Manual Trans SVXi Imported to US?

newsvx · #1 06-16-2013, 03:28 PM

While at Summit Point yesterday, I met one of the folks running the 24 Hr LeMons Race. I have no reason to NOT believe him - his name is Roland Han - and he told me that he "test drove" Subaru's for Subaru of America in the 90's, and as he was looking over my RED '97, he mentioned that Subaru actually "produced" some 700 SVXi with "MANUAL" transmissions. Apparently they were NOT to be titled, but were loaned to a number of dealers to "try out". As suspected, there was trouble with the manual transmissions since Subaru did not have one that would stand up to the power of the SVX's 3.3 L engine. Hence the automatic. He seemed VERY famililiar too with the auto trans problem too ...

Anyone else heard of this? This fellow had no idea what happened to all these cars .....

Harry

Conn SVX · #2 06-16-2013, 05:09 PM

Not true. My dealer got the first ones... I drove the first one in Conn. I asked about them making a stick . He said no. If there were 700 , that is 1/2 as many SVX as they made. I am sure one would have surfaced. I heard about mechanics doing donuts in the garage, I heard about the kid that totaled his dads SVX after he had it a week and came in and bought a new one . And I heard the one of the sales man that took out 100 guard posts with one. Stick shift . This is the 1st I heard of a stick.

newsvx · #3 06-16-2013, 06:53 PM

Don't know - just what the man said ....... What dealer "supposedly " got them, I have no idea and he did not either ...

Hocrest · #4 06-16-2013, 07:14 PM

Yeah this seems a little tough to swallow. 1 or 4 that got sent to Cherry Hill and then vanished??? Plausible.

700? Sounds like a distorted 21 year old memory.

newsvx · #5 06-16-2013, 08:43 PM

Can not say I disagree, Dave ... Just reporting what he told me ...

lhopp77 · #6 07-07-2013, 08:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Conn SVX

Not true. My dealer got the first ones... I drove the first one in Conn. I asked about them making a stick . He said no. If there were 700 , that is 1/2 as many SVX as they made. I am sure one would have surfaced. I heard about mechanics doing donuts in the garage, I heard about the kid that totaled his dads SVX after he had it a week and came in and bought a new one . And I heard the one of the sales man that took out 100 guard posts with one. Stick shift . This is the 1st I heard of a stick.

Think you left off a digit. 7000 would be about 1/2 of those imported to USA.

Conn SVX · #7 07-07-2013, 09:21 AM

I stand corrected.

Sorry I guess what I ment to say was 1/2 as many as they made the first year. There are almost that many now........ Still 700 are lot to get thrown under the rug...

SURTEESS · #8 07-07-2013, 12:44 PM

If there was a stick shift available, then you would think they would mention it in the Road & Track magazine that they did specifically on the SVX in 91/92

newsvx · #9 07-07-2013, 01:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SURTEESS

If there was a stick shift available, then you would think they would mention it in the Road & Track magazine that they did specifically on the SVX in 91/92

Agree, but apparently these were not to be sold by any dealer - stickly for testing, and the manual trans didn't hold up - as expected ..