The new Legacy and Outback

Confident, Dynamic Exterior With An Interior Ambience To Match
Subaru makes no apology for targeting prestigious European sporting marques with the confident new styling and welcoming soft-touch interior of its new Legacy and Outback.
All models have a strong presence thanks to a deep grille and projector-headlamps with circular dips further emphasising the low centre-of-gravity of the 'boxer' engine.
Body width is increased by 35 mm with a greater curvature to the shoulder area between the door handles and side glass. This, together with wider tracks which 'flesh-out' the wheelarches, creates a stable, squat, muscular stance exploited to great effect by certain German manufacturers.
Equally, the front wings have more curvature at their leading edge, while strong bonnet crease lines swoop down to the front bumper. The side view is also dynamic, being more curved from the A-posts back and the 3-D rear tail-lamp treatment is cleaner and fuss-free by avoiding quickly outmoded gimmicks.
Ultra-low Cd figures of 0.28 for the saloon and 0.30 for the Sports Tourer (Outback 0.34) prove the worth of such detailing, helped by special engine undercovers, spoilers and wheel flaps.

Other distinctive Subaru design features are frameless doors and estate side glass which flows uninterrupted rearwards of the A-posts, now capped by a flush-fitting tailgate spoiler. New styling signatures include side indicators embedded in the bottom of the door mirrors and large left and right exhaust tailpipes on all models except the 2.0i.
Emphasising their sporty styling, most models have larger wheels and tyres with, for example the Legacy 2.5i now featuring 215/45ZR tyres on 7JJ x 17 ins alloy wheels.
The higher-riding Outback crossover has a cleaner look than the previous model, relying less on body cladding to communicate its toughness and all-terrain ability.

Nevertheless, the bumpers are more substantial and wheelarches have flared protectors linked by side protectors running from sill-height to a lower point than before. This makes the body look deeper and the car chunkier, further emphasising its rugged design brief. The Outback also has a bigger front grille and different arched bonnet with twin grooves.

Tactile, 'Surprise And Delight' Interior
Meanwhile, the interior on all models benefits from soft-touch surfaces with a sporty, quality feel backed by damped stalks and buttons.

For example, the fascia, door trim, roof lining and grab-handles all benefit from new materials with extra padding and texturing after careful study of premium-quality European marques. Colour-matching of the various components is extremely precise for a feeling of harmony.
Equally, the interior design is intended to create a functional, driver-focussed atmosphere with many flush surfaces. The steering wheel is smaller than before and even the 2.0i has sports front seats with supportive side bolsters.

'Surprise and delight' items include especially tactile and solid-feeling interior door-pulls and - on turning the ignition key - electro-luminescent instruments which light up and arc round to their maximum settings on the sporty 3.0R.
Never a problem on the previous model, interior space is nevertheless increased, with an extra 9 mm of shoulder room, 11 mm of elbow room and front seats which slide 3 mm further forward and 7.5 mm more rearward. In addition, the entire driver's seat can be lifted 40 mm and the steering wheel now tilts through a 38 mm range.

Lighter, Stronger Body
Unusually for a new model, the new Legacy and Outback have lighter bodies with the weight of most models reduced by around 55 kg. Combined with better aerodynamics and more efficient engines, both performance and economy are improved.
Weight savings are achieved thanks to extensive use of high-strength, high-tensile steel panels. In fact their 45 per cent adoption is the highest ever achieved in a production car. Also aiding lightness with strength are tailored blanks which are metals of varying thickness, mash-seam-welded together.

In addition, all bonnets are aluminium as are the tailgates on Sports Tourers. This also lowers the polar-moment-of inertia by reducing the weight at the car's extremities, boosting handling agility. Aluminium is also adopted for the suspension arms and steering support beam.
By only strengthening where needed, body bending rigidity is increased by 14 per cent, body twisting rigidity boosted by 5 per cent and front lateral bending rigidity enhanced by 10 per cent. The front suspension mounts are 30 per cent stronger and certain areas of the rear suspension by as much as 300 per cent.

Subaru considered - then quickly rejected - the adoption of an all-aluminium body. Its application was considered inelegant, extravagant and heavy-handed. Far better, engineers felt, to use multi-materials, precisely matched to different areas of the car.

'Boxer' Boost - All Engines More Powerful And Efficient
Subaru's much-envied horizontally-opposed 'boxer' engine range enters a new phase in its development with the new Legacy and Outback, now offering the same fuel economy and emissions of two-wheel drive cars - but with twice the character and a much lower centre-of-gravity for agile handling.
Extensive revisions see 80 per cent of the components changed. Typical examples include hollow camshafts, lighter cylinder heads with optimised intake/exhaust airflow, thinner yet more precisely machined cylinder liners and new crankshafts with sintered journals.
The result is increased refinement, reduced noise and more power with drastically reduced fuel consumption and emissions.

In addition, a new electronic fly-by-wire throttle control system gives instant response to even the slightest accelerator movement while also improving economy.

'Constant-Pulsation' For A Sweeter Sound
However, one of the most significant changes is a totally new exhaust system which greatly enhances low to mid-speed torque and gives higher power outputs with reduced noise.
Called 'constant pulsation', the system uses equal length exhaust pipes which avoids gas flow interference. On four-cylinder models the pipes are of 4-2-1 configuration and on the new 3.0 litre 'flat six' they follow a 3-port pattern.
A by-product of 'constant pulsation' is a totally new 'boxer' engine sound which is still distinctive but lighter and sweeter with reduced low-frequency 'burble'.

The 'Boxer' 2.0 And 2.5 Litre Engines
Both 2.0 and 2.5 litre engines are all-alloy, horizontally-opposed four-cylinder units tuned for both strong low and mid-range torque yet blessed with exceptional durability and an 'unburstable' ability to rev.
Featuring a single overhead camshaft per bank, the 2.0 litre has a bore and stroke of 92 x 75 mm for a 1,994 cc capacity. The 2.5 litre has a bore and stroke of
99.5 x 79 mm for a 2,457 cc swept volume. Both run on 10:1 compression ratios.
Power for the 2.0 litre as fitted to the Legacy 2.0i and 2.0i S saloon and Sports Tourer is now 138 PS at the same 5,600 rpm as before - an increase of 13 PS. Torque has also increased, now being 137.9 lb.ft at 4,400 rpm.

The 2.5 litre engine as fitted to the Legacy 2.5i and 2.5i SE saloon and Sports Tourer plus the Outback now produces 165 PS at the same 5,600 rpm - a 9 PS increase. Torque is also up at 166.7 lb.ft at 4,400 rpm.
Performance examples include a 122 mph top speed for the Legacy 2.0i manual saloon with a 0-60 mph time of 10.9 seconds. The 2.5 litre equivalent has a 133 mph top speed and a 0-60 mph time of 8.9 seconds.
Even more impressive are fuel consumption and emissions. The Legacy 2.5i automatic saloon is 7.1 mpg better on the Extra Urban Cycle at 46.3 mpg and now produces 193 g/km of CO2. This results in a reduction from 28 per cent to 22 per cent in Benefit-In-Kind company car taxation for the 2003-2004 tax year.

The Legacy 2.0 litre manual Sports Tourer also returns 46.3 mpg on the Extra Urban Cycle and 36.7 mpg Combined - the latter a 5.6 mpg improvement. Its CO2 figure of 183 g/km qualifies it for the 20 per cent tax band - lower than for some diesels.

New 245 PS Flat-Six For Range-Topping 3.0R
Most spectacular of all the new 'boxer' engines is the 245 PS six-cylinder 3.0 litre unit offered in both the Legacy 3.0R saloon and Sports Tourer and Outback 3.0R. A new 5-speed automatic transmission is standard.
Developed from the engine fitted to the previous Outback H6-3.0, the new unit is 36 PS more powerful with 11 lb.ft greater pulling power.
Featuring twin overhead camshafts per bank, maximum power is 245 PS at 6,600 rpm with a solid 219 lb. ft of torque at 4,200 rpm. The bore and stroke are 89.2 x 80 mm respectively and the unit runs on a 10.7:1 compression ratio.
When fitted to the Legacy saloon and Sports Tourer, top speed is a stunning 147 mph with 0-60 mph times of 7.9 and 8.0 seconds respectively. The new Outback 3.0R has a 139 mph top speed and covers the 0-60 mph dash in 8.1 seconds.
Despite their high performance, fuel economy is slightly better than the previous H6, with, for example, 20.8/38.7 and 29.4 mpg for the Legacy 3.0R saloon. This model's CO2 emissions of 229 g/km result in a Benefit-In-Kind tax banding of 29 per cent.

Improvements over the previous H6-3.0 engine include Active Valve Control for the intake air plus variable valve lift. The engine also has a fast-response electronic throttle, re-profiled pistons, a lighter, quieter crankshaft and 3-port, 6-2-1 exhaust system which boosts power and lowers emissions.

Bigger wheels and tyres
Most models enjoy larger wheels and tyres which enhance cornering and braking grip and give a sportier appearance. For example, the Legacy 2.0i now has 205/55R 16 tyres fitted on 6.5 x 16 ins alloys, while the Legacy 2.5i enjoys 215/45 R 17 tyres on 7 x 17 ins alloys.

Drastically Improved Braking System
The new Legacy and Outback's braking system has been drastically improved, being up to 50 per cent more effective.

It follows a complete upgrade which includes a change to the pedal lever ratio and master cylinder which has a reduced diameter and longer stroke. This improves the initial braking force and control of the stroke once the pedal is pressed.

In addition, the new fast-reaction servo is attached to the bulkhead by a new technique using a tie rod which virtually eliminates flexing.

Naturally, all models have the latest four-sensor anti-lock braking systems (ABS) with electronic brakeforce distribution (EBD) and compact new lightweight sensors for greater accuracy and control.

Standard AWD - Naturally
No Subaru would be complete without its rally-honed symmetrical all-wheel drive system which feeds full-time power to all four wheels.
Once either the front or the rear of the car begins to slide, torque is rapidly fed to the axle with the most grip. And in the case of the Outback, the rear axle also has a limited-slip differential, allowing torque to be shared between both rear wheels.
Unlike bulky off-roaders - with their inelegant 4WD systems and power-sapping transfer boxes or certain sport utilities with transverse-mounted engines and gearboxes and, again, inefficient transfer boxes - Subaru's AWD system is simple and efficient.
Because the 'boxer' engine is in-line with the gearbox which is, in turn, in-line with the prop shaft and rear differential, frictional losses are kept to a minimum. In addition, the drive shafts are of equal length for a 'pure' division of power.

In addition, on the new Legacy 2.5i SE auto, 3.0R and Outback 3.0R, Subaru Vehicle Dynamics Control offers even more active safety - and handling fun.
VDC uses sensors in all four wheels to detect slip. It also relies on sensors to register front to rear G-forces, side-to-side G-forces and steering wheel G-sensors to detect sudden swerves called 'yaw-rate'.
The result of all this data is for the engine power to be reduced and braking applied to whatever wheel can best help the driver escape a collision.

However, apart from having the option of switching off SVDC, the system is set up to allow 'playful' - yet safe - rear-wheel-biased handling for the more experienced driver.

High Equipment Levels Throughout
Every new Subaru Legacy and Outback has generous equipment levels with practical features according to the model's likely use, such as self-levelling rear suspension and a rear limited-slip differential for Outbacks.

All models - including the entry-level Legacy 2.0i - boast: AWD with ABS and EBD, climate control air-conditioning, alloy wheels, radio/CD players, front and side airbags, four electric windows and remote central-locking with Thatcham Category One alarm/immobiliser.
Other highlights include full leather seat and door trim for Legacy 2.5i SE and Outback SE models plus heated front seats, door mirrors and windscreen de-icer, curtain airbags, electrically-powered sun-roofs, cruise control and an 8-way electrically-operated driver's seat.

The new range-topping Legacy and Outback 3.0R models also have features such as: Subaru Vehicle Dynamics Control, rear limited-slip differential, 6-stacker CD system, 8-way electrically-operated front seats, wood fascia and door trim panels, leather-wrapped steering wheel with audio controls, electro-luminescent instruments and premium cut-pile carpets.