What a Great Car!
The XT - A great car?
A thought that goes through my mostly empty head often usually comes up this way. I’ll either be talking to someone, working on something, or otherwise reflecting on my car and I’ll say, “Yeah, they’re really great cars.” Then I’ll think, is it really a “great car”? I guess it depends.
I think it depends on who you ask. First of all there are all sorts of ways you can qualify the term “great car”. When I think of great cars, and my knowledge of various makes is admittedly quite limited, I think of a 1935 Deusenberg, my dad’s 1940 Packard 110, the Tucker Torpedo, the ‘63 Corvette, the ‘05 Corvette, various Porsche models, the Lotus Esprit, and the list goes on and on… please don’t reply with your own personal list - I know I’ve left out numerous great cars, even some of my own favorites (Ferrari 360, etc.). I was just making a point, aimless as it was, that the name “Subaru” never really pops up in most conversations. If it does, it’s usually in reference to the WRX, and usually in the STi flavor. The XT doesn’t even come to mind in most Roo fans’ minds. Where’s the love?
Again the term “great car” needs to be qualified for the XT to show up. Here then are some considerations.
The XT, which showed up in Subaru dealerships in 1985, was ahead of it’s time to say the least. But one thing that I think qualifies it for “great car” status at least in some limited sense, is that it is one of those pivotal artifacts in defining Subaru’s history. No, it’s not the Rosetta Stone or anything like that, but it does indicate a shift in the manufacturer’s strategy both in design and marketing. Up until then Subaru had a reputation for building solid little cars, often notable for their ruggedness as well as their superior handling in bad road conditions. At that time Subaru’s foothold in marketing here in North America was their tie in with the US Olympic ski team. The XT, foretold a new direction for Subaru however. It was their first venture into the sports car market. This indicated the company’s belief that drivers wanted not only fuel efficiency and reliability, they wanted performance to go with it. Styling? Well, generally one either hates the XT’s lines or loves them. Rarely is there any middleground with regard to the car’s looks.
The car was barely more than a foothold in the sports car market in 1985 though. While unique in its appearance and chock full o’ goodies, the car itself wasn’t a real performer. It’s original EA82 engine was somewhat underpowered and in it’s arguably lamest application was mated to a front wheel drive three speed automatic. In it’s best form the new car was powered by a turbocharged version of the EA82 and mated to a full time four wheel drive five speed manual. This gave it a few extra ponies and the great handling the car came to be known for. The car’s looks at least signaled to the American car buyer that Subaru was interested in offering more than what they’d been stuck with from Detroit in the mid ’80s.
Excuse me while I shudder for a minute at the thought of my old ‘84 Buick Skyhawk, or my then neighbor’s Dodge 600 with the fake wood panel trim. I think I just threw up in my mouth.
Okay I’m back.
As the XT progressed over its short life, it made significant advances. The XT Turbo finally achieved a 135bhp output, and the XT6, with the company’s first flat 6, was putting out 145 at the crank and 156 lb ft of twist at the pavement. In a 1988 interview a Subaru engineer mentioned a test vehicle with a twin turbo version of the XT6’s ER27 engine that was putting out 255bhp. These may not seem like earth shattering numbers, but remember that the aforementioned GM “J” cars were putting out 96bhp (at least that’s what my Skyhawk was rated for power). This was also done with single overhead cams and only two valves per cylinder. All that taken into consideration makes the 255bhp figure much more impressive.
The XT6 was sadly the final version of the XT line, remaining virtually unchanged for the three model years it was sold, 1988, 1989, and 1991 (oddly there were no 1990 models). Had it continued in production, assuming its sales figures had done better it might have continued on. In a sense it did - as an entirely new model, the SVX. The SVX was truly a different car, but it clearly was a continuation of the same idea. Both cars wore the name “Alcyone” (pronounced “al see OH nee”), had “exotic” styling, and the SVX carried on the idea of a normally aspirated flat six only in a bigger 3.3 liter 230bhp version. We all know the significance of the Alcyone badge when it comes to Subarus, and surely this was an indication of the great regard Subaru had for their initial step into the sports car market. That the SVX was also known as the Alcyone SVX speaks a bit about how it carried on the story of the XT.
Nowadays, an XT of any flavor is a rare find and requires a little bit more TLC than most used cars… because most used cars don’t last as long! Seriously, most used cars you see are no more than 10 years old or so, having long since become saddled with all manner of mechanical issues. The Subaru line has been known for unparalleled reliability since the ’70s, and the XT is a classic example. Most XTs that are bought today have driven many many rough miles, often with little to no maintenance, and still run very well. Once in the hands of a collector they are nursed back to very good shape and can continue to serve as a “daily driver” as well as a collector car for many years. Not many cars can say that, especially considering the scarcity of parts for these older Roos.
Yes, I’d say it’s a “great car”. For so many reasons. Sure most people wouldn’t think of it that way, but most people have never driven one, or if they have they haven’t really appreciated where the car stood among it’s peers over time. Where might Subaru be if they hadn’t decided to dip their toes in the waters of performance cars? Would the WRX have ever come to be? Would Subaru have survived the increasingly competitive market? Just look for some of the other brands from its time that are struggling or even aren’t around anymore.
As astronomers will tell you the universe is expanding. As the galaxies spread further and further apart, some stars will undoubtedly dim. Fortunately some seem to remain bright regardless of their age.
Yep, it’s a great car.