Subaru Test & Development Centre Pace Car

[ShaneHobson]

Subaru Test & Development Centre Pace Car

Is this real or just something that someone has dreamed up and made ?

Pic attached of such a car apparently in Japan.
There is also a model version, which implies there is some genuine heritage.
But almost no information elsewhere on the web.

[svxcess]

I have seen this photo before and others of the same car. I do not remember much about it.

It has the same "Pace Car" typestyle as the PPG Pace Car does. Could be a one-of-a-kind knock off. Not much added but some stickers and a light bar.

http://www.subaru-svx.net/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=18106&stc=1&d=1407018932

http://www.subaru-svx.net/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=18107&stc=1&d=1407018932




There was an ebony SVX with a light bar at the 20th anniversary in Japan. I have other photos of it somewhere on my computer. I don't know what it was used for.

http://www.subaru-svx.net/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=18108&stc=1&d=1407019338

http://www.subaru-svx.net/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=16210&stc=1&d=1333862415http://


.

[svxcess]

And slightly off-topic. How about a law enforcement emergency SVX without a lighbar?

Just keep your eyes peeled in case you are ever traveling through Whitefish, Montana.

http://www.subaru-svx.net/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=18111&stc=1&d=1407019811

http://www.subaru-svx.net/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=18110&stc=1&d=1407019674


.

[Blacky]

That School Resource car is actually really nice looking.

[svxcess]

Here is a link to more photos of the model. It was one of the 1/43 scale Norev SVXs that occasionally show up on ebay.

http://s.webry.info/sp/mudamuda.at.webry.info/200912/article_11.html
.

[ShaneHobson]

Here's another picture found here : http://www5a.biglobe.ne.jp/~cloud/talkSVX4.htm
this thread is about the second car shown on that page, not the purple car.

Google translated text :
"Pace car of ('s SKC* test course.) - Subaru experimental research center.
The shooting of the November 7, 99 "SKC10 anniversary event" (generally open date).
On that day, well as some other leading successive Subaru car parade of rabbit scooter ~ SVX
Security, and (also some adults) children were taken, such as a big success. (Laughs)
I look at HP Asano's "The Land of Promise" the (Link) for more information.

Populations of certain SVX club was invited to the rear. (Laughs)
I have also posted in the "Photgraph" photos at that time."

* Subaru Kenkyo Center.. Subaru experimental research center.

Interesting that it's a LHD car, apparently used in Japan. But I guess if USA was the intended market then it makes sense to test with LHD.

Thanks to Daniel for finding this for me.

[Coan]

... children were taken, such as a big success. (Laughs)...


That's generally frowned upon here in the states. :eek:

[ShaneHobson]

More photos here.
http://minkara.carview.co.jp/smart/userid/102086/car/33731/3722043/photo.aspx
Looks like they were taken at a Subaru anniversary event of some sort.

[SURTEESS]

Shane,

I find it is interesting that the JDM was LHD & also did not have the switch for folding mirrors (which I thought all JDM models had?).

[dbarnblatt]

Shane,

I find it is interesting that the JDM was LHD & also did not have the switch for folding mirrors (which I thought all JDM models had?).

That car looks like a EDM (Europe... Germany) car. It has the headlight leveler switch near the gearshift and appears to have glass headlights with washers.

It also has the euro rear tailight/reverse lights layout.

[ShaneHobson]

I was thinking about it being LHD and had made these assumptions :

the car in the photos is in Japan (Japanese writing on the road and one of the photos is on a web page of other cars in Japan).

it's not a one off, DIY sticker job. I say that, because a model maker has gone to the trouble of making a scale model of it for sale. This suggests it has some genuine (and presumably, interesting) history.

all SVXs came off the same factory line in Japan and so it was very easy for Subaru to access a LHD car rather than a RHD (i.e. they wouldn't have to import a LHD from a USA based factory)

if you accept that the signage is genuine and it really was in use at the Subaru Test & Development Center, then perhaps Subaru made a deliberate decision to use a LHD car because the majority of the cars were destined for the LHD USA market, so it seems sensible to carry out testing in a LHD model.

it's rare. Evidence of that is as simple as a google search (I've been doing a lot of that recently). The PPG pace car is far more common than this car. I assume that's because the PPG car appeared in front of many thousands of people at the televised race it participated in (possibly more than one race, I haven't researched it's history). Anyway, plenty of visibility promotes plenty of copies (there could be many PPG copies around) which just leads to that style having a much higher profile (more photos, more web hits) when compared to a car that never appeared to an audience or even in public as part of it's 'day job' (in use at the Test & Dev Center).

I hadn't considered the possibility that it was European destined.

I now have three sets of photos taken in different locations of what appears to be the same car. As best as I can tell, they are all LHD. Assuming all the photos were taken in Japan then that alone would be strong evidence that all three are the same vehicle (because LHD in Japan would be unusual, but not impossible)
But, on close examination there are subtle differences in the graphics.
eg, in the top photo there is a graphic just above the side indicator lens which is missing on the other two cars.

['E']

It has fender indicators which usdm svx's don't have, could it have been for the European market

[Alex-svx]

And slightly off-topic. How about a law enforcement emergency SVX without a lighbar?

Just keep your eyes peeled in case you are ever traveling through Whitefish, Montana.

http://www.subaru-svx.net/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=18111&stc=1&d=1407019811

http://www.subaru-svx.net/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=18110&stc=1&d=1407019674


.

So cool :cool:

[huck369]

it's rare. Evidence of that is as simple as a google search (I've been doing a lot of that recently). The PPG pace car is far more common than this car. I assume that's because the PPG car appeared in front of many thousands of people at the televised race it participated in (possibly more than one race, I haven't researched it's history). Anyway, plenty of visibility promotes plenty of copies (there could be many PPG copies around) which just leads to that style having a much higher profile (more photos, more web hits) when compared to a car that never appeared to an audience or even in public as part of it's 'day job' (in use at the Test & Dev Center).



To the best of my knowledge I have the ONLY PPG Pace Car Replica, there were 2 Actual PPG Pace Cars built (to my understanding) but no Replicas made and sold to the public.