Set For Life

Tom Lacey’s fallen in and out of love with his beloved Impreza more times than he dares to remember. But having recently transformed it into one of the best show cars of its kind, he’s in it for the long haul from here on out…

- Tom Willcox

After spending just a couple of minutes with Ireland-based Tom Lacey, it soon becomes apparent that this is one car nut who doesn’t have any time to sit still. Owner of multiple local businesses (including a successful car valeting company, a Tarmac firm and also dabbling in the music industry), he reveals that this absolutely incredible blob-eye Impreza show stopper is in fact no less than the fourteenth Subaru he’s owned since passing his test.

‘I’ve actually sold and bought-back this car four times, too,’ he casually drops the next twist in the plot to us, citing its relatively rare WRX STI V- Limited spec as the reason he receives endless silly offers to take the car off his hands –some of which have been just too good to refuse. Ultimately, though, the withdrawal symptoms have proven too much to bear, meaning this revered JDM beast always ends up back in its rightful hands before too long. And with the way it looks and drives now, we don’t think it’s about to go anywhere fast this time around.

You probably won’t see a Scooby as comprehensively modified as this one every day, but a quick look into Tom’s car modifying history reveals a build on this level was actually written in the stars some time ago. ‘Every car I have owned and own now has been modified,’ he states matter-of factly, stressing that tinkering with his motors has simply been a way of life since before he can remember. Because as well as those other 13 Subarus we mentioned earlier, his name’s also been on the log books for machines like classic Ford Escorts, E30 BMWs, and the vehicle with Ireland’s loudest sound system back in the day – his old Citroen Berlingo van.