Tuesday 15th May 2012

Spotted: Subaru XT

A cross between a sci-fi prop and a car, this weirdo coupe proves that two-door Subarus are nothing new.

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Depending on the decade in which it's conceived, a science fiction vision of the future is either curvy or geometrically angular. According to the visionaries of the 1980s, the future was set to be a curve-free place.

And everyone, but everyone, would be driving round in something very like this Subaru XT.

These days, the XT oozes Bladerunner/Tron cool. It's got a quirky offset, asymmetrical steering wheel, a single wiper blade, an artificial horizon-style orange digital instrument cluster (OK, so this car doesn't have that, but some of them did), four-wheel drive that can be switched on and off via the trigger-like button on the centre console. Some XTs also had all-wheel-drive that would be activated by switching the wipers on, but we don't think this is one of those cars.

This is a proper Subaru, too, with a turbocharged four-cylinder boxer engine (kicking out 136hp in European spec, rather more than it mustered in other markets) that, not entirely coincidentally, permits a low nose. This gave the XT a thoroughly impressive drag coefficient on 0.29.

But unlike, say, an Impreza in the 90s, this is not a common car. In fact, the vendor of this particular example reckons there are only four XTs in the UK, which we can well believe.

It's also got plenty of ticket left, a smidgen of tax, and sounds like it's been well looked-after (though it is a minor disappointment that the air suspension has been replaced with Legacy springs. All of which, if slapping on some electronica, indulging in copious amounts of hairspray and practising your Rutger Hauer impression is your bag, makes the £2,000 asking price seem rather reasonable...

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SUBARU XT
Engine: 1,780cc flat-four turbo
Transmission:4-speed auto
Power (hp):136@5,600rpm
Torque (lb ft):145@2,800rpm
MPG: na
CO2: na
First registered: 1987 (D-plate)
Recorded mileage:92,700
Yours for: £2,000

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[Stew2000]

If only I had money.
First thing I would do is swap the fish for a smiley.

[fozluvscars]

slam it and add some 'phat' rims - would still look good

[HeMightBeBanned]

Two bags o' sand?

Someone's 'avin' a giraffe.

/Mike Brewer

[Garlick]

Is that at straight ahead?

[fozluvscars]

Garlick said:

Is that at straight ahead?

they've used a handbrake as a gear knob too

[GrahamG]

Now a VERY rare car in the UK - just 6 road registered!

[Kev T]

Only 6 left, thank f**k for that! It's hideous. Looks like something out of the Jetsons ;-)

[JohnoVR6]

That's amazing.

Funny, I only spotted a SVX the other day and thought I hadn't seen one in yonks...but this is something else.

Have a soft spot for etch-a-sketch designs

Edit...that said, there's an awful lot of 'Iron Mask' Skyline in its looks - not that that's a bad thing!

Edited by JohnoVR6 on Tuesday 15th May 11:06

[bob1179]

I for one like it. Does it have room in the boot for ones Hover Board? Also where is the 'Mr Fusion' filler?

It'll make the commute to Hill Valley much easier, unless of course that mad Doc Brown is out in his De Lorean again.

[kambites]

Garlick said:

Is that at straight ahead?

I think it's pointing slightly to the left; the rectangle in the middle of the steering wheel would be horizontal with the wheels pointing straight ahead.

[Liquid Tuna]

Two grand buys a lot of car these days. Can't help thinking it's priced at double what it should be?

[artdealer]

When I saw the pic i knew it had to be the one. This car lives around the corner and I only saw it out and about a couple of days ago. A striking, different car to the Euromoulds of today.

When she was about ten, my daughter pointed to it and said she'd like "that one' - which was amusing given the cars I've had over the years. She's now 24 and a textile designer. Her agent says her designs are like they come from 'an island' so her liking this car speaks volumes!

This car also lives about 2 doors away from a Ferrari Testarossa (well it did when I last saw the garage open).

[J4CKO]

Think there is soemone on Retro Rides sticking Impreza bits in one of these, there is definitely one on there.

I like it, they were rare when new and by no means a common site, the Isuszu Piazza was more numerous and that was pretty rare.

Two grand doesnt seem unreasonable, ok it isnt pretty but is distinctive, looks tidy and is 4wd so could be a useful winter tool.

Probably about the rarest and distinctive car you can buy for a couple of grand, I even dont mind the looks.

[sinbaddio]

That is different. Loving the blue velour interior and the gear knob looks like it came straight from an Ann Summers party

[DrMekon]

If I was going for a quirky Subaru, it'd have to be an SVX



Used to see one in Hove in the mid 90's. Looked other worldly.

[Mark-C]

I like it a lot - it's different and that's worth a lot (or should be IMHO) in these days of anonymous cars .... and .... Pop up headlights

[ts86net]

Would this qualify for classic insurance?

[M@1975]

i'm sure there's one of these near me, the interior is a little erm... challenging but I'm not averse to the outside looks, as mentioned before, a touch of the "Iron Mask" RS-X about it.

[AshVX220]

artdealer said:

When I saw the pic i knew it had to be the one. This car lives around the corner and I only saw it out and about a couple of days ago. A striking, different car to the Euromoulds of today.

When she was about ten, my daughter pointed to it and said she'd like "that one' - which was amusing given the cars I've had over the years. She's now 24 and a textile designer. Her agent says her designs are like they come from 'an island' so her liking this car speaks volumes!

This car also lives about 2 doors away from a Ferrari Testarossa (well it did when I last saw the garage open).

You should tell your daughter it's available, she might want it.

FWIW, I think it's great.

[George36]

Last Wednesday I see one of these XT's on the A127 near Basildon, got to admit it caught my eye as it just looked a little mad, thought it was a Mitsubishi at first