These two cars, at least on the surface,
couldn’t be more different. However, underneath the bonnet a
common thread emerges, this thread being that both
manufacturers have persisted with the ‘boxer’ engine layout
for the majority of the cars they make.
Subaru, a subsidiary of Fuji
Heavy Industries, produced its first car in 1958 but many
New Zealanders would remember the Subaru Leone introduced
in the early 1970s, the base model being a front-wheel drive
with a flat-four motor (horizontally opposed cylinder
configuration) and all-wheel drive and wagon options. This
model became a favourite particularly with skiers and the
like. It soldiered on into the 1980s until the arrival of
the Legacy range. At the time it was the only affordable,
mass-market four-wheel-drive car available in New Zealand
(Audi’s Quattro being in a very different price range).
Subaru Legacy
Outline
The new Subaru range in New Zealand is dominated by the
Legacy Wagon range, the wagon outselling the sedan range by
a large margin. The combination of looks, practicality and
performance (particularly in the GT models) has proved a
winning combination in the showroom, reflecting Subaru’s
success in the world rally championships. It has also proved
a winning combination for would-be car thieves. I had an
older legacy wagon a number of years ago which was stolen.
However, these days, thankfully, newer models have a number
of security features incorporated to deter the would-be
thief.
Driving
It
So how do
the new cars drive? First I got a taste of the 2.0 GT
Subaru. Peter Douglas-Bell, Marketing Manager for Subaru
New Zealand, wasn’t wrong when he said, “This car will spoil
you for driving the other cars in the Subaru range,
especially if performance is your thing.” This car has
integrated transmission, engine performance selectable modes
– called S.I. drive. Phew! What a mouthful! In other words,
it cleverly allows the driver to tailor the
performance/economy selection to suit his or her needs. The
Sport Max mode channels the muscular 206kW of engine power
to the tarmac in a very exhilarating manner. It’s fast.
The 2.5
luxury model, which is the middle range car with all the
goodies, provides a good performance economy compromise with
a slightly softer ride than the G.T. All models have a well
planted feel with nice steering. The brakes are more than
adequate but they didn’t have a lot of pedal feel when
applying them.
Boot
Space
The wagons
have good boot space which can be increased further by
folding the 60/40 split rear seats. Importantly the boot has
no lip, making it easy to load and unload items such as
bulky pushchairs and kids’ bikes.
Rear
Seats
Just a
brief word here, the rear seats have anchor points for three
individual child restraints. These anchor points are in the
rear ceiling of the wagon, as is the rear middle seat’s
diagonal seatbelt.
Safety
There are a
lot of safety features for these cars, so I have bulleted
the ones that I think are important to parents.
Active
safety
Passive
safety
-
Australian NCAP – (crashworthiness rating) 5 stars.
Five stars is the maximum it can be awarded in its
class.
-
Five
lap/diagonal seat belts, the front belts with
pretensioners
-
Six
airbags
-
Side
intrusion bars
-
Active
front headrests to minimise whiplash
-
All
seats, front and rear, have headrests
Opinions
This is a
stylish wagon that is attractive enough to stand out from
other midsized wagons. It is typically Japanese in its high
standard of fixtures and finishes with a pleasing and
ergonomic layout of interior controls. This vehicle would
suit those looking for a stylish family wagon with proven
all-wheel-drive abilities.
|
PORSCHE
Outline
While Ferdinand Porsche
designed the Volkswagen Beetle, it was his son,
Ferry, along with Karl Rabe, who produced the first
car to bear the Porsche name – the Porsche 356. The
prototypes for these cars were produced in 1948 and
were Volkswagen Beetle based. Through the 1950s and
into the early 1960s the 356 underwent considerable
change and included racing versions. The next
chapter in the Porsche story was of course the 911
entering production in 1965.
Driving it
Anyone who has driven a
Beetle or Karhmann Ghia will instantly be reminded
of the ‘feel’. However, all the responses are
sharper and it has significantly more urge. When the
356 was current, opinion was divided over its
handling, some thinking the ‘upturned bathtub’ was a
tail-happy beast with a sting in the rear end. This
was largely due to rear engine layout and rear
suspension setup (swing axles). Driven with the
appropriate technique it could be punted along very
briskly and rewarded the driver with plenty of
steering feel and handling feedback. I thoroughly
enjoyed my brief encounter with a 356 C and can see
how people get hooked.
Boot space
In a word minimal!
However there is room in the boot for soft luggage
upfront (the engine is in the rear of the car) and
more luggage space can be found behind the seats. In
fact enough space can be found for you and that
special someone to have a weekend getaway, without
the kids!
Safety
This car design is more
than fifty years old, so don't expect all the modern
design features you find in cars now. In their time
they wouldn't have had safety belts as part of their
standard features, but the car I drove had belts
fitted.
Price
Even old Porsches aren't
cheap; the 356 has attained cult status. Racing and
James Dean associations - he raced and died in a 550
sports Spyder (a 356 based car) - have helped to
keep the price high. Also well-founded perceptions,
in the marketplace, of quality engineering and
manufacturing enhanced the value of the 356. A
very good example of a 356 coupe, in perfectly
drivable condition, will be around $40,000 although
prices do vary widely. Convertibles (Cabrios) and
mint examples can be much higher in price as there
is a worldwide market for these cars. |
 |
|
 |
|
 |
