Nathan Adlen: The Poor-Man's James Bond Car (Part I) A Used Subaru SVX

LetItSnow · #1 06-30-2011, 11:25 AM

All right, I searched for "Nathan", "Adlen", "Goldfinger", "contemporary" and even "moleskin" and came up with nothing. Found this article while looking around for the top speed of the SVX, per the other current thread. The article sure sounds familiar, but I simply can't find it...

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The Poor-Man's James Bond Car (Part I) A Used Subaru SVX
February 18, 2009 11:01 am MT .
Nathan Adlen Denver Cars Examiner

There are times when many of us guys need a James Bond moment. I’m not necessarily referring to philandering, vodka martinis, lavish locations, intrigue and killing people (I’m married). The James Bond moment I refer to is cruising along in a sophisticated, gizmo-filled, good looking vehicle that thrills in the corners.

Bad-guys (real or imaginary) be damned!

Here’s how to evaluate your car to be Bond-worthy. Copy some James Bond music – I am geeky enough to have a majority of the Sean Connery era music/instrumentals (You Only Live Twice, Goldfinger, Thunderball, etc.) along with a few others. Now, as you cruise along and the music plays, are you bathed in the James Bond glow? Are you feeling just a tad more sophisticated?

Are you driving something that is under the radar, yet cool?
Not many of us can afford the stunning array of automobiles that graced the silver screen with James Bond. Although buying a used Lotus Esprit may be doable, it’s not very practical. I refer to 3 cars to be specific; the first of which is the Subaru SVX (sold from 1991 to 1997).

The prototype was designed by renowned designer Giorgetto Giugiaro of Ital-Design and it marked one of the most ambitious attempts by Subaru to move up-market. I find the Subaru SVX’s styling stunning and it still looks contemporary. It was quick too – with 0 to 60 times in the mid to low 7 second range. If you purchase the first 2 years of the SVX, top speed is an astounding 182 mph. Later, Subaru added an electronic governor to keep top speeds at 153 mph.

Slightly heavy at 3580 lbs, the Subaru SVX still had excellent handling characteristics. With a good set of tires, and well maintained suspension components, highway ride and cornering are (even by today’s standards) supremely composed. This is a fantastic driver's machine.

What makes the SVX a great poor man’s James Bond car is the lavish, high-tech interior.

The most noticeable unique touch is the half windows. Essentially, Subaru wanted the most panoramic view possible while still having power windows. It’s odd at first, but you barely notice the line created by the power windows and become awed by the incredible panoramic view.

There is real room for 2 in the back and the trunk/boot is quite roomy. The SVXs I’ve driven were always surprising for how they coddled the occupants. All of the gauges and controls look and feel well made. There is an unusual fuzzy, moleskin-ish material that trims many interiors. It seems easy to clean and fairly durable.

The all-wheel-drive (AWD) units only had the 4EAT 4-speed automatic transmission available. There were front-drive SVXs which did have an option for manual transmission, but they were rare and you missed out on the amazing AWD (especially here in Denver). Still, the automatic transmission works well and provides a sporty feel. The steering feel is fantastic, although on-center feel is just so-so. Mileage is 'meh' at about 18 mpg combined.

There are a few things you should be aware of before hunting for a Subaru SVX. Maintenance costs are a tad high. The H-6 (horizontally opposed 6- cylinder) is one the most expensive engines Subaru services. Brakes tend to warp on some models and replacing the factory rotors with stronger aftermarket ones is the smart thing to do. Early models had some transmission issues which have been sorted out, but you have to investigate it.

On the good side, I know a guy in Kentucky who has nearly 300K miles on his SVX with little expense. He still drives it daily. Modifications can push the already robust 230 horsepower engine to nearly 300 horsepower with a few air-intake and exhaust modifications. Suspensions are already beefy and can easily be fortified with after-market components.

The bottom line here is the driving experience. These are some great cars to fling around corners, cruise down the highway and slither through traffic in. One in good condition will not embarrass you and may garner a few admiring glances (not many are out there). What’s more, they are cheap as chips to buy with a few nice examples recently selling for a couple grand.

Take a quick test drive and see what you think. Then, grab some cool spy gizmos on Ebay and live the fantasy!

http://www.subarusvx.com/
http://www.svx-iw.com/

Sing it with me: “Dum-de-de-de-dum-duh-duh-duh-Dum-de-de-de-dum-duh-duh!”

Who is this mystery man from Kentucky?