Boxer rebellion

By ALASTAIR SLOANE

The first six-cylinder Subaru Legacy Outback has landed in New Zealand - days after it was launched in Japan and six months before it is officially unveiled here.

But it is not for sale. It is a Japanese domestic model and has been brought in by Subaru New Zealand to fly the flag and get the jump on used importers, who will soon have the first second-hand examples from Japan.

The all-wheel-drive 3-litre model differs in specifications and trim levels from the car that will be available here next January, priced about $67,000.

But as far as standard safety equipment is concerned it is essentially the same, with pre-tensioner seatbelts, antilock ABS brakes, an electronic stability system and front and side airbags.

"We are confident it will have a strong place in the market, given that it will be positioned against many four-wheel-drive brands," says Subaru general manager Wally Dumper.

The new 3-litre Outback is the first six-cylinder Subaru since the 3.3-litre SVX coupe of the early 90s.

The new powerplant aligns Subaru with Porsche as the only carmakers building horizontally opposed, or boxer, engines. Indeed, Porsche Design group collaborated on the development of the high-performance Legacy RSK B4 sedan.

The six-cylinder Outback engine develops a class-leading 162kW at 6000 rpm and 289Nm of pulling power at 4400 rpm, considerably more than the current 2.5-litre engine's 115kW at 5600 rpm and 223Nm at 3600 rpm.

Size-wise, the new vehicle is the same as the current model and will come with a clutchless manual/automatic transmission as standard. Subaru, mindful of the appeal the car and its extra power will have as a towing vehicle, has revised the suspension settings and the stopping power of the all-round disc brakes.

New Zealand is the third most important export market in the Pacific rim for Subaru, after the United States and Australia. Consequently, each country gets the chance to sample an upcoming production model, an obvious advantage here because of the popularity of used imports.

But a disadvantage for carmakers these days is the weak New Zealand dollar, which is forcing up the price of most new cars.

It is understood Subaru in Japan agreed to price the Outback below $70,000 in a bid to make it more attractive to potential buyers of more expensive European alternatives.

Dumper won't comment on the level of factory support but he says the price for such a vehicle in New Zealand is on-target and competitive.

"Some people buy traditional four-wheel-drives because they want off-road ability and grunt," says Dumper. "But they often wish those type of vehicles were easier to drive.

"Others buy wagons like the Falcon Fairmont and Holden Berlina wagon because they are big and drive like a car. But they wish they had all-wheel-drive for things like boat ramps.

"The new Outback has everything going for it - size, grunt, all-wheel-drive and superb driveability. I think it will find a good niche in the market."