But to driving enthusiasts, especially World Rally Championship fans, Subaru is a name synonymous with driving machines. And every year, Motor Image, which is the official distributor of Subaru in Southeast Asia, hosts an Advanced Driving Course for predominantly Impreza WRX and STi owners so they can safely harness their steed’s high performance in the real world. People in the colder climes of the US and Japan also patronize the brand for its all-weather versatility, by the way.
At the time, the idea of Subaru seriously doing business in the Philippines was still admittedly a stretch. The business environment in Manila was still shaky, and the first dealership in EDSA was still pretty much a big excavation hole in the ground right next to the Ford showroom. Anything could happen between then and the projected launch a year after.
Past Subaru initiatives by first, Columbian Autocar, and then General Motors Automobiles Philippines had also failed to make a serious impression on the automotive market, so I personally figured that the public would be skeptical about a brand that had initially sizzled and then fizzled in the past. But after a day of drills and hot laps around Sepang International Circuit, I had a feeling that Motor Image’s initiative on the Philippine market would be much more successful.
That is, if they would bring in the cars that would give that helpful boost of "special-ness" to a niche brand like Subaru, cars that would get well-to-do enthusiasts into its future EDSA showroom. During the Advanced Driving Course, we got to drive a plain-Jane Impreza (boring), the Legacy (interesting), and the Forester Turbo (surprisingly good). The stars were, of course, the Impreza WRX and STi, the WRC-inspired driving machines that are to Subaru what the Evolution series is to Mitsubishi.
Fast-forward to July 2006 and Motor Image Pilipinas’ showroom is now a gleaming reality, a five-level "Subaru Center" with a museum-like ambience and 10 computerized work bays in the service area. A separate warehouse also has in stock all the essential spare parts customers would require over the life of its cars. It’s proof that they’re serious this time, that they won’t leave buyers scrounging for hard-to-find parts in the near future.
Most importantly, it has a quartet of all-wheel drive products, none of which could possibly be described as "boring". They can’t be, anyway. With the cheapest one ringing the cash register at almost P1.3M, these are decidedly not everyday cars. During that Advanced Driving Course, Nicky admitted that they would not be bringing in any entry-level models.
Technology has a price, of course, and for the prices they would be imposing, the most important technologies that the cars would have would be the two that have clearly identified Subaru over the years: all-wheel drive, and the horizontally-opposed engine configuration. Whether Filipinos need all-wheel drive or not is a matter for debate, but that’s how all Subarus roll out of the factory in Japan.
"Symmetrical all-wheel drive" is actually the more correct term for the technology, as Subaru’s is the only system that positions all the components (powertrain, propeller shaft, rear differential, etc) in a linear layout that’s symmetrical on a left-right axis, thus producing excellent left-right weight balance. In addition, there is good front-rear weight distribution lent by the placement of the transmission and other heavy components within the wheelbase. The symmetry combined with the front-rear weight distribution creates an agile, stable platform no matter what the model.
Automatic transmission-equipped models use an electronically managed, variable transfer clutch in the transaxle tail shaft. Power is normally split 90% front and 10% rear, but the torque split can be instantly adjusted in the event of tire slippage. Manual transmission-equipped models, on the other hand, use a viscous coupling in a center differential inside the transaxle case. The normal power split is 50% front-50% rear, but slippage at either end will cause the unit to vary the torque distribution in favor of the wheels with the best traction.
As for the horizontally opposed engine layout, the cylinders are laid out in a flat, 180-degree configuration. More commonly referred to as a "boxer" design because of the opposing pistons’ jabbing motions towards each other, this rather unconventional approach creates a unique burbling sound that’s off-putting at first, but which benefits the driver in the form of smoother operation throughout the engine range (as the pistons cancel each other’s vibration out), more refined power delivery, and a lower center of gravity than with more common inline or V-type engine layouts.
Only time will tell if the market will embrace Subaru this time around, but from the looks of this all-wheel drive lineup, as well as the reassuring presence of that Subaru Center, Motor Image has made sure to cement the bond between the brand and that invaluable spirit of "driving excitement".
The "base" model (P1,296,754) gets by with a 2.0-liter DOHC unit rated at 158PS and 19kg-m of torque and comes with a 4-speed AT, climate control, duarl SRS airbags, ABS, and 60-series tires on sport rims. The 2.5 Turbo (P1,658,102) model has some serious scoot with 230PS and 32.6kg-m of torque and adds a 2-stage sunroof, side airbags, and stickier 55-series, 17-inch tires.
It should appeal to executives tired of that me-too character with its driver-oriented cockpit and driving dynamics. It rolls on low-profile 45-series, 17-inch tires suspended by a front strut, rear multilink suspension. Like any self-respecting executive car, it’s loaded with plush leather upholstery, automatic climate control, keyless entry, and a premium sound system.
The cabin is as luxurious as you’d expect any car costing P2,257,555 to be, with standard goodies like leather, foglamps, climate control, 8-way power driver’s seat, and a sunroof. Under the hood is Subaru’s biggest engine in the lineup: a 3-liter, 24-valve, DOHC flat-six rated at 245PS and 30.3 kg-m of torque harnessed to a 5-speed automatic with sequential Sportshift. Like the Legacy, it uses a front strut, rear multilink suspension but rides on more comfort oriented 55-series, 17-inch tires. ABS and front, side, and curtain airbags are standard safety equipment.
The WRX also comes with a body kit and the rear wing from Hell, although it’s safe to say that it’s fully deserving of such visual excitement. Inside, the basic Impreza cockpit is spruced up with serious bucket seats, a short-throw 5-speed stick shift, and closely spaced aluminum pedals. Front struts and a rear dual-link suspension setup combine with the all-wheel drive for cutthroat handling. ABS complements the all-disk brakes, while front airbags are standard.