is not clear on the paint quality, so inspect the photographs closely.
Interior Condition
Interior grade B reflects a cabin that is partly dirty and scratched according to the inspector. The photographs show black dashboard covering, blue and black seats, a Momo steering wheel, a blue gear knob, aluminium chequer plate floor mats and drilled pedals. Additional gauges sit at the top of the dash. The odometer is visible in the cluster and reads in line with the sheet.
Japanese Auction Grades
Grade 4 on the main scale suggests a car in good condition for its age with some wear, and interior B means average with visible marks. Both are independent opinions, and the modifications and respray should be read alongside the numbers.
Model History
The GDB generation arrived in 2000 and brought the 2.0 litre turbocharged EJ207 flat four, four wheel drive and a six speed gearbox to the STI. This car is the facelifted version, often called blobeye, which refined the styling and chassis before the later hawkeye. The STI's rally lineage with Subaru World Rally Team gave the model its reputation. Domestic market cars like this one were built to Japanese specification.
Why This Model Has Become Collectible
The GDB STI is a rally bred, manual only, four wheel drive turbo saloon with a loyal global following. Clean, unmodified cars are the ones now sought after, and Japan remains the main source. Modified cars like this one attract a different buyer, someone who wants a ready built example rather than a project. We cannot guarantee future values and this should not be treated as an investment.
What To Look For When Buying This Model
On any tuned EJ207, check the engine for signs of detonation, oil consumption and head gasket weeping, because poor tuning can damage the pistons. Ask when the timing belt, water pump and clutch were last serviced, as the sheet confirms no service book. Check the driveline for noisy bearings and the gearbox for crunching, and look for corrosion around the rear arches and sills, which are known rust areas on this generation.
On this car, ask about the aftermarket suspension, silencer and air cleaner, and any engine management that goes with them. Look at the bonnet and boot lid panels, the roof paint, the dents on both sides and the stone chips in the windscreen. Check that the new gauges work and that the audio gap suits your plans.
Why Import This Car From Japan
Japanese auctions give access to cars that are inspected and graded in writing, often with lower mileage and better care than similar cars elsewhere. A built STI like this one is hard to find locally in this condition.
Ultimate Guide For Japanese Imports
Check your own country's import rules, emissions and registration requirements before you bid. Autoselecta can explain the process step by step, from bidding to arrival.
Why Import Through Autoselecta
Autoselecta gives you direct access to Japanese auctions, auction sheet translation and transparency, vehicle sourcing, bidding assistance, export handling, shipping, vehicle tracking where available, and import support in your own country, with clear communication throughout.
Browse This Week's Japanese Auctions
Browse this week's Japanese auction listings on Autoselecta to compare other WRX STI cars and similar performance models before you decide.
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Use our live auction search to find cars by model, grade, mileage or auction house, and ask the team if you want help with a specific lot.
Auction Caution
Auction cars are inspected before sale but are still used vehicles. The auction sheet is an independent condition guide, not a mechanical warranty. Older performance cars may need servicing, maintenance or refurbishment after purchase. For this car, remember the respray and different roof colour, the replaced bonnet and boot lid, the dents and scrapes, the stone chips, the dirty and scratched cabin, the missing audio unit, the absent service book and the security remote and manual that are not yet with the car.
