The power comes from a new six-cylinder engine - the company's first six since it discontinued the sporty SVX coupe in 1996. So for 2001, as Subaru faced the task of improving on a successful redesign, it did what car companies usually do: it added power and came up with a marketing gimmick. And a Subaru trademark, full-time all-wheel drive, remained as functional and unobtrusive as ever. The ride was made smoother and the handling crisper. The familiar four-cylinder engine got more power and became more fuel-efficient. A revised rear suspension added 5.2 inches to the width of the cargo hold. (The smaller Outback Sport is a different animal, based on the compact Impreza.) The wagons grew three inches longer and became smoother and sleeker. Before long there was a whole range of Outbacks - there are six variations for 2001 - that account for the majority of Subaru sales.Ī significant redesign of 2000-model Legacys and Legacy-derived Outbacks brought many improvements. Whatever the reason, the Outback proved to be a tremendous hit, and it revived the formerly slumping automaker. Who would have thought that all-wheel drive, an evocative Australian name and some rugged-looking trim could transform an innocuous Japanese wagon into a cult car for the Snow Belt? WHEN Subaru introduced the Outback version of its midsize Legacy six years ago, the traditional station wagon seemed headed for oblivion, elbowed aside by the minivan and the sport utility.
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