Friday, February 28, 2014

Crapwagon Outtake: The Subaru RX Coupe

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I once read a book abut Subaru's history in the American market, which I assume makes me an expert on all things Fuji Heavy. That and I came home from the hospital in a GL10 Turbo station wagon, which suffered an ignominious death from rust just months later. But somehow, there was a gap in my Subaru knowledge, specifically with their two-door models.

As far as I knew, Subaru's two door models included the XT, the SVX and the Impreza Coupe. Oh, and the BRAT. But I had no idea that the RX Coupe existed – not that many other people did either. Based on the Leone/GL, only 2600 RX Coupes were imported over a two year period from 1987 to 1989, with an automatic transmission only available in 1989.

Power came from a 1.8L turbocharged boxer-four, making 115 horsepower and 134 lb-ft of torque. Although the RX looked like a sporty coupe, it came with a low-range transmission and a locking center differential, as well as an unusually high ride height. On-road performance may not have been as sharp as some of its competitors, but the grip and handling on loose surfaces made up the difference. In a way, it was the Outback sedan, long before it was a glimmer in the eye of a New England Subaru dealer.

The RX's limited numbers translate into a scarce supply. The only RX for sale in the country is this beautifully preserved sedan, which has the 5-speed manual/low-range combo and a very period correct color scheme. If I had one, it would look more like this.

 



from The Truth About Cars http://ift.tt/Jh8LjA

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