The Subaru XT was a 2+2 coupé built from 1985 to 1991 in one generation. When it appeared it was the most aerodynamic car on the American market, and its aircraft-inspired interior and wedge shape made it unlike anything else Subaru sold.
Subaru XT at a glance
| Maker | Subaru, assembled at Ota, Japan |
|---|---|
| Production | 1985–1991 |
| Class | 2+2 coupé |
| Layout | front engine, front- or all-wheel drive |
| Names | Alcyone in Japan, Vortex in Australia and New Zealand, XT and XT6 elsewhere |
| Engines | EA-82 flat-four; ER-27 flat-six in the XT6 |
| Drag coefficient | 0.29 |
| Facelift | 1987 |
| Trims | DL, GL, GL-10 Turbo |
| Notable features | pop-up headlights, digital dash, pneumatic suspension |
| Built | just over 98,000 |
| Successor | Subaru SVX |
Based on one source, the English Wikipedia article on the Subaru XT.
History of the Subaru XT
The XT was conceived in the United States for the American market, so it made its world debut there, going on sale in February 1985. The XT Turbo 4WD appeared in Europe at the Geneva Motor Show in March 1985 and in Japan in June. All cars were assembled at Subaru’s Yajima plant in Ota. Depending on the market it was sold as the Alcyone in Japan, the Vortex in Australia and New Zealand, and as the XT with the EA-82 four-cylinder engine or the XT6 with the ER-27 six-cylinder engine elsewhere.
Design and aerodynamics
The exterior design team was led by Kiyoshi Sugimoto and the interior by Hiroshi Yako under Tetsuya Hayashi, while some sources credit Kyuchi Akari with the final shape, drawing on aerodynamic principles learned from the American designer Alex Tremulis. The flat boxer engine made the pronounced wedge shape possible, and wind tunnel work lowered drag to 0.29, the lowest of any production car then sold in America. Pop-up headlights, door handles flush with the body, a single 22-inch windscreen wiper that tucked under the bonnet and rubber spoilers ahead of the wheel openings all contributed. The New York Times called it “the ultimate in jazzy design”.
Aviation-style interior
The interior borrowed heavily from aircraft practice, reflecting the history of Subaru’s parent Fuji Heavy Industries. Lighting, heating and wiper controls were mounted in pods, the instrument cluster tilted with the steering column to stay in front of the driver, and turbo cars had an orange backlit liquid crystal display with a quasi-artificial horizon. Other unusual equipment for the class included height-adjustable pneumatic suspension, a digital dashboard, central locking, a fold-down rear seat, an advanced trip computer and patterned op-art upholstery. A joystick-shaped gear lever carried a thumb trigger for the on-demand four-wheel drive.
The XT came with front-wheel drive or four-wheel drive depending on the year and model, in three trim levels: DL, GL with the non-turbo engine and front-wheel drive only, and the GL-10 Turbo. The XT6’s 2.7-litre flat-six was over 2,000 cc, so in Japan it fell outside the small-car tax class and cost more to run. Production reached just over 98,000 cars, and the model was replaced by the Alcyone SVX in 1992.
Design and features
- Wedge shape: a body built around the low boxer engine.
- Drag coefficient 0.29: the most aerodynamic car on sale in America in 1985.
- Pop-up headlights: and flush door handles to smooth the airflow.
- Tilting instrument pod: the cluster moved with the steering column.
- XT6 flat-six: a 2.7-litre six-cylinder version.
Subaru XT versions
- XT DL: the basic trim.
- XT GL: non-turbo engine with front-wheel drive only.
- XT GL-10 Turbo: turbocharged four with four-wheel drive.
- XT6: 2.7-litre flat-six for North America and Europe.
- Alcyone and Vortex: the Japanese and Australasian names.
The XT was replaced by the SVX and shared its era with the Leone. More Subarus are in the Subaru collection.
Video: Subaru XT 4WD Turbo 1986
Video by RSVid79 on YouTube.
Sources
- Subaru XT, English Wikipedia: design, aerodynamics, equipment, trims
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