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As for the SVX, it was the most potent vehicle the company had ever made - so powerful that Subaru didn’t have a manual transmission strong enough to pair with the engine, HotCars reports. By the early ’90s, horsepower was rising, but the Ford Mustang GT harnessed only 225 hp, and the L98-powered Chevy Corvette made 240 hp. Though 230 hp doesn’t seem like much today, when turbocharged four-cylinder engines half the size of the SVX’s displacement produce more than that figure, it was impressive in its time. In reality, the experience was closer to the Porsche 928 and SVX competitors like the Lexus SC and Acura Legend. But it’s not exactly Porsche-like, which is what you’d expect from a flat-six engine. Performance was decent, with a 0-to-60-mph time of just over seven seconds and a top speed of 143 mph. The SVX was built around Subaru’s AWD and a new 3.3-liter flat-six-cylinder engine producing 230 hp. Congrats to all involved /euwHvjqv6a- Jalopnik November 27, 2018 Manual-swapped 1994 Subaru SVX named 2018 Jalopnik Car of the Year. Depending on your point of view, the styling has either aged well - akin to a four-passenger DeLorean or Lotus - or remains strange. The idea of a luxury coupe from Subaru is still hard to comprehend, but the total package works surprisingly well. The passage of time and the popularity of Radwood, JDM, and ’90s cars have thrust the SVX back into the public consciousness. The SVX’s demise can be attributed to styling, which consumers never fully embraced, and the almost-$30,000 price tag, more than double the sticker on the 1994 Subaru Loyale.įor decades, the Subaru SVX seemed nearly forgotten, but it has recently seen a resurgence. Roughly 14,000 SVXs were sold from 1992 to 1997, including some front-wheel-drive models that cost $5,300 less than the AWD versions. Subaru hoped to sell 20,000 units annually but achieved only about half that number during the car’s five-year production run. Unveiled at the 1989 Tokyo Auto Show, the SVX caused a sensation. It also packed a 3.3-liter flat-six-cylinder engine harnessing 230 hp. The glass roof resembled an F-16 Viper’s canopy, and the interior appeared inspired by a private jet’s flight deck. It flaunted styling by famed Italian designer Giorgetto Giugiaro, who worked at Bertone and founded ItalDesign. The SVX looked like a game changer from Subaru. A brief history of the Subaru SVX Subaru SVX | Subaru of America, Inc. But this quirky coupe offered plenty of intriguing features. Every SVX rolled off the production line with an automatic gearbox. One common question about the now-defunct car is, “Does the Subaru SVX have a manual transmission?” The answer is no. It also included leather trim and other premium features to take on luxury coupes like the Lexus SC, Acura Legend, and BMW 3 Series. It combined Subaru’s signature features - notably, AWD and a boxer-style engine - with styling from one of the pre-eminent 20th-century Italian masters. To shed its image as a maker of unconventional all-wheel-drive wagons and hatchbacks, the company built a luxury grand tourer. The SVX was Subaru’s ambitious project to go upmarket.
