San Francisco: From
humble origins, Subaru has worked its way up to being a rather upscale
and technically sophisticated line of automobiles. As the compact
Impreza takes on new life as the WRX rally-inspired rocket and the B9
Tribeca pushes the brand into the luxury SUV crossover realm, the Legacy
midsize sedan and wagon have grown up, too.
What was a sporty
version of the top-of-the-line 2.5GT now becomes an entity of its own,
sitting atop the Legacy hierarchy. Yes, the day of the 243-horsepower
turbocharged Subaru is here.
Of course, the spec.B
puts that horsepower and 241 lb.-ft. of torque to the ground through all
four wheels. Every Subaru is all-wheel-drive, and it’s a big selling
point. Subaru calls it “symmetrical” because of the unique combination
of its horizontally opposed “flat” boxer engine with full-time all-wheel
drive.
With all-wheel drive,
if a wheel is slipping, the other ones pick up the slack, automatically.
There are no levers to pull or buttons to push in a Subaru. While these
cars are not made for the boulder-laden Rubicon Trail, they do just
dandy at protecting you and yours in normal and dangerous road
conditions, such as ice, sand, and snow.
My tester arrived
wearing classy Diamond Gray Metallic paint. Nothing to indicate wild
speed there, but inside, the sporty leather bucket seats featured Dusk
Blue Alcantara inserts, for a suede like feel. The Legacy’s overall
appearance was modernized recently, and it is a handsome design, that is
neither way out nor dated, just about right. It resembles in some ways
its German competition, such as the BMW 3 Series and Audi A4. Surely,
the resemblance is not unintentional.
As a midsize sedan, the
spec.B is a fine family vehicle, regardless of its hidden potential. The
spec.B logos tip other motorists off that something might be going on
with the car in front of them. You, rapidly disappearing into the
distance, might also give them a clue.
At the front end, the
car’s eyes peer intently forward, like an Eagle in search of prey. The
narrow grille looks ready to consume something if it gets the chance,
perhaps a slow moving Camry. The clean sides wear ground effects
moldings, and lead to a tall tail with built-in spoiler. Large tail
lamps are flush-mounted into the concave back panel.
All spec.B models come
with 18-inch alloy wheels with Bridgestone performance tires. Hiding
behind them is a special Bilstein Sport Suspension that makes carving up
your favorite back road an effortless exercise.
A major factor in
making that drive fun is Subaru’s new SI-Drive technology (It stands for
Subaru Intelligent Drive). This system lets you change the car’s driving
characteristics into “Intelligent,” “Sport,” and “Sport Sharp” modes
using a rotary dial on the center console. The system alters the
settings in the car’s computer system for the engine and transmission
control units. The goal is to configure the car’s performance to your
driving style and requirements.
Intelligent mode
reduces engine torque and maximum power and gives the throttle response
a gentler curve. This is ideal for tooling around town, and tends to
improve fuel mileage. It’s also better if you are driving in slippery
conditions, where you want to restrain power to avoid spinning your
wheels.
Sport mode delivers
lightning fast throttle response and powerful acceleration. The Sport
Sharp mode holds the gears longer and is ideal for driving on the
twisties or passing other cars quickly.
The six-speed manual
transmission in the spec.B comes from the ultra-hot Impreza WRX STI.
It’s a pleasure to shift your own gears in a car this size. So many
midsize sedans offer you nothing but an automatic.
This year, the spec.B
also receives a stability control system called Vehicle Dynamics Control
(VDC) and a TORSEN torque-sensing limited-slip differential. All of
these electronic marvels make your trip down the road safer. Subaru adds
plenty of passive safety too, in the form of airbags galore, antilock
brakes (four-wheel ventilated discs), and even a tire pressure
monitoring system.
The spec.B gets the
full complement of upscale car features, including power windows, locks
and mirrors, dual zone climate control, heated front seats and mirrors,
windshield de-icer, cruise control, steering wheel mounted audio
controls, and more. It comes ready for XM Satellite Radio, and my car
included it as one of only two options.
With all of its many
virtues and powers, the spec.B is not an inexpensive proposition. It’s
$33,995.00, plus $625 destination charge. With satellite radio and wheel
locks, my tester stickered at $35,118. If you want the looks but can do
without the power and the glory, the Legacy 2.5i Special Edition starts
at just $20,795, and models work their way up in approximately $4,000
increments to the spec.B.
Subaru competes in a
more rarefied atmosphere these days. It’s your decision whether to put
$35,000 into this remarkable and even thrilling sedan or to visit your
Audi, or even Infiniti dealer for their take on a powerful,
highly-equipped sports sedan. By Steve Schaefer © AutoWire.Net
- San Francisco
Subaru Home Page
Byline:
Syndicated content provided by Tony Leopardo
© AutoWire.Net
Column Name:
Subaru competes in a rarefied atmosphere these days
Topic:
The 2007 Subaru Legacy 2.5GT Spec B
Word Count:
909
Photo Caption:
The 2007 Subaru Legacy 2.5GT Spec B
Photo Credits:
Subaru Legacy Internet Media
Series #:
2007 - 32
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2007 Subaru Legacy
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