What were the SVX's Competitors

[NikFu S.]

Closest competitor: Lexus SC300

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lexus_SC

[bwb3]

Closest competitor: Lexus SC300

Having driven a friend's SC300 I would have to agree. Even the body style is more refined, like the SVX.
Gene

[PaulDexler]

When they were new, I drove road test versions of all those cars, and the Toyota Supra Turbo as well. One year I drove a Supra Turbo up to Monterey for the classic car weekend, and then swapped with another editor and drove the Mitsubishi back. The Supra was a way better car, more refined and lighter feeling on the road. The Mitsubishi always felt as if it was trying to do something I wouldn't like. And there was torque steer, even with AWD. The following year I drove a BMW 850 to the same event, on the same road. It was a five-speed, and suffered from not really knowing if it wanted to be a luxury tourer or a super sports coupe. Therefore, it was a letdown on both counts, even though it was lovely to look at. I never drove an SVX on that run because I had borrowed one from Subaru the year before to go to Las Vegas for the SEMA show. I did that run two years later with a Lexus SC coupe, which came the closest to the SVX in feel, although without the AWD, it wasn't quite so suave. Both the Monterey run and the Las Vegas run are 300 mile drives from my house, which, coupled with the stop and go city traffic on the destination end, makes for a pretty good road test. As to which one I liked best, well, that's a '92 pearlie sitting in the rain in front of my house now, not any of the others.
Paul

[Hondasucks]

Eclipses (like other DSM cars) were kinda weird... The non-turbo cars used a Dodge drive train (Same bottom end and transmission as a Neon, but with a different head, and the Eclipse line used a 2.0 instead of the 1.8 the Neon used), and the turbo cars used a Mitsib*tchy drivetrain, with the transaxle on the opposite side of the engine compartment than the non-turbo cars. They are fairly reliable, in stock form, but boost the snot out of 'em without ARP head studs & a copper head gasket, and they go through head gaskets about every 50k or less..

[Nevin]

They DID make an AWD laser, for the record. *has ridden in one* but that is neither her nor there.

I would say it's closest competitors were the non-turbo stealth/3000gt, non-turbo supra/sc300, 300zx non-turbo/j30(whatever the infinity was) and not really a whole lot else. However, having either driven or ridden in all of these cars I have to say that I'm most impressed with the subaru in overall quality. Shut the door on any of these cars and you'll see what I mean. Drive the car 80 miles per hour,and you'll see what I mean. Overall, just a VERY solid package. The one I would say it's closest too is the sc300, which is saying a good deal about how subaru did a good job right off the bat. If they would have had a better market strategy and stuck with it, I think the car would still be rolling off the line today. The late 80's /early 90's was a pretty rough time on sports cars though, so who knows...

Also, you can get a new 350z for the price of what my '95 was when it rolled off the line. Like someone mentioned previously, that kinda shows how proud subaru was of the car, but it obviously didn't work for too long... Also, a manual tranny couldn't have hurt, but by now this is all hearsay and conjecture.

[CorSVXette]

Originally Posted by Nevin

They DID make an AWD laser, for the record. *has ridden in one* but that is neither her nor there.

I stand corrected. My bad

[SVX_MY_BABY]

Originally Posted by Nevin

Also, you can get a new 350z for the price of what my '95 was when it rolled off the line. Like someone mentioned previously, that kinda shows how proud subaru was of the car, but it obviously didn't work for too long... Also, a manual tranny couldn't have hurt, but by now this is all hearsay and conjecture.

The manual trannies Subaru had at the time were not strong enough for the EG33.
At the 10th anniversary meet there was a luncheon with a couple of Subaru employees who worked on the SVX during which one was asked about the build and quality of the car. I posed a question asking if there were any weak spots to watch for as the car aged, particularly regarding corrosion. The reply was emphatic and as I recall with a smile that there were none and that the SVX was a VERY EXPENSIVE CAR. This has always led me to believe that although it was priced up market it should have been priced even higher if it was to reflect it's actual cost.

[svxistentialist]

Originally Posted by PaulDexler

When they were new, I drove road test versions of all those cars, and the Toyota Supra Turbo as well. One year I drove a Supra Turbo up to Monterey for the classic car weekend, and then swapped with another editor and drove the Mitsubishi back. The Supra was a way better car, more refined and lighter feeling on the road. The Mitsubishi always felt as if it was trying to do something I wouldn't like. And there was torque steer, even with AWD. The following year I drove a BMW 850 to the same event, on the same road. It was a five-speed, and suffered from not really knowing if it wanted to be a luxury tourer or a super sports coupe. Therefore, it was a letdown on both counts, even though it was lovely to look at. I never drove an SVX on that run because I had borrowed one from Subaru the year before to go to Las Vegas for the SEMA show. I did that run two years later with a Lexus SC coupe, which came the closest to the SVX in feel, although without the AWD, it wasn't quite so suave. Both the Monterey run and the Las Vegas run are 300 mile drives from my house, which, coupled with the stop and go city traffic on the destination end, makes for a pretty good road test. As to which one I liked best, well, that's a '92 pearlie sitting in the rain in front of my house now, not any of the others.
Paul

This is very interesting, comparing these coupes.

Most of the comparisons given here I agree with as market rivals. When I was in the market for a coupe I looked at three cars; The Honda Prelude [the 2.2 twincam Vtec with 185 hp, I don't think the States got that one], the TT Nissan 300, the Lexus 250 TT and the SVX.

I have never owned any of the first four, but have now owned 5 or 6 SVXes, I suppose that says something

The nearest to suiting what I wanted was the Nissan, it had enough room and was sporty to drive. I could not warm to the rough tweedy seat covering.

The Lexus 2.5TT was really nice and I almost bought it. However, I'm short of leg and sit forward because of that. With the Lexus the door was so long and so thick, in tight parking spaces I could not get out of the car, and I had to wait until the electric seat wound me back all the way to even try getting out. It certainly was nearest to the SVX in quality, and only the crazy big door business put me off buying it.

The Prelude didn't have enough space, and NONE of them had the ride/handling excellent compromise of the SVX that makes it the King of Everyday Driving. And yes, 150 to 300 miles really shows off what it can do.

The engineering level is so high that only a Lexus or a Mercedes could have a similar quality feel as the SVX.

Joe

[richardstanley]

Originally Posted by SVX_MY_BABY

The manual trannies Subaru had at the time were not strong enough for the EG33.

By what account? I know this is subaru's excuse, but people swap in early year leg trannies and they work, maybe they're not the most reliable peice, but was the 4eat that came from the sub factory? We all know the answer to that question.

[NikFu S.]

Subaru's rally Legacy had a manual tranny that could take 300hp of rally abuse in 1991.
I think there is another reason.

[Hondasucks]

Originally Posted by NikFu S.

Subaru's rally Legacy had a manual tranny that could take 300hp of rally abuse in 1991.
I think there is another reason.

They might have just thought that market segment didn't want a manual tranny?

And we did get a 2.2 (and a 2.3, 210 HP, auto only) Prelude, but I don't know if our 2.2 was twin cam VTEC or single.. I know they're pretty stinkin fast for a Honda (Still no match for the SVX, well, MAYBE the 2.3, since it's 210 HP in a lighter package)

[Tim]

I would probably say that the G35 is probably the same class of car as well.

[SVX_MY_BABY]

Originally Posted by richardstanley

By what account? I know this is Subaru's excuse, but people swap in early year leg trannies and they work, maybe they're not the most reliable piece, but was the 4eat that came from the sub factory? We all know the answer to that question.

Just going by what was said at the meet.

[svxistentialist]

Originally Posted by Hondasucks

They might have just thought that market segment didn't want a manual tranny?

And we did get a 2.2 (and a 2.3, 210 HP, auto only) Prelude, but I don't know if our 2.2 was twin cam VTEC or single.. I know they're pretty stinkin fast for a Honda (Still no match for the SVX, well, MAYBE the 2.3, since it's 210 HP in a lighter package)

Oh, well maybe you are 100ccs up on us then?

Over here the hot engine was the 2.2 Vtec. The 2.3 only came in single cam non vtec, and didn't make anything like 210 hp. It would be regarded as a pipe and slippers variant round these parts.

Honda lost the plot when the went to the square headlamp version. They decided that women didn't want the car to look too aggressive and styled more "sweetness" into it. Result; nobody was happy with the next generation.

Most of their sporting pretensions in these markets now solely rest on the Civic Type R. However Civics primarily attract younger baseball cap wearing ricer types, so they have in effect alienated or put distance between themselves and the majority of 30+ fast car lovers.

Maybe that's the way they like it

[Sid E. Ryner]

I agree with most of the reviews.
Closest competitors: Lexus 300SC, Non-turbos 300Z, and Supra; 3000Gt and BMW 3 series coupe (not M3).
Hey, SVX is a GT car.
peace,
sid