Anyone else go last night?

[Darksied-X]

So, I went to the New England grand premier of the '05 Legacy GT at the local dealer last night. It started off with one of the salesmen talking about everything new on the car, most of which I already knew. Then question and answer, with questions like "Why no full frame doors on Subarus?" and "Whats a boxer?". Me? I asked him when the 3.0R version with the STi 6-speed is going to be released. He just grinned. And it earned me the first test drive.

So, after a few more questions, me and the salesman hopped in a Legacy GT wagon, Atlantic Blue, 5spd SportShift auto, with 4mi on the clock, and took it for about a 20min spin up I95 and back, and he told me to hammer on it.

Overall, I loved the car. Styling is excellent, both inside and out. The seats are second only to the SVX, and far better than those in the wife's VDC. The engine is incredible after about 2500, (turbo lag, I would assume? I've never really driven a turbo car much before) and the ride is extremely smooth up to at least 95.

There are a couple of things I didn't like, though. First, when I was coming back onto I95, I dropped it into 2nd at about 25-30 and punched it, and it took a good 1-2secs before the engine even started to rev. Same thing when I played with the SportShift, I'd shift (up or down) and it'd take a couple secs to shift. I know there must be some reason for these delays, but I don't like them, I want my power and shifts now! I think I'd have no problems with a stick, though. The only other thing I didn't like (which may not even be that bad), was that it's a damn sneaky car. The power and the smooth ride trick you into thinking your doing about 70 when really your doing about 95.

Unfortunatly, my wife still loves her Outback, and doesn't want a GT. But, we seemed to come to a compromise once she saw and sat in Garnet Red Outback 2.5XT, so we may end up trading hers in on that sometime in the next couple of years.

[GreenMarine]

Cool... I didn't go to that though Guess why... I'm about 800 miles south... So did he answer your question that you asked??

I've been wondering why subaru's don't have full frame doors... Why is that??

[svxfiles]

Fuji Heavy Industries was an airplane maker before it produced cars. Without the window frame there is less weight, and less aerodynamic drag because of flush glass. Also every Subaru ever at least front wheel drive, and 4 wheel independent suspention. Almost all of them used a horizontal engine for a lower center of gravity, and a lower hood for better visability. Tom

[Darksied-X]

Originally posted by GreenMarineSVX
Cool... I didn't go to that though Guess why... I'm about 800 miles south... So did he answer your question that you asked??

I've been wondering why subaru's don't have full frame doors... Why is that??

That sucks. A lot of dealers in New England did it, all with the same invitation, just different dealer names. I just figured it was an SOA thing, and everyone was doing into. As for the question, he just grinned and said "Sometimes we don't get the same models the other markets do." Kinda sounded like he really had no clue.

As for the doors, his explaination was that it is a safety feature. In the event of a rollover (or a t-bone by a soccer mom on her cell phone in her mammoth SUV ) the door frame won't come down onto you. I just always assumed it was to reduce the weight of the doors, and because it just looks damn cool.

[Mr. Pockets]

Originally posted by svxfiles
Fuji Heavy Industries was an airplane maker before it produced cars. Without the window frame there is less weight, and less aerodynamic drag because of flush glass.

No offense, but that doesn't make any sense.

The only thread I've been involved in on NASIOC discussed Subarus and their apparent dislike of full-frame doors. The best explanation we could come up with was strength and rigidity. If you put frames on the doors, it takes structure away from the pillars and roof. Having no upper frame on the doors means that the pillars can be stronger and the whole car stiffer.

Case in point is my Justy. It has an upper frame to each door, and when I put the car up on jackstands the whole thing flexes. No kidding. And that car realy is lightweight.

I would venture a guess that Fuji's involvement with airplane manufacturing during World War II has absolutely nothing to do with it - especially since they built engines (and the company was chopped up into little itty bitty pieces after the war was over). As for being lightweight, there are very few Subaru models which can claim such a thing.

[dcarrb]

Originally posted by Darksied-X
A lot of dealers in New England did it, all with the same invitation, just different dealer names. I just figured it was an SOA thing, and everyone was doing into.

Probably just something they do in markets where Subarus are popular. They're still trying to figure out how to sell 'em down here. Nearest dealership to me is about one and one-half hours away, and there are only a handful in the entire greater Atlanta region.


dcb

[svxfiles]

From 1983-2002 I sold Subarus, and went to dozens of training seminars, the flush glass less drag was strait from Subaru, and they made a very big deal of theur aircraft history. Tom

[GreenMarine]

WOW, now that's something that I didn't know... Cool, good on FHI...

Originally posted by svxfiles
From 1983-2002 I sold Subarus, and went to dozens of training seminars, the flush glass less drag was strait from Subaru, and they made a very big deal of theur aircraft history. Tom

I agree. Makes good sense to me. Even the whole horizontal engine layout is straight from aviation use.....the Wright Brothers had one in their first plane!


Dave

[Mr. Pockets]

Originally posted by red95svx





I agree. Makes good sense to me. Even the whole horizontal engine layout is straight from aviation use.....the Wright Brothers had one in their first plane!


Dave

AFAIK, the aircraft Fuji had anything to do with used raidal or V engines.

And the Wright Flyer used an inline 4 laid down sideways. They called it a 'horizontal' engine, but it was an inline nonetheless and not horozintally opposed.

Any suggestion that Subaru vehicles have anything to do with the company's history in aircraft is entirely a marketing fabrication. Subaru cars aren't built like airplanes in the least.

[GreenMarine]

Originally posted by Mr. Pockets
Any suggestion that Subaru vehicles have anything to do with the company's history in aircraft is entirely a marketing fabrication. Subaru cars aren't built like airplanes in the least.

Yea..... They're built like TANKS!!! I love how safe I feel when I get into a Subaru

[Mr. Pockets]

Originally posted by GreenMarineSVX


Yea..... They're built like TANKS!!! I love how safe I feel when I get into a Subaru

I think you're on to something there. Tanks don't have upper window frames on their doors, either - so the doors on Impreza and Legacy models are clearly inspired by tanks.

[svxfiles]

http://www.fhi.co.jp/english/section.../aero_003.html
http://www.fhi.co.jp/english/section...ace/index.html
http://www.gm-indonesia.com/eng/suba...ry_subaru.html
Subaru/Fuji Heavy Industries has a very colorful history, a proud tradition of inovation, like being the First Asian Company to bring front wheel drive cars to the states, bringing our beloved All Wheel Drive to the common man, the salt of the earth, you know, us. Whether flush glass has that much impact on aerodynamics is not the question here, yes, our fine cars have an amazingly low cd as in coeficient of drag,of .29 or .285 , without the unarguable benifit of flush glass, but whether Subaru used the knowlege gained thru their aircraft years. Perhaps I wax(drone) on too long about something I care for so strongly, but if "...they who do not learn from History are DOOMED to repeat it." Thomas Jefferson (and I was there when he said it ) Old and wise Tom

[green_eyed_lady]

Originally posted by svxfiles
http://www.fhi.co.jp/english/section.../aero_003.html
http://www.fhi.co.jp/english/section...ace/index.html
http://www.gm-indonesia.com/eng/suba...ry_subaru.html
Subaru/Fuji Heavy Industries has a very colorful history, a proud tradition of inovation, like being the First Asian Company to bring front wheel drive cars to the states, bringing our beloved All Wheel Drive to the common man, the salt of the earth, you know, us. Whether flush glass has that much impact on aerodynamics is not the question here, yes, our fine cars have an amazingly low cd as in coeficient of drag,of .29 or .285 , without the unarguable benifit of flush glass, but whether Subaru used the knowlege gained thru their aircraft years. Perhaps I wax(drone) on too long about something I care for so strongly, but if "...they who do not learn from History are DOOMED to repeat it." Thomas Jefferson (and I was there when he said it ) Old and wise Tom

The preceding views are not necessarily those of management.

[Subafreak]

Originally posted by green_eyed_lady


The preceding views are not necessarily those of management.

Framless windows are cool. Isn't that a good reason?



Wait, SVX's have window frames. Kind of.