Fellas (and the occasional lady),

 

The "08 WRX came in today" thread really got me thinking. I don't know if you've read the whole thing, but basically it talks about how Subaru has lost it's soul with the new Impreza, and I agreed. However, I feel now, after much thought, that those who claim that Subaru is "selling out" are dead wrong, including myself.

 

Everyone here loves the fact that they own a car that's from a company that's known to put out interesting/ugly/different/quirky cars. However this is NOT the case.

 

Subaru, it seems (in my head at least), only puts out 1 quirky car about every 10 years, with the exception on the 80's when they had 2.

 

When they came out, they had the 360 and needless to say, it was quirky. Then the Brat...come on.. Jap-scrap Elcamino - deninitely quirky. The XT and XT6 Wonder Wedge...with a nickname like that, it's GOTTA be quirky. Then, the all-mighty SVX - The first Subaru to have a flat 6 and it's the car with the largest engine that Subaru built and has ever built since; Coupe, big long nose, "DeLorean" half-windows - I smell quirk. Then we went through a large dry spell until Subaru brought back the Jap-Scrap Elcamino in the form of the Baja...gotta love it...take the Outback wagon and have a machine bite the roof off the trunk...brilliantly quirky. Then, we had the First Gen Tribeca...Edsle from the front, Alien from the back, quirk all over.

 

What cars did I miss?

 

- Justy = Colt = not quirky

- DL/GL = look like any car from the 80s = not quirky

- Loyal = See DL/GL = not quirky

- Gen 1 Legacy = a more refined Loyal sedan = not quirky

- Gen 1 Impreza = Subaru's answer to the Civic and Corolla = not quirky

- Gen 2 Legacy = Camry = Not quirky

- Gen 1 Forester = A wagon with a taller roof.. slightly quirky, but not a head-turner = Not quirky enough

- Gen 2 Impreza = Neon = Not quirky

- Gen 3 Legacy = I have nothing to say. I hate that car = make your own oppinion

- Gen 3 Impreza = everyone thought at the time that it looked too much like "just a sedan" = not quirky

- Gen 2 Forester = Now it has angry eyes! = not quirky

- Gen 4 legacy = Super slick, but not odd = not quirky

- Gen 4 Impreza = Edsel front, Impreza rear = slight quirk, but nothing to write to your congressman about

- Gen 3 Forester = Flat eyebrows = interesting, but no more quirky than an Explorer

 

I'm sorry, but I saw a 2008 Impreza hatch driving down the highway today, and I don't know if it's because I'm a Subaru nut or what, but I COULDN'T stop staring. I've gotta give the 2008 Impreza the vote of "Quirk". I just can't explain it enough on here...just wait till you see one on the road.

 

I know that I didn't get into GT's, RS's, WRX's, STi's and the sort. I did that because those are optional trim packages, not the base model.

 

 

I know that I may have said some controversial things here, but I'd love to hear other people's oppinions on it. Let's just try to keep it civil, I know we will.

 

Thanks for sticking around this long to read this;

 

Discuss...

Then, the all-might SVX - The first Subaru to have a flat 6 and is the car with the largest engine that Subaru built and has ever built since.

 

Not bad with exception of these points.

The XT6 was the first 6 cylinder Subaru, and the current 3.6 liter Trib is the largest 6 cylinder.

Not bad with exception of these points.

The XT6 was the first 6 cylinder Subaru, and the current 3.6 liter Trib is the largest 6 cylinder.

Good catch on the XT6..i did contradict myself.

 

 

I just looked up the new Tribeca on the Subaru website, and I guess hear the "6" on all of the commercials never hit me. Another good call.

- Gen 1 Legacy = a more refined Loyal sedan = not quirky

 

Not exactly. They share nothing in common. The Loyale is the EA series where the Legacy was the entirely new EJ series.

 

Gen 1 legacy looks a lot like the old Camry's actually.

 

GD

Not exactly. They share nothing in common. The Loyale is the EA series where the Legacy was the entirely new EJ series.

 

Gen 1 legacy looks a lot like the old Camry's actually.

 

GD

 

either way you verify my point

Gen 1 Legacy's not quirky? Hello! Turbo Sedan in the early 1990's? Sounds quirky to me. Plus there's a whole forum dedicated to them.

I think that perhaps you are setting the bar a little too high for your definition of quirk.

 

Frameless windows.

Boxer engines.

no non AWD option.

Station wagon body configuation

 

All those are nearly unique to Subaru 'features' at least compared to other Japanese cars. I do fully agree that the examples you pointed out are MORE quirky than the average Subaru.

 

Nathan

I think that perhaps you are setting the bar a little too high for your definition of quirk.

 

Frameless windows.

Boxer engines.

no non AWD option.

Station wagon body configuation

 

All those are nearly unique to Subaru 'features' at least compared to other Japanese cars. I do fully agree that the examples you pointed out are MORE quirky than the average Subaru.

 

Nathan

thank you. i DID want to put those things in my original entry, but didn't want to make it any longer than it already was.

 

and having said that, the only thing that the 08 Impreza DOESN't have in what you mentioned is the frameless windows. But what average person would drive down the highway and see a Subaru and say, HEY, THAT CAR DOESN'T HAVE WINDOW FRAMES!!

 

however, pleanty of other cars have been offered in a wagon formation:

Focus: Sedan/wagon/hatch

Acord: Sedan/wagon

Camry: Sedan/Wagon

Gen 1 Legacy's not quirky? Hello! Turbo Sedan in the early 1990's? Sounds quirky to me. Plus there's a whole forum dedicated to them.

as i said with the window frames, no one (exageration) who's not a Subaru nut would drive down the highway and make a comment about how "turbo" a gen 1 legacy looks.

 

i'm mostly going on looks here poeple. the only internals i mentioned were on the SVX, and only hard-core subaru people would know that.

I always thought the EA82 cars looked quite a bit like the first gen Camry (In fact, an EA82 hood will fit a Camry, you just have to widen the hinge bolt holes about 1/8" on either side. I know this cuz I did it lol, everything lines up, just the stock grille won't fit (and I didn't have a Subaru one to stick in there at the time)

 

And I kinda agree with the Gen1 Lego/Gen2 Camry similarity, although I always thought the 91ish Corolla front end looked a lot like the Legacy (Especially the headlights)

QUIRKY...Its What Makes a Subaru a Subaru ( sowwy couldnt resist:) )

- Justy = Colt = not quirky

 

4WD and more importantly ECVT = quirky to me

4WD and more importantly ECVT = quirky to me

 

In a quirk war of that time period however, i feel that the Eagle line wins.

this where the XT6 steals the show, quirky, lots of functionality but still looks cool. the looks are just the beginning of the quirks.

 

walk through junk yards that have random body parts removed, the yards that pull stuff to store in warehouses and then leave the rest outside...that really shows you what is quirky and what is not. you'll walk past tons of cars and realize how hard they are to tell apart or even what make they are. but some still stand out, missing body parts and all.

this where the XT6 steals the show, quirky, lots of functionality but still looks cool. the looks are just the beginning of the quirks.

 

walk through junk yards that have random body parts removed, the yards that pull stuff to store in warehouses and then leave the rest outside...that really shows you what is quirky and what is not. you'll walk past tons of cars and realize how hard they are to tell apart or even what make they are. but some still stand out, missing body parts and all.

 

now we're on the same page.

compared to most, i'm pretty new to subarus and my experience is limited to 90s legacys, but to me 3 cylinders is pretty quirky. spare tire mounted on the engine is quirky. but the best, cars that run 300k is quirky. no, wait, that's just subaru.

 

was the colt 3 cylinders?

but to me 3 cylinders is pretty quirky

he's talking strictly cosmetic, appearances, looks, overview.

compared to most, i'm pretty new to subarus and my experience is limited to 90s legacys, but to me 3 cylinders is pretty quirky.

 

was the colt 3 cylinders?

 

As I said, all of my points (with the exception of the SVX) were based on physical appearance; what the average person sees driving down the highway.

 

If we were talking about machanicals, then every Subaru, no matter what it looks like would be concidered quirky because of the boxer engine. If Subaru made a car that was IDENTICAL to a 2000 Honda Civic, it'd still be quirky because of the internals, which is why I left all of that OUT.

 

Yes, the internals are what we all love. We love the AWD, the Boxer, the Parking light switch, and everything else that "makes a Subaru, a Subaru", but, as I've stated, the average person doesn't see those things on the road.

as i said with the window frames, no one would drive down the highway and make a comment about how "turbo" a gen 1 legacy looks.

Isn't that the first Subaru with a factory hood scoop? How cool and quirky is that? They always catch my eye.

Isn't that the first Subaru with a factory hood scoop? How cool and quirky is that? They always catch my eye.

 

yes, but i also stated that i left out trim models because they're options. you can go to any car manufacturer and get optional packages that make the car look funny.

yes, but i also stated that i left out trim models because they're options. you can go to any car manufacturer and get optional packages that make the car look funny.

You mentioned how "turbo" a gen 1 legacy looks. When you look at it you know it's got a "turbo". Why do you think it looks funny?

You mentioned how "turbo" a gen 1 legacy looks. When you look at it you know it's got a "turbo". Why do you think it looks funny?

 

I don't. I said that no one sees a Gen 1 turbo legacy on the highway and makes a comment about how turbo it looks.

I don't. I said that no one sees a Gen 1 turbo legacy on the highway and makes a comment about how turbo it looks.

I know, I just mentioned that I do so you can't really say that anymore.

I'm sure I'm not the only one.

I know, I just mentioned that I do so you can't really say that anymore.

I'm sure I'm not the only one.

 

You're also not an "average" person.

 

The fact that you KNOW that there's a Gen 1 Turbo Legacy and you can spot one on the road makes you an exception that PROVES the rule.:-p

You're also not an "average" person.

 

The fact that you KNOW that there's a Gen 1 Turbo Legacy and you can spot one on the road makes you an exception that PROVES the rule.:-p

Like I said, I'm sure I'm not the only one which doesn't prove any rule.