2/10/06 Article on 2006 Legacy GT Spec B in San Jose Mercury News - Five Stars!

This just in.... They gave it five stars in the paper-version of this article.

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Posted on Fri, Feb. 10, 2006

Test Drive: Subaru's new Legacy something special

By Matt Nauman

Mercury News

The redesign of the Ford Mustang has been a roaring success, and the reborn Dodge Charger has been greeted enthusiastically.

The arrival of new Challenger and Camaro concept models in Detroit last month shows that the muscle-car era has returned with the full-throated roar of a V-8 engine.

And don't get me wrong, I love 'em.

But give this driver a turbo-charged four-cylinder, a stick shift and all-wheel-drive and I'm a happy camper.

That means I was smiling all week as I drove the 2006 Subaru Legacy 2.5 GT spec.B sedan.

Yes, the name is quite a handful. But it's a car that's worth getting your hands on.

Not that it'll be easy to find, as the Japanese automaker says it is going to sell only 500 of these limited-production models in 2006. It's being sold in the United States for the first time, but it has been a hot seller in Japan and Europe.

It's based on Subaru's regular Legacy sedan, the brand's bestselling model, but adds all sorts of cosmetic and performance upgrades to make it rival the also-coveted WRX STI in terms of go-fast appeal.

Subaru spokeswoman Jessica Tullman tells me spec.B refers to the car's Bilstein suspension offering. Adding ``spec'' to a car's name usually means something special is included. Nissan adds the Spec V designation to a spunky Sentra SE-R model, while Acura calls its line of high-performance, dealer-installed accessories A-Spec.

On the outside, the 2.5 GT spec.B is painted in titanium silver metallic, and comes with a bit of lower body enhancements and a strip of chrome trim on each side. The 18-inch alloy wheels look great, and they're paired with Bridgestone Potenza low-profile, high-performance summer tires.

Still, like the rest of the Subaru lineup, the outside appearance of the spec.B Legacy is pleasant enough, but here it offers a conservative disguise to the wild heart that beats inside.

You hear that thump-thump as soon as you open the door. The brick-red leather seats -- the color is matched on the door trim -- are luscious. They reminded me of the type of interior you'd find on an Audi. The three-spoke Momo steering wheel, the drilled aluminum pedals and the thick door handles give this car a performance attitude.

The car also comes with spec.B floor mats and a plaque that tells you you're driving a limited edition model. (Mine was No. 1 of 500. Do I win a prize?)

Drivers, though, will probably buy the Legacy GT spec.B for its Bilstein shock package and revised front suspension. That's where the usual MacPherson set-up was replaced by an inverted strut configuration like that on the WRX STI. Aluminum is used in both front and rear suspensions to reduce weight.

Also added to the spec.B over the 2.5 GT Limited are such standard equipment as a navigation system and an upgraded stereo that plays MP3 recordings. Both GT models come standard with dual-zone climate control, a power moonroof and power front seats.

On the safety side, the Legacy comes with dual front, side and side-curtain air bags, four-wheel anti-lock brakes (ABS) with electronic brake-force distribution (EBD), daytime running lights and headrests for all five seats. Subaru's stability control system, called Vehicle Dynamics Control (VDC) and offered on the B9 Tribeca sport-utility and Outback wagons, isn't available on the Legacy models.

While the base Legacy gets a 175-horsepower motor, the GT Limited and spec.B models feature an inter-cooled, turbo-charged version of the 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine that makes 250 horsepower and 250 pound-feet of torque. It features Subaru's Active Valve Control System (AVCS) variable-valve timing system.

A five-speed manual is the only transmission choice, and it comes with all-wheel-drive, just like every other Subaru.

On the road, the package is nearly perfect. The engine is very powerful, the shifts are silky smooth and the handling (thanks to AWD, suspension upgrades and nice tires) is outstanding.

Internet sentiment expressed some disappointment that the 276-horsepower, 2.0-liter rally version sold on the Japanese spec.B didn't make it here, but I see little purpose in such woulda-coulda thinking.

The response of this engine is quick. Plenty quick.

This is a car that's designed for aggressive, weekend driving. It feels wasted in gridlock.

My complaints are few. I think of the Legacy as Subaru's version of Honda's Accord or Toyota's Camry, but it's actually a compact model whereas those others are considered mid-size machines.

The Legacy is 186.2 inches long, with 93.1 cubic feet of passenger space. The 2006 Camry is 189.2 inches long, with 101.8 cubic feet of space. The Accord sedan is 189.5 inches long, with 102.7 cubic feet of passenger volume. That difference is felt in the Legacy's back seat, which is adequate but nothing more for two adults and cramped quarters for three.

Fuel economy -- 20 mpg in the city and 26 mpg on the highway -- is less than spectacular, and Subaru says the spec.B prefers to drink the premium stuff.

Prices for the regular Legacy sedans start at less than $22,000. The GT versions start at about $29,000, and the spec.B tops the lineup at about $34,000.

That's not cheap, but it feels reasonable for a limited-edition, higher-performance model -- especially on a sunny Sunday morning on a winding California back road.

We have discussed this before, but it is interesting to read the specs on interior size. Then again, I wonder how the legacy would stack up against its real competitors, the A4, 3 series, new IS, etc.

I think Road & Track pretty much took care of that!

The LGT is just a hell of a car, spec. B or not!

T

I never actually read the full article.

that's because none of the many idiots who started threads wanting to discuss the article actually posted the article, unlike jooyoungkim, who wisely included the article and therefore made it worthy of discussion

Can someone tell me what the writer refers to as "spec b. floor mats."

I read this somewhere else once but what makes them "spec b."

Unless my floor mats were snatched out or replaced they don't look special and they certainly don't say spec b. on them. Perhaps its just the fact that they have red along the border.

Is that it?

Could someone else with a spec b. verify that there isn't anything special about the floor mats?

thanks

I think this article was posted this morning, but this part is interesting.

 

"My complaints are few. I think of the Legacy as Subaru's version of Honda's Accord or Toyota's Camry, but it's actually a compact model whereas those others are considered mid-size machines.

 

The Legacy is 186.2 inches long, with 93.1 cubic feet of passenger space. The 2006 Camry is 189.2 inches long, with 101.8 cubic feet of space. The Accord sedan is 189.5 inches long, with 102.7 cubic feet of passenger volume. That difference is felt in the Legacy's back seat, which is adequate but nothing more for two adults and cramped quarters for three."

 

We have discussed this before, but it is interesting to read the specs on interior size. Then again, I wonder how the legacy would stack up against its real competitors, the A4, 3 series, new IS, etc.

Passenger volumes in Cu. Ft.:

Lexus IS250 - 88

Audi A4 - 90

Volvo S40 - 92

BMW 325xi - 93

Subaru Legacy - 93

Mazda MAZDASPEED6 - 96

Infiniti G35x - 98

Can someone tell me what the writer refers to as "spec b. floor mats."

 

I read this somewhere else once but what makes them "spec b."

 

Unless my floor mats were snatched out or replaced they don't look special and they certainly don't say spec b. on them. Perhaps its just the fact that they have red along the border.

 

Is that it?

 

Could someone else with a spec b. verify that there isn't anything special about the floor mats?

 

thanks

They just match the interior with the Brick Red stitching around the border.

Brian

That's what I thought... would have been nice to have spec b stitched in the side....

thanks

That's what I thought... would have been nice to have spec b stitched in the side....

 

thanks

I was thinking the same thing.