Cellerator
Member
- :
- 2012 Mazda 3i Skyactiv Hatchback
That sedan is awesome, I like it better than the wrx, 
Offical Subaru Legacy STI S402
- Thread starter mikeyb
- Start date
JoseProte83
Rotary Power FTW!
- :
- 02 Seabreeze DX
Wagon indeed........
nope....But I'm sure you can order the parts to make your own S402.
SuperStretch18
Member
- :
- '07 CX-7 Sport, Black on Black; '04 Mazda3s
$%#&@* fender vents! I would still sell my soul for one, but damn it, when is that trend going to die...
When another batch of spy photos of the upcoming Subaru Exiga surfaced yesterday, we didn't give it much thought. We pretty much know the styling direction and dimensions of Subaru's new people mover, but one portion of AutoExpress' article caught our attention. In addition to the Exiga joining a new Legacy sedan and Outback wagon in 2009, Subaru's future drivetrain plans include dropping the 3.0-liter boxer and reworking the 2.0- and 2.5-liter engines to increase efficiency and power. The naturally aspirated 2.0-liter will supposedly produce 200 hp, while the current turbocharged 2.5-liter will exceed 300 hp. While neither of which is huge news, AE also mentions that a Legacy STI is on the way with a turbo'd 3.7-liter producing close to 450 hp. Whether or not such a beast will actually come about is open to debate, but when it does, we hope that Subaru has the foresight to make it available in the U.S.
- Autoexpress
The best news we can probably take from this is just that the N/A engine will be putting out 200hp, so they're going to have to give the WRX a healthy bump to keep it evenly between the base model and the STi. Right now, with 170hp base and ~300 STi, the WRX gets 230--right in the middle. Bump the base to 200 and the STi to maybe 320, and the WRX has to jump up to ~260hp to keep it in the middle. Not a huge bump, but definitely healthy.
Liberty GT spec.B tuned by STI (Australia)
More love shown to our Australian friends by Japanese manufacturers! We had Toyota, we had Mazda, now it's Subaru's turn to shine with this limited and exclusive edition of the Liberty GT Sedan, it's a Spec.B and it's tuned by STi!
The only reason you wouldn't get one is because they may already be sold out!
PRESS RELEASE:
Liberty GT Tuned for Perfection
Subaru's special edition Model Year 2008 Liberty GT tuned by STI has been released featuring multiple upgrades from the Subaru Tecnica International catalogue.
With an enhanced power output of 194 kW at 6000 rpm and 350 Nm of torque at 2800 rpm, this locally tuned variant also features STI suspension upgrades and interior treatments.
Bilstein shock absorbers, featuring damping ratios unique to STI, enhance stroke feeling, linear control and produce a flatter ride.
The rear suspension kit contains partial ball bearing-jointed bushes, suppressing suspension friction to achieve high lateral rigidity, further improving road holding.
STI springs lower the car by 5mm.
Brembo brakes (four pot front, two pot rear) are painted black, complementing the sports styling. A stainless steel mesh-type brake hose is added, enhancing response and ensuring high braking performance.
12-spoke, 18-inch ENKEI wheels with STI badging are 2.5 kilograms lighter than standard Liberty GT wheels and are available in a new colour's luminosity silver.
The front grille treatment is unique to the model as is exterior "tuned by STI" badging.
Front lip and rear boot STI spoilers suppress lift, improve aerodynamics and increase stability when driving at speed. A sports muffler with new tip design completes the exterior upgrades.
Inside, leather and alcantara front seats feature a cherry red STI logo. Designed with a balance of firmness and suppleness they provide support and reduce fatigue during long distance driving.
An eight-way power driver's seat with memory settings is also featured.
The instrument cluster includes the speedometer featuring STI logo and new STI sill plates are used on all door openings.
Vehicles are available in sedan and wagon, six-speed manual and five-speed SPORTSHIFT automatic variants, in a choice of black, silver, grey and white.
Recommended retail pricing:
Manual sedan $65,990
SPORTSHIFT automatic sedan $65,990
Manual wagon $67,990
SPORTSHIFT automatic wagon $67,990
Dealer delivery and statutory charges are additional.
Only 250 Liberty tuned by STI vehicles will be built.
More love shown to our Australian friends by Japanese manufacturers! We had Toyota, we had Mazda, now it's Subaru's turn to shine with this limited and exclusive edition of the Liberty GT Sedan, it's a Spec.B and it's tuned by STi!
The only reason you wouldn't get one is because they may already be sold out!
PRESS RELEASE:
Liberty GT Tuned for Perfection
Subaru's special edition Model Year 2008 Liberty GT tuned by STI has been released featuring multiple upgrades from the Subaru Tecnica International catalogue.
With an enhanced power output of 194 kW at 6000 rpm and 350 Nm of torque at 2800 rpm, this locally tuned variant also features STI suspension upgrades and interior treatments.
Bilstein shock absorbers, featuring damping ratios unique to STI, enhance stroke feeling, linear control and produce a flatter ride.
The rear suspension kit contains partial ball bearing-jointed bushes, suppressing suspension friction to achieve high lateral rigidity, further improving road holding.
STI springs lower the car by 5mm.
Brembo brakes (four pot front, two pot rear) are painted black, complementing the sports styling. A stainless steel mesh-type brake hose is added, enhancing response and ensuring high braking performance.
12-spoke, 18-inch ENKEI wheels with STI badging are 2.5 kilograms lighter than standard Liberty GT wheels and are available in a new colour's luminosity silver.
The front grille treatment is unique to the model as is exterior "tuned by STI" badging.
Front lip and rear boot STI spoilers suppress lift, improve aerodynamics and increase stability when driving at speed. A sports muffler with new tip design completes the exterior upgrades.
Inside, leather and alcantara front seats feature a cherry red STI logo. Designed with a balance of firmness and suppleness they provide support and reduce fatigue during long distance driving.
An eight-way power driver's seat with memory settings is also featured.
The instrument cluster includes the speedometer featuring STI logo and new STI sill plates are used on all door openings.
Vehicles are available in sedan and wagon, six-speed manual and five-speed SPORTSHIFT automatic variants, in a choice of black, silver, grey and white.
Recommended retail pricing:
Manual sedan $65,990
SPORTSHIFT automatic sedan $65,990
Manual wagon $67,990
SPORTSHIFT automatic wagon $67,990
Dealer delivery and statutory charges are additional.
Only 250 Liberty tuned by STI vehicles will be built.
SuperStretch18
Member
- :
- '07 CX-7 Sport, Black on Black; '04 Mazda3s
The Aussies get the good stuff because they actually buy performance cars en mass. Americans in general buy ford focus' and camry's like they're going out of style (they're already out of style), which is why we most of the best products never touch our shores. That goes for the domestic companies as well. It really is a shame...
First Drive: 2008 Subaru Legacy STi S402
From Subaru's Nrburgring Specialist
There's not too long to go before the introduction of a face-lifted generation of the Subaru Legacy, but the rally specialists at Subaru STi just can't wait. The 2008 Subaru Legacy STi S402 is their vision of what a mature, high-performance Legacy can be, the best-handling version of Subaru's mainstream sedan.
Unfortunately there will be just 402 examples of the 2008 Subaru Legacy STi S402, and you can buy one only if you live in Japan.
We realized that Subaru had something special for us when we learned that Hideharu Tatsumi would accompany the car for our exclusive drive in the shadow of Mt. Fuji. As Subaru's chief development driver for the last 20 years, Tatsumi has driven the Legacy for thousands of miles on the Nrburgring and he understands the car like no one else.
King of the Road
Hideharu Tatsumi has just moved over from Subaru to STi (Subaru Tecnica International), and he's the chief engineer of the 2008 Subaru Legacy STi S402. When we first bumped into him in the public parking area of the Nrburgring Nordschleife back in 2006, he was using a Legacy and an Impreza STi to instruct Subaru's next generation of test pilots on the finer points of the 'Ring.
Today he's arrived with the S402. Boasting a chiseled and stocky physique, Tatsumi is tough and direct. He is quick to admit that certain budget restraints on the design side meant that he could not play around with the Legacy's sheet metal very much for this specialty car. "But even with those restrictions," he tells us, "We have a car that looks like it does business and delivers on the road."
The S402's unique mesh grille is complemented by flared front fenders that have been widened an extra inch to enclose wider BBS rims and 235/40R18 Bridgestone Potenza RE050A tires. Tatsumi and his chief stylist wanted to also redesign the front bumper section to give the car an even sportier look, but a price tag of around $600,000 for the special mold that would be required quickly put an end to their dreaming.
"When you divide our limited run number of just 402 units into $600,000, well, that adds an extra $1,500 to each car. And the bean counters would have none of that," he laments.
Fortunately the money STi has saved on cosmetics has been spent on hardware.
Nrburgring Credentials
One look at the specifications sheet suggests that Tatsumi's team had to deal with less budgetary shackles on the engineering side of the equation. In fact, Tatsumi hints that he wouldn't have taken on this job if the STi bosses weren't prepared to let him make the S402 all it could be as far as driving is concerned.
To do this, Tatsumi stresses that he had to take this car to his second home for the last two decades the Nrburgring Nordschleife. "Otherwise Japanese enthusiasts wouldn't have given the car any street cred," he explains.
Come to think of it, none of us would have given this JDM (Japanese Cosmetic Market) car much credence without its Nrburgring credentials, right? It's got to the stage today where any performance car must put in some time at the 'Ring if it's to be taken seriously by rev-heads around the world. Proof of that is that there are now three Japanese supercars Honda's V10-powered NSX, the Lexus LF-A and the Nissan GT-R all testing in Germany and vying for lap time honors.
Same Power, More Response
The 2008 Subaru Legacy STi S402 has an Australian-spec, turbocharged 2.5-liter boxer four-cylinder under its hood, and STi has created a special calibration with a twin-scroll turbo, more boost, a tweaked ECU and low-restriction sports mufflers. This engine's output doesn't seem particularly different from the standard turbo engine, as it pumps out 282 horsepower at 5,600 rpm and 289 pound-feet of torque between 2,000 and 4,800 rpm. In fact, power and torque are both just marginally improved.
But as Tatsumi tells us, "That wasn't our aim. We were striving to enhance the whole driving experience." By carefully tuning the S402's boxer to the six-speed manual transmission from the Impreza WRX STi and revising some of the gear ratios, the STi engineers have created an engine that might have been taken straight out of a rally car. Some 95 percent of peak torque is available at just 1,800 rpm and it also pulls strongly right up to 6,000 rpm. As a result, you can now take 2nd-gear corners in 3rd gear thanks to the beefy bottom-end torque and instant throttle response, so there's more traction and more control.
On the Road
As you're extracting the torque from the engine, punching the deliciously notchy shifter and shooting effortlessly around corners, it can be easy to forget the fact that the S402 comes standard with Subaru's SI-drive, which allows you to choose among three modes of power management. For some strange reason (well, maybe not that strange) we found ourselves flicking the SI-drive to the Sport Plus position and testing the upper reaches of the gutsy power curve.
If you were to describe the way the S402 responds to the driver, you'd say "instant." There's less play from the throttle action and less wind-up in the drivetrain than you find in the conventional Legacy, so the power seems to get to the wide Bridgestones without wasting time or motion. Subaru's own stability control is also fitted as standard equipment, so the car will catch you if you get into trouble, but intervention comes only after you've exhausted the resources of the exquisitely balanced all-wheel-drive system.
The S402 also turns into a corner with instant response thanks to reconfigured steering, and the feedback from the tires is superbly communicative. Tatsumi has tweaked the steering rack with a quick 13.0:1 ratio (replacing the standard 15.0:1 ratio), and then helped the car respond to such inputs with special STi-tuned dampers and springs. But Tatsumi is most proud of the S402's secret weapons for Nrburgring goodness three semi-flexible reinforcement bars to not only improve chassis rigidity but also tune it. There's one between the top of the front suspension struts, one between the bottom of the front struts, and a third across the rear suspension towers in the trunk.
The Magic of the Bars
The Subaru Legacy STi S402 goes exactly where you want it to go and keeps all four tires firmly planted at the same time. But more than that, the construction of the bars with their semi-flexible midsections help the chassis absorb those brief, unwanted lurches as the car changes direction, so the car feels magically composed. Meanwhile, the chassis reinforcement enhances feedback from the tires just as you'd expect. The combination is pure magic, and the S402 has an overall feel that's as close to perfection as we've ever experienced.
It's just a pity about the swanky seats with their soft leather upholstery, which unfortunately don't quite offer the support you need when pushing through fast bends. But then, as Tatsumi pointed out more than once, the S402 is a grand touring car, and it actually rides much better than the high-performance Subaru Legacy GT spec.B with its 18-inch tires.
We don't have to forgive anything about the brakes, though. They are phenomenally powerful, featuring Brembo-built, six-piston, monoblock front calipers and two-piston rear calipers. The S402 might be the first-ever Japanese sedan with a brake package that actually feels overengineered. One STi engineer later admitted that four-piston Brembos would have been more than adequate for the S402, but STi felt this car needed something special.
The combination of progressive pedal action, no brake fade and good tire grip means you can go deeper into a corner with the Legacy STi S402 than just about any sedan we've tested before. And because the S402 features standard rotors without slots or drilled holes, there's no risk of cracking these rotors with abuse, and there's no squeal during daily driving, either.
Subaru might think the S402 is a simple GT-style sedan, but we beg to differ. It's got a Momo-built steering wheel with an STi logo, a leather-trimmed S402 shift knob, aluminum-covered pedals, an STi speedo calibrated to 260 km/h (150 mph), carbon-fiber-style trim, cupholders with special red illumination and a bright red ignition button. This car is plainly built to be punished with speed.
'Ring Ready?
So we had to ask. Tatsumi-san, what settings on the 2008 Subaru Legacy STi S402 did you change after your laps around the Nrburgring?
"Ah, none. The car was fine."
Tatsumi has fine-tuned dozens of Imprezas and Legacys to perform at the German mega-track over the past two decades, so we expected nothing less.
Just hope the next all-new generation of the Subaru Legacy due out around 2012 will be compatible with high-performance modifications in both right- and left-hand drive. As Hideharu Tatsumi admits, STi certainly seeks global recognition for its very best work, even at a price tag of $53,000. It's the kind of Subaru that should come to America.
From Subaru's Nrburgring Specialist
There's not too long to go before the introduction of a face-lifted generation of the Subaru Legacy, but the rally specialists at Subaru STi just can't wait. The 2008 Subaru Legacy STi S402 is their vision of what a mature, high-performance Legacy can be, the best-handling version of Subaru's mainstream sedan.
Unfortunately there will be just 402 examples of the 2008 Subaru Legacy STi S402, and you can buy one only if you live in Japan.
We realized that Subaru had something special for us when we learned that Hideharu Tatsumi would accompany the car for our exclusive drive in the shadow of Mt. Fuji. As Subaru's chief development driver for the last 20 years, Tatsumi has driven the Legacy for thousands of miles on the Nrburgring and he understands the car like no one else.
King of the Road
Hideharu Tatsumi has just moved over from Subaru to STi (Subaru Tecnica International), and he's the chief engineer of the 2008 Subaru Legacy STi S402. When we first bumped into him in the public parking area of the Nrburgring Nordschleife back in 2006, he was using a Legacy and an Impreza STi to instruct Subaru's next generation of test pilots on the finer points of the 'Ring.
Today he's arrived with the S402. Boasting a chiseled and stocky physique, Tatsumi is tough and direct. He is quick to admit that certain budget restraints on the design side meant that he could not play around with the Legacy's sheet metal very much for this specialty car. "But even with those restrictions," he tells us, "We have a car that looks like it does business and delivers on the road."
The S402's unique mesh grille is complemented by flared front fenders that have been widened an extra inch to enclose wider BBS rims and 235/40R18 Bridgestone Potenza RE050A tires. Tatsumi and his chief stylist wanted to also redesign the front bumper section to give the car an even sportier look, but a price tag of around $600,000 for the special mold that would be required quickly put an end to their dreaming.
"When you divide our limited run number of just 402 units into $600,000, well, that adds an extra $1,500 to each car. And the bean counters would have none of that," he laments.
Fortunately the money STi has saved on cosmetics has been spent on hardware.
Nrburgring Credentials
One look at the specifications sheet suggests that Tatsumi's team had to deal with less budgetary shackles on the engineering side of the equation. In fact, Tatsumi hints that he wouldn't have taken on this job if the STi bosses weren't prepared to let him make the S402 all it could be as far as driving is concerned.
To do this, Tatsumi stresses that he had to take this car to his second home for the last two decades the Nrburgring Nordschleife. "Otherwise Japanese enthusiasts wouldn't have given the car any street cred," he explains.
Come to think of it, none of us would have given this JDM (Japanese Cosmetic Market) car much credence without its Nrburgring credentials, right? It's got to the stage today where any performance car must put in some time at the 'Ring if it's to be taken seriously by rev-heads around the world. Proof of that is that there are now three Japanese supercars Honda's V10-powered NSX, the Lexus LF-A and the Nissan GT-R all testing in Germany and vying for lap time honors.
Same Power, More Response
The 2008 Subaru Legacy STi S402 has an Australian-spec, turbocharged 2.5-liter boxer four-cylinder under its hood, and STi has created a special calibration with a twin-scroll turbo, more boost, a tweaked ECU and low-restriction sports mufflers. This engine's output doesn't seem particularly different from the standard turbo engine, as it pumps out 282 horsepower at 5,600 rpm and 289 pound-feet of torque between 2,000 and 4,800 rpm. In fact, power and torque are both just marginally improved.
But as Tatsumi tells us, "That wasn't our aim. We were striving to enhance the whole driving experience." By carefully tuning the S402's boxer to the six-speed manual transmission from the Impreza WRX STi and revising some of the gear ratios, the STi engineers have created an engine that might have been taken straight out of a rally car. Some 95 percent of peak torque is available at just 1,800 rpm and it also pulls strongly right up to 6,000 rpm. As a result, you can now take 2nd-gear corners in 3rd gear thanks to the beefy bottom-end torque and instant throttle response, so there's more traction and more control.
On the Road
As you're extracting the torque from the engine, punching the deliciously notchy shifter and shooting effortlessly around corners, it can be easy to forget the fact that the S402 comes standard with Subaru's SI-drive, which allows you to choose among three modes of power management. For some strange reason (well, maybe not that strange) we found ourselves flicking the SI-drive to the Sport Plus position and testing the upper reaches of the gutsy power curve.
If you were to describe the way the S402 responds to the driver, you'd say "instant." There's less play from the throttle action and less wind-up in the drivetrain than you find in the conventional Legacy, so the power seems to get to the wide Bridgestones without wasting time or motion. Subaru's own stability control is also fitted as standard equipment, so the car will catch you if you get into trouble, but intervention comes only after you've exhausted the resources of the exquisitely balanced all-wheel-drive system.
The S402 also turns into a corner with instant response thanks to reconfigured steering, and the feedback from the tires is superbly communicative. Tatsumi has tweaked the steering rack with a quick 13.0:1 ratio (replacing the standard 15.0:1 ratio), and then helped the car respond to such inputs with special STi-tuned dampers and springs. But Tatsumi is most proud of the S402's secret weapons for Nrburgring goodness three semi-flexible reinforcement bars to not only improve chassis rigidity but also tune it. There's one between the top of the front suspension struts, one between the bottom of the front struts, and a third across the rear suspension towers in the trunk.
The Magic of the Bars
The Subaru Legacy STi S402 goes exactly where you want it to go and keeps all four tires firmly planted at the same time. But more than that, the construction of the bars with their semi-flexible midsections help the chassis absorb those brief, unwanted lurches as the car changes direction, so the car feels magically composed. Meanwhile, the chassis reinforcement enhances feedback from the tires just as you'd expect. The combination is pure magic, and the S402 has an overall feel that's as close to perfection as we've ever experienced.
It's just a pity about the swanky seats with their soft leather upholstery, which unfortunately don't quite offer the support you need when pushing through fast bends. But then, as Tatsumi pointed out more than once, the S402 is a grand touring car, and it actually rides much better than the high-performance Subaru Legacy GT spec.B with its 18-inch tires.
We don't have to forgive anything about the brakes, though. They are phenomenally powerful, featuring Brembo-built, six-piston, monoblock front calipers and two-piston rear calipers. The S402 might be the first-ever Japanese sedan with a brake package that actually feels overengineered. One STi engineer later admitted that four-piston Brembos would have been more than adequate for the S402, but STi felt this car needed something special.
The combination of progressive pedal action, no brake fade and good tire grip means you can go deeper into a corner with the Legacy STi S402 than just about any sedan we've tested before. And because the S402 features standard rotors without slots or drilled holes, there's no risk of cracking these rotors with abuse, and there's no squeal during daily driving, either.
Subaru might think the S402 is a simple GT-style sedan, but we beg to differ. It's got a Momo-built steering wheel with an STi logo, a leather-trimmed S402 shift knob, aluminum-covered pedals, an STi speedo calibrated to 260 km/h (150 mph), carbon-fiber-style trim, cupholders with special red illumination and a bright red ignition button. This car is plainly built to be punished with speed.
'Ring Ready?
So we had to ask. Tatsumi-san, what settings on the 2008 Subaru Legacy STi S402 did you change after your laps around the Nrburgring?
"Ah, none. The car was fine."
Tatsumi has fine-tuned dozens of Imprezas and Legacys to perform at the German mega-track over the past two decades, so we expected nothing less.
Just hope the next all-new generation of the Subaru Legacy due out around 2012 will be compatible with high-performance modifications in both right- and left-hand drive. As Hideharu Tatsumi admits, STi certainly seeks global recognition for its very best work, even at a price tag of $53,000. It's the kind of Subaru that should come to America.
Subaru Legacy S402, the Sports Sedan by STi
We absolutely LOVED the Subaru with the longest name ever, the almighty Impreza WRX STi Spec C Type RA-R, and you know what? It was based on the supercar-challenging Impreza S204...so when we first heard about a potential Subaru Legacy S402, we got pretty damn excited.
Then the AWD master Subaru announced that their mean machine had been developed in hell, the green one, the infamous Nurburgring Nordschleife, the type of race track that makes others look like a kid's playground... from there we were sold and couldn't wait to get our hands on this beautifully spiced Legacy...so, was the wait justified?
Design :
The Legacy is a great looking car and this S402 is no different. It's very similar to the standard version, and only STi fans will notice the slight visual modifications brought to the body. These include the bumpers and a few logos here and there that makes this one stand out from the pack. This was a choice Subaru made to keep the car close to the original model, and make most modifications under the hood and under the body.
Sounds like a good idea, doesn't it?
On the road :
When you're told that a car was developed from the ground up on the Nurburgring Nordschleife, you expect it to feel at home anywhere and Subaru Tecnica International worked hard on the chassis and engine.
Under the bonnet lies a 2.5 liter, 4 cylinder, Boxer engine with exclusive ECU and Turbo modifications providing 282 sweet horses ready to go. The power, as always, is transmitted to all wheels. When you look at the specifications, it's all great, but unfortunately we weren't impressed with the car for the following reasons:
Equipped with "Subaru Intelligent Drive" (SI-Drive), the Legacy, once this mode is turned to ON, feels miles away from what you'd expect. Acceleration is good, but doesn't feel like 282hp and...pretty much the same as the WRX STi (that we criticized for the exact same reasons), we really don't understand what a mode like this is doing on a supposedly "powerful" car.
Then there is the "Sport Sharp Mode", yeah it does sound better already. With this ON we could finally play with the Legacy B4 and have a little fun with the AWD system and horsepower in the Japanese mountains. The turbocharged engine provides good torque from 1800 up to 6000 rpm allowing you to forget about downshifting and let the motor do its thing. The S402 isn't the wildest Legacy you'll find, but in terms of performance it clearly is a big step forward from the standard version .
Another thing we were a little disappointed about is the amount of body roll the car takes on corners, even though the car remains fully controllable and secure at the same time. On the other hand, the brakes proved to be excellent but extremely noisy, at least when your right foot tends to be heavy on the gas pedal.
Conclusion:
The S402 is, without a doubt, the best Legacy B4 or wagon you can get at the moment, but to get more attention from German car owners, Subaru will have to work harder on their interiors.
After spending a couple days with the car though, we can't quite understand Subaru's choice to limit the car to just 402 units. The S402 doesn't feel exclusive enough in our minds to deserve such treatment, (in comparison to the RA-R for example) but it's still a very valuable addition to the line up.
We absolutely LOVED the Subaru with the longest name ever, the almighty Impreza WRX STi Spec C Type RA-R, and you know what? It was based on the supercar-challenging Impreza S204...so when we first heard about a potential Subaru Legacy S402, we got pretty damn excited.
Then the AWD master Subaru announced that their mean machine had been developed in hell, the green one, the infamous Nurburgring Nordschleife, the type of race track that makes others look like a kid's playground... from there we were sold and couldn't wait to get our hands on this beautifully spiced Legacy...so, was the wait justified?
Design :
The Legacy is a great looking car and this S402 is no different. It's very similar to the standard version, and only STi fans will notice the slight visual modifications brought to the body. These include the bumpers and a few logos here and there that makes this one stand out from the pack. This was a choice Subaru made to keep the car close to the original model, and make most modifications under the hood and under the body.
Sounds like a good idea, doesn't it?
On the road :
When you're told that a car was developed from the ground up on the Nurburgring Nordschleife, you expect it to feel at home anywhere and Subaru Tecnica International worked hard on the chassis and engine.
Under the bonnet lies a 2.5 liter, 4 cylinder, Boxer engine with exclusive ECU and Turbo modifications providing 282 sweet horses ready to go. The power, as always, is transmitted to all wheels. When you look at the specifications, it's all great, but unfortunately we weren't impressed with the car for the following reasons:
Equipped with "Subaru Intelligent Drive" (SI-Drive), the Legacy, once this mode is turned to ON, feels miles away from what you'd expect. Acceleration is good, but doesn't feel like 282hp and...pretty much the same as the WRX STi (that we criticized for the exact same reasons), we really don't understand what a mode like this is doing on a supposedly "powerful" car.
Then there is the "Sport Sharp Mode", yeah it does sound better already. With this ON we could finally play with the Legacy B4 and have a little fun with the AWD system and horsepower in the Japanese mountains. The turbocharged engine provides good torque from 1800 up to 6000 rpm allowing you to forget about downshifting and let the motor do its thing. The S402 isn't the wildest Legacy you'll find, but in terms of performance it clearly is a big step forward from the standard version .
Another thing we were a little disappointed about is the amount of body roll the car takes on corners, even though the car remains fully controllable and secure at the same time. On the other hand, the brakes proved to be excellent but extremely noisy, at least when your right foot tends to be heavy on the gas pedal.
Conclusion:
The S402 is, without a doubt, the best Legacy B4 or wagon you can get at the moment, but to get more attention from German car owners, Subaru will have to work harder on their interiors.
After spending a couple days with the car though, we can't quite understand Subaru's choice to limit the car to just 402 units. The S402 doesn't feel exclusive enough in our minds to deserve such treatment, (in comparison to the RA-R for example) but it's still a very valuable addition to the line up.
