Plus, they had all the creature comforts you really need (including easily swapped stereos), without all the extra "safety" features that if you really need, you shouldn't be driving. Simpler = more reliable.
+Mr. White That's the deal breaker? I wanted one until I found out they only came with an automatic. I found one on Craigslist with a swapped 5 speed today and am going to check it out tomorrow. Hence the watching SVX videos haha.
I know. People these days prefer more jacked up cars with a bunch of gizmos that might confuse some people n might not use rather than sporty personal rides like the svx.....not exactly exciting, but some of the suv/xovers these days are nice like urus, pug 3008, chr, hrv n more....
Ya, the BRZ is not as aerodynamic. And especially those much larger, because they have 4-doors instead of 2, STIs with those giant wings on that back...
The front end is kind of saab-like; which is a good thing.. Overall it does look like something citroen would have made; also a good thing. The window within a window design is awesome. I love unique cars and this has to be the coolest Subaru ever 😊
Had a neighbor with a 92. It was strange, expensive and he had a TON of trouble with those windows, especially in the winter time. It also always sounded like a typewriter that needed oiling at idle. But like most Subarus, it's AWD system made it a really gem in the snow, as we lived at the bottom of a hill long known for trapping everybody who didn't have a 4wd truck in their houses. He rarely got stuck. Last time I saw 1, it was booted in Chicago. Apparently someone gave up on trying to keep it going!
One of the greatest of the Japanese bubble cars. If they had pushed the technology (and the price) it could have gotten a better 5-speed automatic transmission. But it is still a classic. The Giugaro design has stood the test of time.
That 4 speed auto sapped a lot of power out of the engine and made the acceleration numbers look pretty pale. A manual would've definitely improved times considerably.
I would never have thought a car designed with 'bubble windows' would look good. But Subaru really pulled it off with the SVX. I remember really liking it back when I was a kid, way back in the early 90s. And Maxi Priest at 6:30!
I bought one when they first came out , Very quiet , reliable and fast . Went over 100,000 miles with just routine maintenance . My first Subaru and for me the best 😊👍🏿
My favorite Car (that I've owned) of all time....Living in an area with winding roads, this Car never let me down and I could take any turn at any speed....Stuck to Road like Glue....and the 3.3 would move! Very Comfortable! I Miss This Car Ever Day! I had the '94 in Laguna Blue Pearl - Beautiful!
These never sold well in the UK, but I had a mate that had one back in the early 90s. Smooth thing it was, effortless highway acceleration, but slow off the line. Used as a grand tourer, it does it's job well. It was never meant to be a 'fast' car, and it handled corners pretty well, though not like my DC2 Type R I had at the time, but of course that Honda was an awful daily driver. Considered somewhat of a dud in the UK, they are a solid used buy for someone that just wants a motorway cruiser for long distance driving. And the engine under the bonnet is gorgeous.
They really shit the bed on describing what the manual button is for. (It's not for 'shifting manually through the gears'). It's to manually put the lowest gear in 2nd instead of 1st for better traction in snow. Maybe they should have read the manual ahahaha
Got a 1996 JDM SVX with S4 trim, right hand drive, driving in Toronto. Sitting in traffic is never lame anymore, people love it, taking pictures, engaging small talk right on the road. Its always a smile, a thumbs up, or a face with mouth wide open. Its a topic for small talk in a very mundane moment, something different, something practical, something interesting yet weird and unusual. No one trying to race me, rarely people pass me, they just match the speed and stare with a slow breaking out smile. Everyone should enjoy their car this way, positive vibes machine. Sounds very boss too.
I was with Subaru at the time and by 95 I'd heard rumors of twin turbo, 5 speeds in Japan. Would've been an incredible car. They were right though, people in the US had no idea (okay, most people) Subaru made some of the best performance cars in the world in the mid 90's. Much like Corvettes, those that owned SVX's bought another. I loved them, but they were so filled with electronics (much like the Eagle Premiers) that they had most owners in the shop quite often for fixes. Didn't stop them from buying another though. I had an all Red one as a demo. We polished the wheels to look like chrome and it was absolutely stunning. I would loved to have bought it, but customers come first. I still miss it today and I've driven a lot of cars. Last thing; when you were under full throttle the engine sounded like an Indy car or a normally aspirated Porsche at 7000 RPM. What a sweet sound.
They were much quicker then what motorweek shows because they're heavy cars so even though it's an awd car it will lose time off the line due to its weight but when ur street racing 30mph roll this car gets to 90 really quick. U owner 92 and like u said u drove many many cars since and nothing compares to svx. It felt so stable, it hugs to road and it handled so well. Cornering speeds were incredible. Too bad the automatic tranny couldn't handle all the torque and it eventually broke.. they said that differential was overheating causing the transmission to break.. I think Subaru should make another SVX. Lexury GT Coupe. It could compete vs infinity and Lexus. But I doubt Subaru will ever do that.
+Jasko CR The sporty Japanese coupe market segment really died with the rise of the SUV. Infinity and Lexus manage to move some luxury/performance coupes, but they do it partly on brand association and prestige. If Subaru made another SVX, it would likely be an incredible machine no one buys. Most people with $50k+ to spend on a car want the neighbors (who know nothing about cars) to recognize their status, hard to do that with a Subaru.
354 differential does cause the failure of the transmission, but is the reason why the car is so fast and responsive. You can put 444 gears out of an Outback, straight fit bolts on, but the car is completely different. Reliable but slow.
True but i think witb today's technology and the way manufacturers are able to squeeze 300+ hp from 4 cylinder engine, Subaru would easly get close to 400hp from 6 cylinder engine plus it maybe a hybrid because remember SVX was ahead of its time. New SVX would most likely be the GT car thats very affordible and SVX would defenitley bring something new to the table. The market for GT cruiser is so wide open that I dont think SVX would have to target a specific group of buyers but to enthusiasts SVX would be a great choice because Subaru has what it takes to make a come back with SVX. btw this is jasko with my brothers google account.
Tim Hammett yeah my 2001 Legacy GT-B is a twin turbo. Not a perfect system, but I haven’t had to repair anything related to it in the 40,000KMs I’ve driven it up to 165K. They made so many of them in Japan it’s a really good deal of an import, got mine for $5500 Canadian fully landed and registered.
The what is it questions are actually a Plus! I loved when I had one of these... People wondered what the hell is that. My Soobie. I loved that car to bits. Unfortunately crashed it to bits as well.
Subaru actually had one sexy ass looking car back then, they make nothing but dull boxes today (with a rare exception of the STI). I mean its not that hard to make a decent looking car but they make some ugly turds year after year. I think their sales would go up if they just make sexier looking cars that were more eye appealing! Damn the 90's were good for cars!
I’m looking at buying a 97 model that just recently got manual swapped, I wanted to find a video like this I’m glad MotorWeek still has it! Thank you John Davis!
He's actually owned by GM and they give him a mid-cycle facelift every 3.5 years whilst keeping the basic chassis and internal components the same for decades.. Keeps sales up and minimises costs, see.
GM is able to keep his looks fresh while simultaneously giving him a smooth ride. Despite his sluggish speed, he's able to perform quite nicely from 0-60 and maintain a 25 highway mpg. His clothes are not very stylish and remain something to be desired. But if you're looking for something cheap yet practical, he's your best bet.
Does he? He has less hair today and the hair he does have is short and gray. The diplomatic way of saying it is "more distinguished." Whatever...John has been doing MW for coming on four decades. He's a legend. These old videos, which remind me of my childhood and youth, are treasures.
I Tried to buy one of these off the lot when they came out,..The dealership couldn't get my loan approved,..I left went straight to the Nissan Dealership and rolled out with a brand new 300ZX. Still wish I could have owned one of these,..you sure don't seen them on the road anymore
+ROCKO633 I own a 1992 SVX LSL. Let me tell you it is absolutely awesome (once you get past the transmission replacement/upgrade. lol) Mine as 89k miles and its just a dream. There's definitely some for sale but you just gotta find em.
Will M. 240sx Are awesome cars Ive owned 3 I had a 90 and 2 93`s,..In the curves it was faster than my 300. Ive been sick ever since I`ve been sick ever since I traded mine in
skirmich Really? Because companies like Nissan and Subaru put "manual shifting" on CVTs. C. V. T. As in the gearless transmission. "Manual shifting" is still a gimmick today.
Damn this car right here was the pinnacle of Subaru.... If this thing had a Twin Turbo Setup? MY GOD! it is basically timeless and a collectible for sure.. Fuck the new Subarus this is the Subaru to own...
+Kalin Russ I've never of heard of him. Now I'm a fan. I found the song in the SVX; it's "Close to You". I'm going to look at an SVX tomorrow. If I buy it Maxi Priest - Close to You is the first song that comes out of the CD player. I still have a cd burner haha.
@@cordiasr7021 No Sportscar should come with automatic. Manual would not only make it over second and a half faster but also lighter and more fun in general. 6.5-7s to 100km/h would be more than respectable, add a turbo on top and it would be up there with everyone else with sub 6 maybe even sub 5 seconds times. Subaru just does the darnest things with their cars always being a hair from perfection and messing it up spectacularily by just not doing 1 simple thing that would make the car much better. Like later with Levorg whivh was pretty much a wagon WRX, but they didnt sell it in the us and never offered a manual option even tho its same exact chassis as WRX and STi from the same period. Its just peak shortsightedness or laziness. All it would take is to take the forklift from one end of the factory with manual transmission and wrx ECU and get it over to Levorg line and wrote and tiny update in the canbus system and voila, it could be sold world wide as a performancy wagon, but no...
I remember making my Dad go test drive one of these when they first came out just so I could ride in it! 😁 I remember it handled really well, he took the exit ramp at around 65mph!
If they would have put a pair of turbos on that flat six making at least 300hp if not closer to 350hp and offered a manual transmission, these suckers would be legendary.
Turbo setup was in development, but would have cost too much to produce. They were already selling them for less than the cost of building them. A full turbo conversion is being developed currently and is expected to boost power to 350hp and cost ~$2,800 without heavy modification to the body or crash structure. Supposedly, at the time it was produced, Subaru didn't have a manual gearbox that could reliably hold the power and torque put out by the 3.3, then the most powerful engine they had put into production, and as a luxury touring model aimed at the U.S. they felt it unnecessary to develop one at the time. I have a WRX 5-speed going into my '92 this summer to remedy the latter issue. Not sure I really want more power out of it, there's something to be said of being able to use more of a car's maximum potential on a regular basis rather than having to bottle most of it up most of the time. That said, the automatic is a lazy pig of a slushbox, and swapping it out by itself will be saving a respectable amount of weight.
Keep an eye on local Craigslist postings. They usually show up for less than $1,000. They'll usually need a lot of work. Transmission problems were common for the SVX, most people just swap them with Forester/Outback transmissions. Keep in mind, it won't be cheap. If you're serious about buying one, check out the Regular Car Reviews two part episode about the SVX and you'll see a good number of reasons to (and not to) own one.
I love this car especially in two-tone pearlescent white and black, they had reliability problems though. The transmission would fail, it's the same one in the Mitsubishi 3000GT, it would overheat. Other problems include rack and pinion steering going bad and other things. The design of this car is one of my favorites of all time.
I have seen one… had no idea what it was… weird they had the same questions 20 years ago. Lovely vehicle… looks amazing … wish it had a manual transmission
In '91 I narrowed my choices for a new car down to 2.....the SVX.....and the Taurus SHO. The Ford's ease of service and an incredible dealer discount ruled out the SVX. I still admire the Subaru's unusual design.
Only people who own one of these know how good they are. I owned many cars since and non of them was as stable and had as good of a road holding and handling as SVX. Build quality felt excellent. Transmission was its weak point but if u didnt abuse it, it could do 200K miles. The problem is, the power felt so good with AWD and people abused the heck out of it and when tranny blew up, of course it was cars fault because people rarely ever take the blame. But overall SVX was exellent car from my personal experience
I had one for a few years. A 92. Absolute attention grabber! Turned me into an instant Dicaprio! Excellent performance, comfort and ergonomics. Only the weak transmission made me get rid of mine. I'd have another now in instant
I owned one. Bought it new. Fully loaded. They were correct. First question was always either "what is that" or "That is a Subaru?" It had a top end of 167 mph and I was able to out run most of the V8's at the time. Still a great car even today, but be aware of the leaking rear main seal and subsequent issues with the Trans as you have to replace the entire unit if it goes bad.
I had a Pearl White 91' and loved it till last year when it left us. Fun Fact: the body was designed by the same people who did the DMC-12 (DeLorean). If you had the All Wheel drive version, it was cursed by the 4EAT transmission used in it from the Nissan Pathfinder. It cost me $3200 every time it went out.
Nissan was gluing glass to steel at least as early as '89, on the S13 240SX. There was one bolt to locate the super-thin rear triangle windows on the fastback, and the rest was adhesive. Makes it really hard to get spares from a yard.
We had one in the 90s, Svx we not into the JGT as the 3000gt vr4 or the 300zx, They r into their own category. Agility n cruising comfortably with style (especially in tight Japanese or Asian roads) rather than attack the lap time on track. That's why they r unique.
still looks pretty nice probably a blast to drive, it looks comfy with decent performance, a limited turbo manual version would of helped sales across the board, as it would have done better in the comparisons as there was stiff competition in the performance car market and pre-internet it was all about the magazines and TV specials like this one. the 90 mph in the 1/4 tells me it probably accelerates well once it up and moving, 154 mph is the listed top speed.
60-0 braking in 98 feet is supercar territory even now
Especially considering the weight of this car....
Yeah, that completely blew me away!
We are not related and I don't like you at all.
155+MPH TOP SPEED TOO! I had mine to 150, still climbing - another one, another one, another one! I just said OK! and let her slow down.
@@jimbefit3073 It tops out at 167. Ask me how I know...lol.
The 1990s were full of really stylish, distinctive, interesting cars.
Plus, they had all the creature comforts you really need (including easily swapped stereos), without all the extra "safety" features that if you really need, you shouldn't be driving. Simpler = more reliable.
Japanese bubble economy and much more lax safety/emission laws will do that.
I wanted one of these until I learned that it lacked a volt meter.
+Mr. White That's the deal breaker? I wanted one until I found out they only came with an automatic. I found one on Craigslist with a swapped 5 speed today and am going to check it out tomorrow. Hence the watching SVX videos haha.
+Folkedahl I think you seriously missed the sarcastic tone.
It’s lacks an oil pressure gauge also. You’re essentially flying blind in this vehicle!
This guy has a thing about the volt meter and oil pressure gauge. I've been on a kick of these and it seems like its dogged him for 35 year or so.
Folkedahl r/whooosh
Still a cool car, even to this day! Way ahead of it's time.
* *its*
I learned that in 4th grade.
I gotta disagree here. The small windows were always a turnoff for me. Killed its styling in my opinion
Subaru should really make a new generation of this SVX!!
Please, I'm begging you!!
I know. People these days prefer more jacked up cars with a bunch of gizmos that might confuse some people n might not use rather than sporty personal rides like the svx.....not exactly exciting, but some of the suv/xovers these days are nice like urus, pug 3008, chr, hrv n more....
They should
Easily one of the coolest cars Subaru ever made.
I find it funny that 91 Subaru svx is a more aerodynamic then their 2016 models
Ya, the BRZ is not as aerodynamic. And especially those much larger, because they have 4-doors instead of 2, STIs with those giant wings on that back...
Well Subaru likes their cars tall for more ground clearance
Yea you would think they would take advantage of that flat six. Its soo low you could build a very low slung aerodynamic car around it.
Pretty sure Subaru isn't alone. I bet the 1983 Audi 100 (C3) with its 0.3 drag coefficient is more aerodynamic than most cars Audi sells today.
Probably because of modern safety regulations.
The front end is kind of saab-like; which is a good thing.. Overall it does look like something citroen would have made; also a good thing. The window within a window design is awesome. I love unique cars and this has to be the coolest Subaru ever 😊
It just shouldve came qith a manual, but than can be fixed with a swap nowadays.
Had a neighbor with a 92. It was strange, expensive and he had a TON of trouble with those windows, especially in the winter time. It also always sounded like a typewriter that needed oiling at idle. But like most Subarus, it's AWD system made it a really gem in the snow, as we lived at the bottom of a hill long known for trapping everybody who didn't have a 4wd truck in their houses. He rarely got stuck. Last time I saw 1, it was booted in Chicago. Apparently someone gave up on trying to keep it going!
One of the greatest of the Japanese bubble cars. If they had pushed the technology (and the price) it could have gotten a better 5-speed automatic transmission. But it is still a classic. The Giugaro design has stood the test of time.
That 4 speed auto sapped a lot of power out of the engine and made the acceleration numbers look pretty pale. A manual would've definitely improved times considerably.
I would never have thought a car designed with 'bubble windows' would look good. But Subaru really pulled it off with the SVX. I remember really liking it back when I was a kid, way back in the early 90s.
And Maxi Priest at 6:30!
I bought one when they first came out , Very quiet , reliable and fast . Went over 100,000 miles with just routine maintenance . My first Subaru and for me the best 😊👍🏿
Designed by none other than Giorgetto Giugiaro.
The SVX looks more like something that Citroën would make rather than Subaru.
Looks like a 3 door Citroen XM lol.
It's a design by Giorgetto Giugiaro.
Yeah I guess he did similar designs for all his models.
It looks kinda 1990's Activa II - Prototype, designed by Dan Abramson.
Neighborhood Car Reviews Its rear end looks like a space-age Alfa 164!! The horizontal taillight bar looks similar to that of the 164!
My favorite Car (that I've owned) of all time....Living in an area with winding roads, this Car never let me down and I could take any turn at any speed....Stuck to Road like Glue....and the 3.3 would move! Very Comfortable! I Miss This Car Ever Day! I had the '94 in Laguna Blue Pearl - Beautiful!
I have a 92 for sale if you want one 8049393090
I remember when I saw this as a little kid, thought it was so cool.
Wow 98 foot 60-0!! That’s way underlooked. That’s a serious figure
These never sold well in the UK, but I had a mate that had one back in the early 90s. Smooth thing it was, effortless highway acceleration, but slow off the line. Used as a grand tourer, it does it's job well. It was never meant to be a 'fast' car, and it handled corners pretty well, though not like my DC2 Type R I had at the time, but of course that Honda was an awful daily driver.
Considered somewhat of a dud in the UK, they are a solid used buy for someone that just wants a motorway cruiser for long distance driving. And the engine under the bonnet is gorgeous.
The DeLorean of the 90s.
Bought a low-mileage SVX out in California 3 months ago. It's a really cool car!
without pics it dont exist
They really shit the bed on describing what the manual button is for. (It's not for 'shifting manually through the gears'). It's to manually put the lowest gear in 2nd instead of 1st for better traction in snow. Maybe they should have read the manual ahahaha
Nice googling
Timeless design and ahead of his time, i hope to someday Subaru make a modern version 😍🤩
i worked for a Subaru dealership when this came out.. very fun to drive
, way ahead of its time , but way too much money at that time for a Subi
A car a little too far ahead of its time
Styling is ahead of its time. I find it sleek when it came out and today.
Got a 1996 JDM SVX with S4 trim, right hand drive, driving in Toronto. Sitting in traffic is never lame anymore, people love it, taking pictures, engaging small talk right on the road. Its always a smile, a thumbs up, or a face with mouth wide open. Its a topic for small talk in a very mundane moment, something different, something practical, something interesting yet weird and unusual. No one trying to race me, rarely people pass me, they just match the speed and stare with a slow breaking out smile. Everyone should enjoy their car this way, positive vibes machine. Sounds very boss too.
I was with Subaru at the time and by 95 I'd heard rumors of twin turbo, 5 speeds in Japan. Would've been an incredible car. They were right though, people in the US had no idea (okay, most people) Subaru made some of the best performance cars in the world in the mid 90's. Much like Corvettes, those that owned SVX's bought another. I loved them, but they were so filled with electronics (much like the Eagle Premiers) that they had most owners in the shop quite often for fixes. Didn't stop them from buying another though. I had an all Red one as a demo. We polished the wheels to look like chrome and it was absolutely stunning. I would loved to have bought it, but customers come first. I still miss it today and I've driven a lot of cars. Last thing; when you were under full throttle the engine sounded like an Indy car or a normally aspirated Porsche at 7000 RPM. What a sweet sound.
They were much quicker then what motorweek shows because they're heavy cars so even though it's an awd car it will lose time off the line due to its weight but when ur street racing 30mph roll this car gets to 90 really quick. U owner 92 and like u said u drove many many cars since and nothing compares to svx. It felt so stable, it hugs to road and it handled so well. Cornering speeds were incredible. Too bad the automatic tranny couldn't handle all the torque and it eventually broke.. they said that differential was overheating causing the transmission to break.. I think Subaru should make another SVX. Lexury GT Coupe. It could compete vs infinity and Lexus. But I doubt Subaru will ever do that.
+Jasko CR The sporty Japanese coupe market segment really died with the rise of the SUV. Infinity and Lexus manage to move some luxury/performance coupes, but they do it partly on brand association and prestige. If Subaru made another SVX, it would likely be an incredible machine no one buys. Most people with $50k+ to spend on a car want the neighbors (who know nothing about cars) to recognize their status, hard to do that with a Subaru.
354 differential does cause the failure of the transmission, but is the reason why the car is so fast and responsive. You can put 444 gears out of an Outback, straight fit bolts on, but the car is completely different. Reliable but slow.
True but i think witb today's technology and the way manufacturers are able to squeeze 300+ hp from 4 cylinder engine, Subaru would easly get close to 400hp from 6 cylinder engine plus it maybe a hybrid because remember SVX was ahead of its time. New SVX would most likely be the GT car thats very affordible and SVX would defenitley bring something new to the table. The market for GT cruiser is so wide open that I dont think SVX would have to target a specific group of buyers but to enthusiasts SVX would be a great choice because Subaru has what it takes to make a come back with SVX. btw this is jasko with my brothers google account.
Tim Hammett yeah my 2001 Legacy GT-B is a twin turbo. Not a perfect system, but I haven’t had to repair anything related to it in the 40,000KMs I’ve driven it up to 165K. They made so many of them in Japan it’s a really good deal of an import, got mine for $5500 Canadian fully landed and registered.
The what is it questions are actually a Plus! I loved when I had one of these... People wondered what the hell is that. My Soobie. I loved that car to bits. Unfortunately crashed it to bits as well.
I have a 92 for sale if you want one 8049393090
@@tieferrlwills2766 I bought one again literally 3 weeks after that comment :P
That happens
Subaru actually had one sexy ass looking car back then, they make nothing but dull boxes today (with a rare exception of the STI). I mean its not that hard to make a decent looking car but they make some ugly turds year after year. I think their sales would go up if they just make sexier looking cars that were more eye appealing! Damn the 90's were good for cars!
I’m looking at buying a 97 model that just recently got manual swapped, I wanted to find a video like this I’m glad MotorWeek still has it! Thank you John Davis!
The SVX's door looked like it has its own door
Does the host ever age at all? He looks the same these days.
He's actually owned by GM and they give him a mid-cycle facelift every 3.5 years whilst keeping the basic chassis and internal components the same for decades.. Keeps sales up and minimises costs, see.
Hmmmm....uhhhh....no, I can't see it.
GM is able to keep his looks fresh while simultaneously giving him a smooth ride. Despite his sluggish speed, he's able to perform quite nicely from 0-60 and maintain a 25 highway mpg. His clothes are not very stylish and remain something to be desired. But if you're looking for something cheap yet practical, he's your best bet.
Does he? He has less hair today and the hair he does have is short and gray. The diplomatic way of saying it is "more distinguished." Whatever...John has been doing MW for coming on four decades. He's a legend. These old videos, which remind me of my childhood and youth, are treasures.
feslerae I read that in his voice. LOL
I Tried to buy one of these off the lot when they came out,..The dealership couldn't get my loan approved,..I left went straight to the Nissan Dealership and rolled out with a brand new 300ZX. Still wish I could have owned one of these,..you sure don't seen them on the road anymore
+ROCKO633 I own a 1992 SVX LSL. Let me tell you it is absolutely awesome (once you get past the transmission replacement/upgrade. lol) Mine as 89k miles and its just a dream. There's definitely some for sale but you just gotta find em.
+Tommy Crowfoot Man that's low miles too,.I was looking at the blue one, which color did you get ?
+ROCKO633 Claret. Its the burgundy color.
I saw one when I was a kid. I had no idea what it was. Your 300z was a good choice. I owned 240sx.
Will M. 240sx Are awesome cars Ive owned 3 I had a 90 and 2 93`s,..In the curves it was faster than my 300. Ive been sick ever since I`ve been sick ever since I traded mine in
Before the WRX, ther was the SVX.....
Lets you change you gears manually with a button, too gimmicky.
LMAO welcome to 2016 friends.
+Furkan Turfanda It is a back and fort rocking switch, to be honest it doesn't even compare to the gate shift or paddle shifters of today.
ikr
***** Thank god I haven't... My life has really gone the way I like to.
skirmich Really? Because companies like Nissan and Subaru put "manual shifting" on CVTs. C. V. T. As in the gearless transmission.
"Manual shifting" is still a gimmick today.
Furkan Turfanda ROCKER SWITCH. Totally 2017.
Styling too far ahead of its time. It failed. Still, I think it is one of the most beautiful cars in recent history.
Failed? It sold for 5 years. I had one.
If the styling was far ahead of its time in 1991 then what do you say about the Citroën XM launched in 1989?
Nothing because we didnt have it in the US..lol..Plus looking at the pics its much uglier than the Sub..Not a fan of Subs tho..
It is plain beautiful. I wish I could have one.
Then you must have a very low overall ranking of beauty
Damn this car right here was the pinnacle of Subaru.... If this thing had a Twin Turbo Setup? MY GOD! it is basically timeless and a collectible for sure.. Fuck the new Subarus this is the Subaru to own...
Yeah -- damn shame they never turbo'd it. That really would've been an amazing thing to behold!
That was great power! Back then compared to lot of other stuff
Oh wow, that exhaust note is nice!
Swap in a 6-speed transmission from a 2004+ WRX STi.
GT6SuzukaTimeTrials A swap is pretty much a necessity. These cars absolutely devour their stock trannys with alarming regularity.
you'll probably get more power out of that motor too
Or if u wanna go loco a 911 turbo motor n tranny (being also a F6 motor)
That's Maxi preist 6:30 ha that was my jam
+Kalin Russ I've never of heard of him. Now I'm a fan. I found the song in the SVX; it's "Close to You". I'm going to look at an SVX tomorrow. If I buy it Maxi Priest - Close to You is the first song that comes out of the CD player. I still have a cd burner haha.
He didn't like Maxi Priest so he changed it to Traveling Wilburys. Lol
I had a 96. Favorite car I ever owned. I shed a tear when I had to get rid of it to get a more "practical" car.
I remember being intrigued by these back in the day.
subaru used to make some quirky and innovative cars like SVX and the XT.
Now they don't
The front end really favors the S14/240SX. The only gripe I have is that its rather slow for a 200+ hp coupe.
jo hn put a old 4 speed slushbox in any sports car of the period and 8 seconds starts looking like a good time
@@cordiasr7021 No Sportscar should come with automatic.
Manual would not only make it over second and a half faster but also lighter and more fun in general.
6.5-7s to 100km/h would be more than respectable, add a turbo on top and it would be up there with everyone else with sub 6 maybe even sub 5 seconds times.
Subaru just does the darnest things with their cars always being a hair from perfection and messing it up spectacularily by just not doing 1 simple thing that would make the car much better. Like later with Levorg whivh was pretty much a wagon WRX, but they didnt sell it in the us and never offered a manual option even tho its same exact chassis as WRX and STi from the same period. Its just peak shortsightedness or laziness.
All it would take is to take the forklift from one end of the factory with manual transmission and wrx ECU and get it over to Levorg line and wrote and tiny update in the canbus system and voila, it could be sold world wide as a performancy wagon, but no...
I had one of these as my first car. Very unique and fun to drive.
This was such an intriguing car to me as a little kid.
I have an SVX that's the same year and color as the one in this video! Hooray for wacky 90's Subaru styling!
"Body roll is minimal" and "little nose dive" Hahahaha
I had one of these. And I loved it. For it's time it was the best car I ever drove then. And i'd still even buy it new now.
This is a nice whip, I drove my cousin's back whenever he still had it. These are pretty hard to find now in great condition.
Loved this car when it came out, and Maxi Priest in the background, the perfect match!
I would prefer a little Judas Priest. >:-)
Love the design, especially the interior.
A really fun game.... spend one whole day using the motorweek host's tone and inflection in everything you say 😊
I always wanted one of these. The windows make the visibility real good.
Thats one of my favorite car of Gran Turismo.
rodo17201 true. I like SVXs n 1 of my maximum tune cars involve an SVX. If a delorean is made in the 90s, this is it. Same designer n split windows.
I remember making my Dad go test drive one of these when they first came out just so I could ride in it! 😁 I remember it handled really well, he took the exit ramp at around 65mph!
Unfortunately I've seen too many in junk yards or in poor condition. Very rare to see an owner to preserve the car nowadays.
I loved this car back in the day!
ahead of its time..but needed a diet and another 50hp.
+Ford RS and a RWD configuration, with the AWD still offered.
Not possible with Subaru's AWD system, engine needs to be in front of front axle, same as Audi's.
If they would have put a pair of turbos on that flat six making at least 300hp if not closer to 350hp and offered a manual transmission, these suckers would be legendary.
Turbo setup was in development, but would have cost too much to produce. They were already selling them for less than the cost of building them. A full turbo conversion is being developed currently and is expected to boost power to 350hp and cost ~$2,800 without heavy modification to the body or crash structure. Supposedly, at the time it was produced, Subaru didn't have a manual gearbox that could reliably hold the power and torque put out by the 3.3, then the most powerful engine they had put into production, and as a luxury touring model aimed at the U.S. they felt it unnecessary to develop one at the time.
I have a WRX 5-speed going into my '92 this summer to remedy the latter issue. Not sure I really want more power out of it, there's something to be said of being able to use more of a car's maximum potential on a regular basis rather than having to bottle most of it up most of the time. That said, the automatic is a lazy pig of a slushbox, and swapping it out by itself will be saving a respectable amount of weight.
If u wanna go loco, try swap a porsche 911 turbo motor n tranny.
I can stare at that side profile all day.
Me too... This car is simply gorgeous
one of the best looking cars of its time and well beyond. This is a classic. want one.
Keep an eye on local Craigslist postings. They usually show up for less than $1,000. They'll usually need a lot of work. Transmission problems were common for the SVX, most people just swap them with Forester/Outback transmissions. Keep in mind, it won't be cheap. If you're serious about buying one, check out the Regular Car Reviews two part episode about the SVX and you'll see a good number of reasons to (and not to) own one.
I remember an old neighbor of mine used to own this kind of car up until a couple years ago.
Love it , wish I was old enough to buy one when they were new.
Too bad they never put a 5 speed in these!
You can easily manual swap them with subaru legacy transmission
I love this car especially in two-tone pearlescent white and black, they had reliability problems though. The transmission would fail, it's the same one in the Mitsubishi 3000GT, it would overheat. Other problems include rack and pinion steering going bad and other things. The design of this car is one of my favorites of all time.
My uncle had one of these back in the day. Neat car!
Good luck finding parts !
I haven’t seen one of these in years I always like them
I have seen one… had no idea what it was… weird they had the same questions 20 years ago.
Lovely vehicle… looks amazing … wish it had a manual transmission
In '91 I narrowed my choices for a new car down to 2.....the SVX.....and the Taurus SHO. The Ford's ease of service and an incredible dealer discount ruled out the SVX. I still admire the Subaru's unusual design.
CRAZY. When they were showing the stereo a song came on that I was listening to today for the first timei n 15 years . Call the news .
I had one I loved id ,should never have sold it
Some loved it , others hated it´s looks.
As a Subaru enthusiast, I really hope to own one of these cars some day. Love the 90's Italian styling.
Gotta love the bass boosted motorweek theme
I have one..... since 1995. This Subaru is a trully Great car.
Only people who own one of these know how good they are. I owned many cars since and non of them was as stable and had as good of a road holding and handling as SVX. Build quality felt excellent. Transmission was its weak point but if u didnt abuse it, it could do 200K miles. The problem is, the power felt so good with AWD and people abused the heck out of it and when tranny blew up, of course it was cars fault because people rarely ever take the blame. But overall SVX was exellent car from my personal experience
Traveling Wilbury’s on the radio! R.I.P. Roy, George and Tom 😢
Amazing brakes for its class 10 out of 10 ❤️
As a kid I always wanted one of these
loved these cars, wish they would bring the model back :)
That greenhouse 👍🔥🙏
I had one for a few years. A 92. Absolute attention grabber! Turned me into an instant Dicaprio! Excellent performance, comfort and ergonomics. Only the weak transmission made me get rid of mine. I'd have another now in instant
Bass was hitting on this one!
I owned one. Bought it new. Fully loaded. They were correct. First question was always either "what is that" or "That is a Subaru?" It had a top end of 167 mph and I was able to out run most of the V8's at the time. Still a great car even today, but be aware of the leaking rear main seal and subsequent issues with the Trans as you have to replace the entire unit if it goes bad.
What a car, those windows are class!
Love these retro reviews. I'd rather have any of these old cars than any garbage crossover
I had a Pearl White 91' and loved it till last year when it left us. Fun Fact: the body was designed by the same people who did the DMC-12 (DeLorean). If you had the All Wheel drive version, it was cursed by the 4EAT transmission used in it from the Nissan Pathfinder. It cost me $3200 every time it went out.
Pretty unique above all!
Nissan was gluing glass to steel at least as early as '89, on the S13 240SX. There was one bolt to locate the super-thin rear triangle windows on the fastback, and the rest was adhesive. Makes it really hard to get spares from a yard.
Martin Espinoza Ford also did the same with their 1989 Probe GT, 1st gen.
Beautiful car, they are so hard to find now. But would buy one if the opportunity kocked😗 very nice
I so wanted one of these, hard to find now.
We had one in the 90s,
Svx we not into the JGT as the 3000gt vr4 or the 300zx,
They r into their own category. Agility n cruising comfortably with style (especially in tight Japanese or Asian roads) rather than attack the lap time on track.
That's why they r unique.
I wanted one of these so bad at the time. Excellent car.
I have one for sale if want one 8049393090
I sold the first SVX in Atlanta Ga when i was selling cars @ Troncalli Chrysler Plymouth Subaru.
Still looks good. I like the jet fighter inspired styling. Ahead of its time
A supervisor at Bristol Myers Squibb owner one of these in 97. He said that the dealer did not budge on price, at all.
Really rare car… sick definitely for the time even today
I almost bought one when I was shopping for my current car. Once my Hyundai Accent break 100k, though, I might go looking for one again!
my dad went from a Supra Turbo to a SVX. damn this one was a slug, but at least very comfy on longer trips...
still looks pretty nice probably a blast to drive, it looks comfy with decent performance, a limited turbo manual version would of helped sales across the board, as it would have done better in the comparisons as there was stiff competition in the performance car market and pre-internet it was all about the magazines and TV specials like this one. the 90 mph in the 1/4 tells me it probably accelerates well once it up and moving, 154 mph is the listed top speed.