London Escorts sunderland escorts www.asyabahis.org www.dumanbet.live www.pinbahiscasino.com sekabet.net www.olabahisgir.com maltcasino.net faffbet-giris.com www.asyabahisgo1.com www.dumanbetyenigiris.com www.pinbahisgo1.com sekabet-giris2.com www.olabahisgo.com www.maltcasino-giris.com www.faffbet.net betforward1.org betforward.mobi 1xbet-adres.com 1xbet4iran.com romabet1.com www.yasbet2.net 1xirani.com www.romabet.top 3btforward1.com 1xbet https://1xbet-farsi4.com سایت شرط بندی معتبر betforward
dimanche, novembre 24, 2024
HomeCarsRespect Your Elders: Before The Impreza Came The Legacy

Respect Your Elders: Before The Impreza Came The Legacy


Subaru is synonymous with the boxer engine and four-wheel drive layout, as well as having a huge enthusiast following worldwide. But I’d hazard a guess that not many people realise where that lineage descended from, nor what put Subaru on the map in rallying history.

Well, you’re looking at it. When the Legacy sedan replaced the smaller Leone in 1989, it brought Subaru up a notch in terms of quality and space to match the Japanese production sedan competition from Honda and Nissan. But along with the increase in physical dimensions, the Legacy’s drivetrain gave Subaru a great base to contest the World Rally Championship with, which in turn would boost road car sales.

Rally Replay Legacy SH 008

In order go rallying at the highest level, Group A homologation requirements dictated a minimum quantity of road cars produced. And the Legacy RS – along with the more extreme RA-R and RS-RA variants – fulfilled that obligation.

Rally Replay Legacy SH 003

Subaru enlisted Prodrive to develop and run the cars, starting what would become a two-decade-long relationship. The Legacy Group A machine was the first of the Prodrive-built Subarus, and one example still remains in Prodrive’s collection.

Rally Replay Legacy SH 002

Over the course of time, most Legacy RS road cars – like this one I photographed at Rally Replay in Goodwood – have either ended up being modified for motorsport, been crashed, or are now beyond mechanically-viable repair. Finding one in such a well kept state 34 years after manufacture is scarce.

This car in particular had only one owner from new until it sold in 2021. It covered a scant 46,000km (29,000mi) in that time, and was serviced religiously on schedule.

Rally Replay Legacy SH 009

The interior is unmarked, with era-typical velour and cloth figure-hugging bucket seats in the front and a matching bench in the rear. The clocks and dash layout is also a no-frills affair.

Rally Replay Legacy SH 004

The only modification from standard are sticky Bridgestone Potenza RE-01 tyres.

Rally Replay Legacy SH 014

In contrast to the later Impreza, the Legacy used a water-to-air intercooler for its turbocharged EJ20 motor. Its output – 220hp and 200ft/lbs of torque – may not seem like a lot nowadays, but in 1989 it provided decent performance.

Rally Replay Legacy SH 001

As the story goes, the Legacy Group A car was actually favoured over the later Impreza by both Colin McRae and Richard Burns, owing to its longer wheelbase and wider track, which made the car more stable.

So given the choice between a Legacy or an Impreza, which would you be grabbing the keys to? While most would lean towards the Impreza, the Legacy being fairly unknown and sedate looking is my choice. I think it would be a great opportunity to listen to a proverbial tape, rather than CD, in Subaru’s back catalogue and give a greater appreciation for the inherent DNA passed down to subsequent models.

Chaydon Ford
Instagram: chaycore



RELATED ARTICLES

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

Most Popular

Recent Comments