9-K Rever

OH BOY OH BOY GUYS!!! HERE WE GO AGAIN!!!

YOU KNOW I HAVE TO POST THIS!!!!

STI LEGACY BABEY!!!!! 2005!!!!

For those who can't read Japanese I will translate the whole artical and post it later.

http://response.jp/issue/2004/0114/article56972_1.html


9-K Rever

shugaluv34

That's MONEY! So are you saying we are going to have the beauty here in the States in '05?! If so...WOW.

Nate

pelucidor

Finally a Subaru that looks good (TL like from the back). Now if the interior is decent this could be quite a vehicle.

shift_zoom8

I have news for you: the interior stinks. Of course, this shouldn't be news for anyone who's observed Subaru over the years.

Also, the styling is more conservative, which will do nothing for sales. Subaru can't get away with conservative; Honda can.

9-K Rever

Ahhh, the interior is not the greatest But, the enviromental controls are all digital with touch screans. The STI Legacy is about performance. I will translate the artical tonite so we can get some performance numbers. I don't know if it will be here in the states. But if it is, I will sell my 8 the next day and get one. No question.

9-K Rever

shift_zoom8

It may be "money" but it won't be the green kind. The interior is conservative by Subaru standards but still appears 10 years outdated. In the least, this interior won't offend anyone or evoke too much negativity.

The front grille is still too unusual. Why use such a "weird" grille when the rest of the exterior is conservative? Many companies are going with a unified theme for the grille for the entire lineup. I can't imagine this grille is the beginning for other future Subarus. It's just there by itself in outer space.

The taillights don't resemble the Acura TL's. Rather, they're like a cross between a Daewoo Nubira's and mid-90's Audi A4 and whatever else. Already out-of-date plus weird looking. Really bad decision.

In my opinion, Subaru made a mistake by not entering the NORMAL, STANDARD SUV market (the Forester IS NOT). With Subaru's expertise in all-wheel drive, it would have been some money for the company. Even Porsche has entered the market. This is a true chance missed by Subaru, which is too bad.

Why enter the market against Accord, Camry, and Altima? True, Subaru is playing psychology by touting the new Legacy as a Japanese BMW. This tact just isn't going to work. It's still going to be seen as an Accord/Camry challenger. Nissan was able to take a sizable but still small slice out of the Accord/Camry/Taurus monopoly by being a HUGE company and playing psychology by putting out TWO cars, one the Altima and the other the Maxima. When grass roots working class notice how cheap the Altima is while having a ton of HP, many will buy and have bought. The sales people have also been trained to play psychology by insisting that the Accord is more a competitor to the Altima than the Maxima, which any person who's really studied the cars knows is ridiculous. But the psychology works on the mass population.

Even Mazda knows the futility in competing "all out" against Accord and Camry. It's apparent to me that Mazda chose to battle against the Civic and Corolla with the new 3. Some people on this forum have noted to their surprise that the Mazda 3 seems even more impressive in many ways than the 6. To me, that's not surprising. Mazda is playing its cards SMART. Mazda is going to try to bring itself into profitability with the 3, not the 6.

Subaru's moves have not been so smart.

9-K Rever

Did a brief read through...no performance numbers and nothing about U.S release....

shift_zoom8

No question. Just a bunch of puzzled family and friends and colleagues.

Please do sell your RX8. You can take Ike for a ride in your new Legacy and you two can reinforce and reaffirm each other while intoxicating yourselves on the finest red wines from Wisconsin wineries.:D

9-K Rever

I disagree. The Legacy has been Suabru's cash cow for over 10 years. Its its top selling line here in the U.S and in Japan.

It won car of the year in Japan, and you can't go outside in Japan with out seeing some variation of a Legacy. For that matter its the same here in the states.

The styling of the vehical was a major issue in designing the new Legacy because its appeal spans through so many diffrent demographics. In Japan it appeals to the conservitive sports enthusiest that needs a day to day driver and room for five.

Its has a naturaly aspirated trim for the more conservitive driver and a twin turbo (now twin scroll) version for the fans of the sports sedan catagory. The Japanese Legacy will put a M3 through its paces. Now because of this universal appeal Subaru did not want to be to drastic in their design direction. They will be takeing a new direction as seen in their recent concept designs, and slight hints can be seen in the Legacy. The point of the STI Legacy is to hit the performance market, and hit it hard. Wich its numbers and equipment it is more than a match for any competitor. This car is in a class now with the Skyline GTR VSPEC 2.

The STI Legacy is a perfromance vehical. Period.

9-K Rever

Please lets keep this thread civil.

shift_zoom8

Drinking red wine and driving in your Legacy is not civil? I even threw in Ike and a smiley face.

Many Japanese carmakers know that what appeals to Americans visually may be different from what appeals to Japanese. That's why so many have their design studios in southern California.

The Legacy may be Subaru's bestseller but Subaru doesn't sell too many cars in the US.

I will bet you if Subaru made a STANDARD SUV, it will quickly become Subaru's bestseller in the US. Nevermind Japan since the SUV is an American phenomenon.

The masses won't care. They'll still buy the Accord and Camry. More affluent professionals will still buy the BMW 3-series. Notice that the 330 "only" has 225 HP and people still buy.

Subaru will cross its own feet and trip on this one. The masses will hesitate at anything turbocharged and the NA version doesn't put out enough to compete. What will probably happen is the Legacy will remain the sole domain of a tiny cadre of Subaru-philes and an even fewer who are willing to try something different.

Zio

Maybe the all-wheel drive aspect will suite them? Besides the masses may cringe at something turbocharged but many don't even care about power. Around here Subaru wagons sell like hotcakes - mainly the outbacks.

shift_zoom8

Zio,

What I'm saying is that if the masses don't care about power and the NA version doesn't have much power, then what is going to help bring the buyer to the Legacy?

That's my whole point. They will not sell many to make a dent in the US national consciousness.

9-K Rever

I translated the artical.

The artical basicly says. ( I am not going to word for word it)

The 2005 STI Legacy was designed with the over all balance of the car in mind. It is designed for a more mature form of performance with a underbody spoiler to accent the grip of the AWD system. No performance numbers were given nor did it going into any detail about equipment. It is a low production limited edition Legacy. ( There were only 400 of this model made and all were sold) It also said nothing about bringing the S401 to the states. It talked lightly about the interior apointments useing aluminum accents and a simplistic design.

9-K Rever

That could also be said about the Mazda RX model lines and endovors with the rotary engine.

The number of devoted rotary buyers do not equel even half the number of devoted Subaru owners and boxer engine owners (includeing Porshe). Mazda had to figure out away to make a viable busines model to Ford for permision and funding to continue to make them. Hence the re-design of the 13B and our cars now haveing four doors and four seats.

Turbo charged cars are as easy to maintain as a Rotary engine. Even though a rotary in its most simplistic form is more efficiant and easier to maintain then a normal recipricateing engine. Just some people do not know how to maintain their rotaries. Wich can also be said about people who purchase a turbo charged or supercharged vehical and don't know about basic maintainance.

9-K Rever

The Legacy and the RX8 are very simular in multiple ways. Both have a devoted fan base and have been leaders in their respective market segments. They are both seen as the bread and butter cars by their manufactures. The Legacy is Subaru's flagship vehical as is the RX8 for Mazda.

Both car makers are about equel in size and compacity. The reason the Forester is not a full size SUV is due to the fact that Subaru can manufacture the vehical in their plant in Gunma Japan and in Indiana at equall cost using the same parts. Japanese also get tax cuts for smaller cars. The Forester is marketed toward a certain NICHE market here in the U.S and offers the same amount of utility as a full size SUV.

The Forester, Legacy and Imprezza lines in the U.S and Japanese markets are all profitable. Even more so then some of Subaru's partner GM's flagship lines.

The RX8 is targeted at a NICHE market segment that finds value in a four door sports car powerd by a rotary engine. Also gives Mazda a chance to perfect the rotary technology and solidify its place in the companies business model.

shift_zoom8

The RX8 is preceded by a legacy. The Legacy is not.

Stop trying so hard to justify the Legacy and Subaru's weird thinking in general.

Speed-ER doc

He sure is Subaruphilic for an 8 owner.

Hanzo

Modified Legacy:

shift_zoom8

Yeah but who's going to get a modified Legacy? Or get a Legacy to modify? About 100 people in the US? LOL.

9-K Rever

About 79,839 in 2003 alone.

SUBARU REPORTS BEST EVER SALES FOR 2003
-- Company sells its 4 millionth vehicle in US to close record-setting year--

CHERRY HILL, N.J., Jan. 6, 2004 -- Subaru of America, Inc., the only car company that features Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive as standard equipment on every vehicle in its product line, today marked major milestones with year-end 2003 sales. Subaru set an all-time sales record, selling a total of 186,819 units in 2003, up 4 percent from last year. Subaru also posted best ever sales for Forester and Baja and topped off its record setting year by selling its 4 millionth vehicle in the United States.

"2003 was a tremendously successful year for Subaru," said Fred D. Adcock, Executive Vice President, Subaru of America, Inc. "We are very pleased with our results and would like to congratulate our dealers on delivering best ever year-end sales, best ever Forester and Baja sales, as well as the achievement of our 4 millionth vehicle sale in the company's history."

Subaru Forester set an all-time record in 2003 with 59,761 units, up 11 percent from last year. Subaru Legacy recorded 79,839 unit sales, while Outback accounted for 54,930 units. Subaru Impreza recorded strong sales of 36,525 total units, while Baja set a best-ever total of 10,694 units for the year.

For the month of December 2003, Subaru recorded total sales of 15,275 units, up 2 percent from December 2002. Subaru Forester was up 14 percent over prior years with sales of 5,296 units, while the Subaru Impreza recorded a sales gain of 11 percent with 2,997 units. Subaru Legacy posted sales of 6,288 units, while the Outback accounted for 4,457 units. Baja made sales gains with 694 units sold in December - up 23 percent from the same month last year.

"In 2003, Subaru of America, Inc. recorded its best ever revenue of $4.2 billion," said Thomas J. Doll, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, Subaru of America, Inc. "Even with the challenging sales environment and the increasingly competitive marketplace, we have continued to sustain strong sales growth."

About Subaru of America, Inc.
Subaru of America, Inc. is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd. of Japan. Headquartered near Philadelphia, the company markets and distributes all-wheel drive Subaru vehicles, parts and accessories through a network of nearly 600 dealers across the United States. Subaru is the only car company that features Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive as standard equipment on every vehicle in its product line.

Ike

That's quite the ignorant statement, there will probably be a larger tuner market for the Legacy than there will be for the 8 and just about any other sedan in it's class save for maybe the Accord. There have been many people waiting for a Legacy with a decent engine to hit the US market, and many WRX owners who need more room or are ready for a change will be moving to the legacy. The non STi version beat a RS6 in best motoring, that's damn impressive. It's performance that makes me want the car, the fact that it looks nice and has a nice interior is just icing on the cake.

Critisize Subaru all you like, but it's a far more impressive sedan than anything Mazda has ever brought to the US. The Mazda 6 is the best that Mazda has ever been able to come up with, it's a nice try, but falls far short of the new Legacy in the performance department. Then there's the Millenium, which was a joke. If you ask me Mazda's thinking on that one was far more weird than anything the Legacy has to offer.

shift_zoom8

a

People are not going to buy the Legacy for the performance. People will tend to stay away from turbos and the NA version's numbers just aren't that impressive.

Most buyers do not focus number 1 on performance. If not, then they will spend their money elsewhere, like Accord and Camry.

By the way, the exterior and especially the interior are not that good. The front end and the taillights are funky. Nice try, Ike, but no dice.

Need I remind you that you are 29 years old and driving a WRX STi.

Thank you.

Ike

Subaru isn't going for most buyers, they're going for performance minded buyers, especially with STi versions. Performance minded buyers like turbos, and don't place the interior very high up on the list. However you're very wrong about the interior quality, I don't know where you're looking but the new Legacy interior is quite nice, and have you looked at the RX-8 tails lately???

Need I remind you you're an anon poster that feels the need to post and insult people based on their profile information and pics when you don't have the ***** or the common courtesy to share some basic information about yourself.

No, Thank you!

9-K Rever

Responding to you is becoming a chore.

You have proven time and time again that you know nothing about the car industry and result to personal insults and attacks.

You need to either come with facts and numbers or just don't contribute to the thread.

If you want to state your OPINION wich is all you have been doing anyway, please do it in a more positive way.