20/08/2008 10:33.  2008 - Fifteen years ago earlier this month, the late Colin McRae and co-driver Derek Ringer achieved a world first for Subaru on the Rally of New Zealand

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The pair in what was the final outing for a works Legacy RS, won the World Championship event held from August 5-8.

After a tense battle over the four days the somewhat battered Legacy, the fore runner to the now long line of successful Impreza rally cars, finished 27 seconds in front of Francois Delecour with Didier Auriol another two seconds back in third.

Since then Subaru has won 47 WRC events and taken three drivers championships - McRae in 1995, Richard Burns 2001 and Petter Solberg in 2003. The team also won the manufacturer's title in 1996 and 1997.

But The Rally of New Zealand 15 years ago was a turning point... // All About Hawke's Bay