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#1
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R&T Comparo 08/92
I bought on eBay a print of the comparo Road and Track did on the SVX, BMW 325is and the Lexus SC300. Today it came in the mail. If this were a recent comparo I would be up in arms over the article. From what I can tell from the 'subjective' ratings, these guys had to be on BMW's payroll. The SVX finished dead last in every subjective category, not by a little but a lot. Interestingly the SVX finished last when it came to the engine power even the HP was the highest rated. In fact all of the time trial speeds were better than both other cars. The braking of the SVX beat out the competition by 23 feet at 60 mph and 33 feet at 80 mph, yet the subjective rating was equal for all three. The cabin was quieter than all, yet finished second. The overall subjective average rate the SVX at an 8.3 while the others were tied at 9.1.
Granted, I am smitten with the SVX to be sure, but when I read major discrepancies between the subjective and real world data it makes me wonder. The SVX probably got 10% of the article and the nicest thing the could say was ' It's almost like a Jaguar, cushy elegant, subdued,'. I now remember why I cancelled my subscription so many years ago. |
#2
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It is interesting how they can say some much good about it, but then rate it so poorly!
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. Earl .... ... .... ><SVX(*> Subaru Ambassador [COLOR=”silver”]1992 Tri Color L[/COLOR] ~45K (06/91) #2430 1992 Dark Teal LS-L ~184K (05/91) #0739 1992 Claret LS-L ~196K (05/91) #0831 1992 Pearl LS-L ~103K (06/91) #1680 1992 Pearl LS-L ~151K (06/91) #2229 1992 Dark Teal LS ~150K (07/91) #3098 (parts car) 1992 White LS-L ~139K (08/92) #6913 1993 25th AE ~98K (02/93) #164 1993 25th AE ~58K (02/93) #176 1993 25th AE ~107K (02/93) #215 1993 25th AE ~162K (02/93) #223 1994 Laguna Blue Pearl LSi ~124K (1/94) #2408 1994 Laguna Blue Pearl LSi ~144K (10/93) #1484 1994 Laguna Blue Pearl LSi ~68K (10/93) #1525 1994 Barcelona Red LSi ~46K (02/94) #2624 1994 Pearl LSi ~41K (12/93) #1961 1995 Bordeaux Pearl LSi ~70K (02/95) #855 1996 Polo Green LSi ~95K (03/96) #872 1997 Bordeaux Pearl LSi ~55K (08/96) #097 2003 Brilliant Red LS1 Convertible ~29K (04/03) #8951 1999 Magnetic Red LS1 Coupe ~33K (04/99) #6420 My Email | Old Locker | New Locker | Picture of 15 of the 19 |
#3
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"The SVX finished dead last in every subjective category, not by a little but a lot."
Funny when you consider all these years later, the SVX is more desirable! |
#4
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Quote:
-Chike
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"Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools, because they have to say something." - Plato 2013 Cosmic Blue 5spd Evo X GSR 2006 Galaxy Gray 6MT RX-8 (sold) 2006 Steel Gray WRX TR (sold) 1996 Brilliant Red SVX L (sold) |
#5
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Chris SVX World Network Administrator -1993 Subaru SVX LS-L, Barcelona Red, #46, 160,000+ Miles (Sold to SomethingElse) -2011 Toyota Sienna SE, Black, 30,000+ Miles (Swagger Wagon ) -2002 BMW R 1150R ABS, Black, 26,000+ Miles (Daily Driver ) SVX Owner from February 1997 to March 2008 SVX Online Community Member since February 1998 SVX World Network Member since February 2002, Member #520 Life is a game. Play to win. The world belongs to those who can laugh at it. |
#6
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SVX 7.3 134 ft 15.3@92.5 .85 Lexus SC300 7.4 153 ft 15.7@91.0 .89 BMW 325is 8.3 157ft 16.2@87.0 .83 John |
#7
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Quote:
-Chike
__________________
"Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools, because they have to say something." - Plato 2013 Cosmic Blue 5spd Evo X GSR 2006 Galaxy Gray 6MT RX-8 (sold) 2006 Steel Gray WRX TR (sold) 1996 Brilliant Red SVX L (sold) |
#8
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Quote:
-Chike
__________________
"Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools, because they have to say something." - Plato 2013 Cosmic Blue 5spd Evo X GSR 2006 Galaxy Gray 6MT RX-8 (sold) 2006 Steel Gray WRX TR (sold) 1996 Brilliant Red SVX L (sold) |
#9
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*hides in corner*
__________________
Chris SVX World Network Administrator -1993 Subaru SVX LS-L, Barcelona Red, #46, 160,000+ Miles (Sold to SomethingElse) -2011 Toyota Sienna SE, Black, 30,000+ Miles (Swagger Wagon ) -2002 BMW R 1150R ABS, Black, 26,000+ Miles (Daily Driver ) SVX Owner from February 1997 to March 2008 SVX Online Community Member since February 1998 SVX World Network Member since February 2002, Member #520 Life is a game. Play to win. The world belongs to those who can laugh at it. |
#10
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Subjective means just that - subjective, as in free of any type of objective consideration when making a judgement.
Don't get me wrong, I love my SVX to death, and have wanted one ever since I saw the spy photos in (oh irony!) an issue of Road and Track in 1991. But the SVX is a lot like the BMW 850 of the same time period, an automobile that in a lot of ways, is somehow less then the sum of it's parts. If you'll recall, the 850 was panned in some quarters for not living up to the BMW heritage. Despite a dead sexy body, a potent V-12, the same legendary BMW suspension layout that gave such success to the 3 and 5 Series, the big coupe was niether as fast as it's looks or power suggested, not as nimble as it's suspension implied, and never came close to living up to the potential that was suggested by it's stunning looks. Consider the SVX. Also has a dead sexy body, a potent (especially for the time) flat-six, a highly advanced all wheel drive system, big wheels and tires, and all of the ingredients that on paper suggest a world class sports coupe. It also sported some pretty decent acceleration figures for 1992, good braking distances on paper, and Motor Trend managed to wring a .92 on the skidpad, which was the highest lateral acceleration figure they had ever recorded. All three big magazines also managed to get high 60s in the slalom, which is a better handling benchmark and on par with purebred sports cars. But cars are not just what they can do on paper. My SVX reminds me of a C4 Corvette - I know it has high handling limits, but the nervous little motions in the middle of a turn, the poor handling of sharp transient bumps, and what feels to me like slightly slow steering make me reluctant to approach them. C4 Corvettes I have driven feel the same way - the car does not really encourage you to play at the limit. In that sense, I could easily reconcile a high objective measurement (slalom speed, skidpad number), and a low subjective measurement (car doesn't make me feel secure at 9/10ths). On the other hand, my BMW 735i, despite weighing 350lbs more then the SVX, exhibits much tighter body control, rides better, and doesn't have nervous little movements during cornering. I would be willing to bet, however, that in any measured test, the 7 would be slower to 60 and through the quarter mile, have a lower skidpad figure, a slower slalom number, longer braking distances, and generally come out on the worse end of any test figure not having to do with interior noise levels or inspiring hate in your fellow motorist. In the end, though, I'm personally happy that people consistently don't value or understand the SVX. I love the car enough to overlook the little personality faults it displays, most of which can be fixed anyhow, and I like the fact that, unlike all my other dream cars, this one costs less then the average used Kia. |
#11
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I currently subscribe to 3 auto magazines. In order of my preference:
1. Car & Driver 2. Motor Trend 3. Automobile (which was number 2 until the "new" format) Road and Track is what you paper the outhouse with. |
#12
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#13
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FL, where in MT are you moving to?
I could use more SVX in Missoula |
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