# Has anyone driven the New Subaru Legacy GT (see pic)



## pdz (Nov 17, 2002)

chrono111 said:


> I completely agree .. with the subaru VIP plan I had a GT limited w/auto for $28500. It can't be beat on price. If I wasn't lucky enough to score the ZHP I'd be driving a pearl blue GT limited. The GT is a fantastic car for the $$$$ :thumbup:


i find it fascinated that it equals/betters the performance of the last generation S4 and e36m3 in most performance parameters and that it's only 28k out the door.

if only the 325 could be that F A S T at that pricepoint. i know, i know. that's not the point of entry-luxe (pricing), but it BMW sure asks for a hefty premium to really get into a car that can move out of its own way.


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## mickey513 (Jun 12, 2003)

It's a nice car but I don't see at ass being a luxury or entry level luxury car. Looks to much like a high class WRX, plus the exterior design leaves a bit to be desire


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## pdz (Nov 17, 2002)

mickey513 said:


> It's a nice car but I don't see at ass being a luxury or entry level luxury car. Looks to much like a high class WRX, plus the exterior design leaves a bit to be desire


that's exactly right.

it's coming in at a pricepoint that is about average for its segment, but it is still economy class. the BMW is a luxury class automaker.

the only sticking point is that the high end of the economy class is outperforming entry level luxury in any performance metric so the price difference comes down to quality, perceived or real, of the interior.

that's a lot of extra jack to pay for and it mildly disturbs me that the "ultimate driving machine" gets outdriven by a lot of cars and the only reason to choose one for a lot of enthusiasts is the interiors nowadays?


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## andy_thomas (Oct 7, 2002)

mycl said:


> Legacy GT better than 530i ..... says this South African reviewer.
> 
> http://motoring.iafrica.com/carsinaction/shootout/291844.htm


What an odd car with which to compare the Subaru. Why not a 7 series, for that matter?


> "The wonderful GT is a different drive altogether. No other performance sedan on the market comes close in value for money terms. It can hold its own with European sedans which cost three times as much."
> 
> http://www.mynrma.com.au/liberty-2.5-and-gt_sublib25_gt.asp


It's great that the Subaru is so wonderfully cheap - but I think it's more a case that the BMW is wonderfully expensive in SA, leaving the brand name to do most of the talking (and therefore polarising). List prices here:

Legacy Spec-B £26,500
530i £31,725

Not 200% more expensive here - not even 20%. And with a 330i saloon costing pretty much the same as the Legacy (albeit with less toys), it's no wonder (a) BMW is selling about 100,000 3ers a year here and (b) the Subaru, great car though it is, won't sell without discounting. Of course, if BMW was suddenly to raise the price of the 530i to £85,000, Subarus would start flying out of the door.


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## pdz (Nov 17, 2002)

andy_thomas said:


> What an odd car with which to compare the Subaru. Why not a 7 series, for that matter?
> 
> It's great that the Subaru is so wonderfully cheap - but I think it's more a case that the BMW is wonderfully expensive in SA, leaving the brand name to do most of the talking (and therefore polarising). List prices here:
> 
> ...


yeah, that is a good point.

the euro is quite strong relative to the dollar (and the yen, also).

the price delta between a loaded legacy gt (28,800 USD) and the equivalent 330 ZHP (42,000 USD) is significant. i'm sure that the price difference can be justifiable to many, many people. but not to people whose primary mission is to have a fast commuter car.

the BMW excels at commuting, but i'd argue against it being fast. it's sufficient.

this will change with the e90, obviously.


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## flashinthepan (Jul 25, 2003)

I like the car overall, I just dont particularly car for the old style hood scoops, Subaru should come up with a better air flow design that is up to date.


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## bork111 (Apr 14, 2004)

I drove the Legacy GT Limited and wanted to be more impressed than I was. The suspension wasn't that great, styling is ho-hum, stereo sucked, and fold-down rear seats wasn't even an option. I chose an Audi A4 Quattro 1.8T 6sp Manual. For an extra $5k, it fixed all of the above problems (although the suspension still leaves a bit to be desired), upgraded the quality of the materials and fit/finish *a lot*, without sacrificing much power.

After you get over the fun of the straight line acceleration, this car is really underwhelming.

My .02


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## andy_thomas (Oct 7, 2002)

pdz said:


> yeah, that is a good point.
> 
> the euro is quite strong relative to the dollar (and the yen, also).
> 
> the price delta between a loaded legacy gt (28,800 USD) and the equivalent 330 ZHP (42,000 USD) is significant. i'm sure that the price difference can be justifiable to many, many people. but not to people whose primary mission is to have a fast commuter car.


Isn't a key point that Subaru builds the Legacy in the US, and is thus immune from the effects of the currently poor purchasing power of the dollar?


> the BMW excels at commuting, but i'd argue against it being fast. It's sufficient.


Clearly you are not pressing the right hand pedal *nearly* hard enough!


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## Chris90 (Apr 7, 2003)

andy_thomas said:


> Isn't a key point that Subaru builds the Legacy in the US, and is thus immune from the effects of the currently poor purchasing power of the dollar?
> 
> Clearly you are not pressing the right hand pedal *nearly* hard enough!


If it's built in the US from 80% Japan-sourced parts, no, it's not immune. I don't know the percentage, but Japanese corporations typically like to source Japanese made parts.


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## mycl (Dec 10, 2004)

*330i bested by Subaru Liberty/Legacy according to Wheels Magazine*

More BMW 330i versus Subaru Liberty 3.0R ....

http://subaru.com.au/news/?newsid=12139

$51K Liberty out-scores $98K BMW in Wheels comparo.  

The $50,990 Subaru Liberty 3.0R has beaten a $98,925 BMW 330i Executive in a comparison test published in the January edition of Wheels magazine, out now.

Wheel says: "Subaru's fourth-generation Liberty is a superbly crafted device, with a standard of interior quality and a tactility to its controls that would make even Audi blush, let alone BMW. Its soft ivory leather actually feels like real cow, and the clarity and thundering bass of its 13-speaker McIntosh six-disc CD audio is superb. Even the way Liberty's sashless doors close with an old-moneyed thunk exudes quality. And forget about options - the 3.0R is so loaded it could be locked up for driving DUI."

Wheels concludes: "But for space, style, comfort and charisma, the Liberty gives no quarter. With more attention to it road-noise issues and its steering, the 3.0R could wear the 'Japanese 330i' crown. It doesn't, and it isn't - not quite - but then what else provides a near 330i experience for $51K? And that's why it's the winner here - by a bleached hair's breath."

While both cars are awarded four stars, Liberty 3.0R is awarded a score of 2 against the BMW's 1 in the test - one of four "Japan v Europe" comparison in Wheels.


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## Artslinger (Sep 2, 2002)

The BMW 330i costs $98,925 in Australia? 
The Subaru Liberty 3.0R is half the price of a BMW 330i?


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## pdz (Nov 17, 2002)

bork111 said:


> I drove the Legacy GT Limited and wanted to be more impressed than I was. The suspension wasn't that great, styling is ho-hum, stereo sucked, and fold-down rear seats wasn't even an option. I chose an Audi A4 Quattro 1.8T 6sp Manual. For an extra $5k, it fixed all of the above problems (although the suspension still leaves a bit to be desired), upgraded the quality of the materials and fit/finish *a lot*, without sacrificing much power.
> 
> After you get over the fun of the straight line acceleration, this car is really underwhelming.
> 
> My .02


if you're happy with the 1.8t VAG engine, that's more power to you. i find it overmatched in the a4 because the a4 is so heavy. the delta between the cars, being conservative, to 60mph is at least 2 seconds and i just could not, myself, commute in a car that slow.

but the interior of the audi is clearly superior, the handling is about the same but the OEM audi tires are better and the audi stereo is definitely better.

i am a fan of the new a4 and a6 but the current a4 is still a nice looker to me.


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## ed325i (Dec 20, 2001)

pdz said:


> ...but the interior of the audi is clearly superior, the handling is about the same but the OEM audi tires are better and the audi stereo is definitely better...


I agree, and the changing the tires and stereo is a fairly simple and quick fix.

Ed


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