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Comments
Neon SRT-4 owner are going to the dyno and finding 230 *net* horsepower at the wheels. It's supposed to be making 215hp gross!
-juice
Can you say "sleeper"?
see last page of the same article.
Seriously, though, their Passat 1.8T went from 8 seconds or so to 6.9 seconds in 0-60 with a chip alone. In fact, the place that does it is right here in Fairfax, VA! $400.
I think you get diminishing returns, but a Forester might break into the 4s with a chip.
-juice
Ken
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
-juice
* There's a new color: Champaign Gold, which looks more like silver than gold. In any case, it's a nice looking color.
* In addition to the silver badging, the Outbacks have slightly different wheels.
* LL Bean model now has a "Bean Badge" on the rear hatch (but now AWD badge!? on rear hatch). It's the same one found on the front fenders.
* Besides the Bean, I saw: VDC sedan, H-6 sedan, a bunch of Outback Limited & several Outback wagons, as well as a 35th... Legacy sedan.
Bob
-juice
Hmmm.
Ken
sweet_subie, I may have to do that.
..Mike
..Mike
They estimate Baja turbo prices at $26,500, that would kill it right then and there. Baja sales are still slow and that would put them out of reach of many buyers, so it wouldn't help much.
I spoke to my salesman buddy yesterday, and he said dealers would not get turbos until regular Bajas sold, and they were having a heck of a time getting them sold, even with incentives. He went as far as saying that he wasn't sure they'd even GET a Baja turbo.
-juice
http://www.subaru.co.nz/
Bob
-Brian
-juice
-mike
Peak torque at 2500 rpms! Holy neck sprain , Batman!
Ive heard that skiing in August is pretty trendy in New Zealand. Now I have a great excuse to go....although I suspect the Subaru dealer in Aukland might suspect Im not a serious buyer when I show up wanting a test drive. Plus, I'd have to learn to ski, first. The fake cast on the fake broken leg is cool at the apre`ski lodge, but not on the test drive.
Im already rationalizing that since they wont be able to get that sexy thang past EPA emissions tests, the 2.5 turbo for us will be a much tamer animal. Tell me Im right guys...I need something to cling to !
Mark
-Dave
LOL!
I drive my wife crazy some times. We'll be on vacation in San Fran, and she'll say "look, it's Coit Tower", and I'll say, "yeah, right next to that Ferrari Modena".
When you're a car nut, you never stop thinking about them. Even on vacation, in another country.
-juice
While the 7 passenger Soob would be my ultimate Soob, I'm sure it'll be priced well into Pacifica territory here in Canada which means mid 40's before taxes and well over 50 including taxes etc.
I'd be even more interested in an Impreza-based tall wagon or mini-minivan (like the Honda Stream, Mitsubishi Grandis, Toyota Wish, VW Touran etc) which would combine the Forester's off-road ruggedness in, say, a 6 passenger format.
Yeah, I know, they have the rebadged Zafira...the Traviq.....all I would keep from that is the Flex-7 seating but I'd want a Subaru drivetrain and some more imaginative styling...an "Outbacked" mini-minivan, if you will.
SUVs just sell better, and bring more profit.
-juice
Ed
I'm not sure if an Outbacked van is enough, look at the failed Mazda MPV AllSport, or whatever it was called.
As successful as the Outback is, Ford sells 10 times as many Explorers (something like that).
Give us a Grand Forester Plus. Make it a lot longer, though, maybe 12" longer wheelbase, longer than the Legacy even. Put in that 3rd row. Give it a two-box design, no minivan-like angled front.
Then make the 247hp H6 standard. Then offer a Sport package with a low range and real skid plates, plus 10" of clearance (8" on the standard model). 16" rims to keep prices reasonable, $29.9k MSRP for that model, $1k leather and moonroof a la carte options.
I can't wait.
-juice
BTW, that Nissan I mentioned is alot more SUV-like than van-like, if this illustration is any indication:
http://www.autoweek.nl/newsdisp.php?cache=no&ID=1703
But if they tone it down, it could look good. I see hints of Murano and Titan in it.
-juice
It also mentions a 3.7L boxer. If you add two cylinders to the 2.5L H4, you end up with a 3.7L H6.
http://sydney.citysearch.com.au/profile?id=29497
It sounds like it will be built in Indiana, which is no surprise since Isuzu will soon be leaving there. There may also be a RHD model for Australia.
Bob
I also saw a white LL Bean with very light gold cladding. Just as the Black/Charcoal Gray almost looks monochromatic, so did this white/light gold. '04 white H4 Outbacks still have the darker gold cladding, BTW.
Bob
http://www.cars101.com/subaru/outback/outback2004.html#new
'04 Outback pixs with the new colors I mentioned in the above post!
http://www.cars101.com/subaru/outback/outback2004photos.html
Bob
..Mike
http://www.usatoday.com/money/autos/reviews/healey/2003-07-24-for- - ester_x.htm
Other than that it's the level of superficial coverage I've come to expect from USAToday. If it can't be summed up in a neat little factoid or pie chart to be discussed at the breakfast nook in the Holiday Inn Express, it doesn't go in that paper. I'd hope anyone who's seriously car shopping gets their opinions from multiple sources. Even CR and Motor Trend are more useful.
Sorry to be so blunt.
Ed
• All H-4 Outbacks have the wheel identified as the "Limited" wheel on the Joe Spitz site.
• LL Beans have a different wheel, as indicated in the photo.
• Finally, it looks like the VDC has yet another different wheel (6 spokes), as indicated by the VDC sedan photo.
Seems like a lot of (new) wheel options for a model in it's last year, and a short model year at that...
Bob
Ed
Ed, as to the wheels, could be?? Although I don't recall seeing these wheels before. They look "new" to me; I could be wrong on that though...
Bob
The only difference between an '03 base OBW and '04 base OBW is a slightly different shade of plood, chrome vs. gold badging and black letter vs. white letter rear splash guards.
For some reason, the new chrome badging (instead of gold) seems out of place on the OB. It seems to clash with the titanium cladding and bumpers. I guess it's something one has to get used to after 8 years of gold badged Outbacks.
Also both of the '04 OB wagons (base H4 & base H6) had Titanium cladding/bumpers, not the Warm Gray Opal as spec'd on Joe's webpage.
DaveM
3.7l eh? I'd be fine with a 3.0l if it got the rumored 247hp. Well beyond 200kw, someone translate?
2004 updates include new fake wood. But the plood does look less fake, LOL. The base H6 gets a name (35th). I think that LL Bean is just right, that's as good as this generation Outback will get - no two-tone wheels, black/gray, I like it.
I do not like the new VDC rims. They really are putting the emphasis on the LL Bean model.
USAT Review: I'm sure he drove an auto. Drive a 5 speed and decide for yourself. 0-30 is quicker than a Ferrari Enzo, is that too much lag for you? :-)
-juice
Ross
You don't need that kind of power in a 7 seater family vehicle. Watch, it'll require premium fuel and get 17mpg city.
I'd be quite happy if they could get the H6 to run on regular, even if it kept the 212hp it has now.
Just give me a 5 speed auto and/or Sport Shift.
-juice
Isn't sub-20mpg inevitable with a heavier 7-pax vechicle? Even using the existing H6 3.0l I doubt it'd make 20mpg city, though that'd be nice. Fuel efficiency is a good thing and FHI has great engineers but it seems AWD drags down the city numbers.
..Mike
..Mike
That kind of power may be overkill for a family hauler without sporting intentions. It'll cost more to buy and operate.
They'll probably register it as a truck to circumvent any CAFE concerns.
Bottom line? I hope they target the Pilot/Highlander instead of the MDX/RX330. It's more in my price range, costs less, and might run on regular fuel.
I'm sure I'm wrong, they'll go whole-hog after the MDX, watch.
-juice
Bob
It's funny, the XT comes out with dreamy performance and people complain that it's too fast and could be geared taller and tuned to run on regular fuel.
All I know is that my wife and I are pretty set on a larger vehicle, and we're both hoping that new SUW fits the bill. But if Subaru puts out a $38k MDX clone, I'll be shopping for a 2005 Legacy wagon instead.
-juice
Bob