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Subaru Legacy
Overview
Manufacturer	Subaru
Also called	Subaru Liberty Subaru B4 Subaru Legacy B4 Subaru Legacy Touring Wagon
Production	1989-present
Assembly	Ōta, Gunma Japan Lafayette, Indiana USA
Body and chassis
Class	Mid-size (1989-present)
Body style	4-door "B" pillar hardtop 4-door station wagon
Chronology
Predecessor	none

The Subaru Legacy is a mid-size car introduced by the Japanese manufacturer Subaru in February 1989 as a larger companion to the company's Leone/Loyale. Worldwide distribution started in 1990. In Australia, the Legacy bears the name Liberty out of respect for Legacy Australia, an organization which aids veterans and their families during and after wars.

The standard equipped symmetrical all-wheel drive system is currently unique to the Legacy in this class size of vehicle.

In the USA market, the Legacy competes with the Toyota Camry, the Honda Accord, the Mitsubishi Galant, and the Nissan Altima. German automaker Volkswagen offers AWD as an option on the Volkswagen Group A5 PQ46 platform, however it is an extra cost option on upper trim level cars. The Ford CD3 platform can also be equipped with AWD for the USA market, but it too is an extra cost option only on the uplevel V6 models.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Subaru Legacy.

Models have typically been released into Japan and selected World markets such as New Zealand and Chile in advance of the Continental European and North American markets, perhaps because the first two are right-hand drive markets and Subaru has a strong presence in Chile.

• Generation I: 1989–1992
• Generation II: 1993–1997
• Generation III: 1998–2003
• Generation IV: 2003–present
• Generation V: production scheduled to start in 2009

North America usually releases its models two years after Japan does, due to the fact that all current Legacies for the North American market have been built at Subaru of Indiana located in Lafayette, Indiana since 2004. Previously, all USA Legacy were built at either the Indiana plant or the Ōta, Gunma plant in Japan starting in 1989.

• Generation I: 1990–1994 (production started 1989)
• Generation II: 1995–1999 (production started 1994)
• Generation III: 2000–2004 (production started 1999)
• Generation IV: 2005–present (production started 2004)
• Generation V: (production scheduled to start 2009 for 2010 model year)

On March 14, 2005, Subaru sold its three-millionth Legacy worldwide.^[1]

Subaru chose to use the boxer engine in the Legacy, as well as their other products, to simplify the powertrain implementation of all-wheel drive and because of the natural smoothness of the engine design. According to Subaru, because the engine sits in-line, or longitudinal, with the transmission, instead of being offset, or transverse, as can be commonly found by other FWD and AWD vehicles, body roll is minimized. The weight of the engine and transmission are balanced instead of being offset, which can cause the weight of the engine and transmission to be unbalanced in the engine bay in other vehicles.

The boxer engine also affords a low center of gravity, and a balanced chassis because the engine sits low in the engine bay and close to the ground, as opposed to other vehicles, allowing the vehicle to stay more stable than some vehicles in moderate to high speed manoeuvres. Other manufacturers attempt to counteract the offset weight by making their powertrains' weight evenly distributed, which overall can cause the powertrain to be heavier than the Subaru layout, which is also manufactured from lightweight aluminum.

The boxer design also provides perfect vibration mitigation due to the fact that the movement of each piston is exactly countered by the corresponding piston in the opposing cylinder bank, eliminating the need for a harmonic balancer attached to the front of the engine at the crankshaft. Torque steer is also reduced with this type of power train layout. This is achieved by having the front driveshafts being of equal weight and length, and extend from the transmission to the front wheels at almost perpendicular from the transmission. ^[2]

The worldwide introduction of the Legacy was a notable departure from Subaru products in the past. Subaru had earned a reputation of building vehicles that were regarded as "quirky" and other Asian manufacturers were bringing more upscale and conventional appearing models to the market. The Legacy appeared at the same time as the USA introduction of Lexus and Infiniti and a couple years after Acura. However, Subaru didn't have a large displacement V6 or V8. The Legacy was more aerodynamic than previously built products, with soft edges and a more coherent appearance. The sedan has a break in the beltline where it drops down from the windshield to the front door glass, and then juts up from the rear door glass to the rear window, and the beltline is interrupted as it transistions down to the rear window on the wagon. The beltline treatment was used again on the SVX when it was introduced in 1992. The Legacy was interpreted by some as Subaru's attempt at participating in the growing, upscale market. The Legacy broke with many Subaru traditions, such as no longer locating the spare tire in the engine compartment, behind the engine and above the transmission. The Legacy was an all-new model, and slotted above the Leone in Subaru's model range.

The Legacy began with a 5 door wagon or 4 door sedan body styles with FWD and an optional full-time AWD package, and was introduced in the USA, UK, Germany, the Benelux region of Northern Europe, Japan and Australia. The car was built with many luxury and technological advancements normally found on more expensive vehicles as standard equipment, such as power windows, central locking, fuel injection, air conditioning, power assist rack-and-pinion steering, alloy wheels, 4-wheel independent suspension with both negative scrub and anti-dive and squat geometery, anti-sway bars front and rear, and 4-wheel disc brakes. Items that were optional that didn't make the vehicle too expensive were 4-channel ABS, licensed from Bosch and air suspension height control, which lowered the vehicle at speeds above 50 mph (80.5 km/h), and also allowed the driver to increase the vehicles ground clearance for off-road conditions.

On vehicles equipped with power central locking, the feature is activated from the inside drivers door lock switch only, by pushing the rocker switch to lock or unlock all doors. Other doors can be locked or unlocked individually by pushing the respective door lock rocker switch, but it will not lock or unlock the other doors. The outside key door lock can unlock the drivers door only by turning the key partially, or with a complete turn to the left to unlock all doors.

According to a translation of the Japanese Wikipedia article on the Subaru Legacy, the Aomori Prefecture and Ibaraki Prefecture police departments have used the Legacy Turbo for patrol cars since the car was introduced and continue to do so. Also mentioned in this translation was an article mentioning that when Subaru began to develop the Legacy, Subaru was facing financial pressure to improve sales from the successes from other Asian competitors and that they used an internal project code of "44B" to refer to the Legacy.

Second generation sales in Japan began with model year 1993, and 1995 marked the second generation in North America with a full body and chassis revision. The exterior was designed by Olivier Boulay, who was hired by Subaru on a short-term basis. The tail light appearance on both the sedan and wagon was influenced by the taillights on the SVX. In 1996, Subaru decided to make AWD standard equipment in all vehicles produced for the USA market from that year to today's current date. Subaru still offers a choice between FWD and AWD for its domestic market vehicles.

GT models, first offered as a wagon trim package for the USA version in 1994, became a full-blown upgrade in 1996, using the new DOHC 2.5 L engine. GT models continue to the present model, with Limited editions available, offering heated leather, or cloth, seats and trim and a tinted, glass moonroof. Driver and front passenger airbags were added with the redesigned interior. New equipment added to the list of features included RF remote keyless entry, fog lights on the upper trim levels and speed-sensitive power steering.

The remote keyless entry can unlock just the drivers door by pushing the unlock button once, with two pushes unlocking all doors. Using the key to unlock the door after using the remote keyless entry to lock the doors will cause the alarm to sound, if equipped with a security system. The doors must be unlocked with the remote to avoid the security system from being set off.

1999 Marked the 30th anniversary of Subaru, and the last of the second generation in North America. There was a special 30th Anniversary Edition offered with upgraded interior and sunroof, spoiler, alloy wheels on the "L" trim level cars. The Brighton trim level also carried over from the facelifted first generation version that was priced below the "L" trim option. The "GT" trim level appeared in 1996. The term "Limited" appeared on the "GT", known as the "GT Limited" in 1998. The term "Limited" was used by itself on the Outback in 1998.

In Japan, the GT-B was introduced June 1996 with the front and rear struts supplied by Bilstein ^[3], with the upgrade also available on the RS. The "B" designation stood for Bilstein. The GT-B can also be distinguished by upgraded projector beam headlight lenses.

A unusual interior change placed the power window switches flat against the door panel, whereas the window switches for the first generation and third generation extended from the door panels and were oriented in a horizontal position and were located underneath the drivers or occupants hands for easy location and use, and integrated into the door pull and armrest. The express up feature for the driver's window was also removed, leaving express down only. The power door lock switch design was upgraded to a more conventional door lock switch, installed next to the power window switches, with a secondary power lock switch installed for the front passenger.

Side turn signal repeater lenses that were introduced on the USA 1992-1994 Legacy were replaced by a plastic cap that matched the color of the door rub strip on vehicles sold in North America.

According to the French Wikipedia, LPG is introduced as an alternative fuel source on European models with the 2.0 L and 2.2 L engines, and are outfitted by company Necam Koltec. The fuel tank is installed in the spare tire compartment, with the spare tire installed vertically on the left side of the trunk or cargo area.

Third generation
Overview
Production	1998-2004
Body and chassis
Body style	"B" pillar Hardtop and Wagon
Layout	All-wheel drive
Related	Subaru Outback Subaru Baja
Powertrain
Engine	2.0 L DOHC 165 hp (123 kW) H4 2.0 L DOHC 260 hp (190 kW) twin turbo H4 manual 2.0 L DOHC 245 hp (183 kW) twin turbo H4 automatic 2.5 L SOHC 165 hp (123 kW) H4 3.0 L DOHC Flat-6 (162kW at 6000 rpm and 289 N⋅m (213 ft⋅lbf) at 4400 rpm)
Transmission	4-speed automatic 5-speed manual
Dimensions
Wheelbase	104.3 in (2,650 mm)
Length	187.4 in (4,760 mm) (wagon) 184.4 in (4,680 mm) (sedan)
Width	68.7 in (1,740 mm)
Height	55.7 in (1,410 mm) (sedan) 59.6 in (1,510 mm) (wagon) 56.5 in (1,440 mm) (Brighton wagon)
Curb weight	3,400 lb (1,500 kg) max

• Chassis code
  • BE - sedan
  • BH - wagon (extended roof)

Subaru launched the third generation Japanese and world-market Legacy in June 1998, while the North American model was introduced in 2000. All models were equipped with standard, symmetrical all wheel drive. World-market and Japanese models ranged from a normally-aspirated 2.0 liter flat-4 to the EZ30 in the 3.0R model.

Flat roof wagons are no longer manufactured worldwide, and instead the raised roof is used for both the Legacy wagon and Legacy Outback.

In 2001 the EZ30, a newly designed 3.0 L H6 was offered in the Outbacks.

The Legacy is the only vehicle in this class that provides AWD as standard equipment.

The 4 speed automatic transmission, had a feature where the transmission could be instructed to ignore 1st gear from a standing stop to assist driving on traction limited situations, such as ice and snow. The system was activated by moving the gearshift from the "D" position down to "2nd". The car would then start in 2nd gear, and not 1st. The transmission also splits the delivered torque 50-50 between the front and rear wheels. Once the car stopped, the transmission would start back in 2nd and not 1st, until the system was upshifted to 4th.

The automatic transmission also has the ability to change the shift points, and hold the gears longer when the engine is operating at higher RPM's. This is achieved by pressing the accelerator pedal rapidly, which causes the transmission to hold the gear until 5000 rpm before shifting to the next gear. No indicator light appears in the instrument cluster, unlike previous generations. The transmission also has engine over-rev protection by shifting the transmission to the next available gear once 6500 rpm has been achieved, even if the gear selector is in a low gear position.

Japanese-spec vehicles with the twin turbo had a Semi-automatic transmission, that allowed the driver to push the automatic gearshift selector to the left, and then allow the driver to shift the automatic like a manual transmission.

The B4 model carries over from the second generation and is a sedan-only model. The RSK featured the familiar DOHC, twin-turbo 2.0l outputting 280 hp (210 kW) in manual guise, 265 pr in automatic Tiptronic form. This results in a 0-60 mph time of 5.7 s for the Manual and 6.7 s for the automatic.

The models exported to Australia were detuned to run on lower octane (98ron) fuel and as a result had a lower power output of 190 kW (258 PS; 255 hp) for the manual and 176 kW (239 PS; 236 hp) for the automatic models. This results in a 0-60 mph time of 6.3 s for the Manual and 7.1 s for the automatic.^{[4] [5]} The downside about the B4 was the turbo lag between each turbo but with todays technology can be easily fixed.The manual B4 had a power split of 50/50 to the front and rear wheels, the automatic has a 35/65 split, while technically a luxury sedan, the new Liberty was designed for both casual driver and hoon. But first you must understand that this impressive piece of machinery runs twin-turbos. At low revs, the car uses just one of the two available turbos. To spool both up, all the time, would be overkill (but still lots of fun!). So when cruising below 4,000rpm, the B4 uses just the primary turbo. Give it some stick, rev above 4,500 and the secondary turbo kicks in - and we really mean kick. Taking off from standstill in the B4 is both exciting and intriguing at the same time. Naturally, it's quick. 0-100km/h in just 6.5 seconds. But the feel is very different to most cars. Clutch out, throttle down, the car lurches forward. With plenty of acceleration, the car levels out after about 1.0 second. Then, just when you think you can't be squeezed into your plush leather seat any harder, an even more intense rush of speed occurs as the needle passes 4,500rpm and stetches up past 7,000rpms. Now the turbos are working in tandem and this 'after-shock' occurs because the exhaust pressure is switching from one tubro to two - hence providing more power. The B4 runs a relatively small 2.0-litre block. Compare this to a sports-model VX Commodore's all-alloy engine and there would be about 3,700 extra cubic centimetres of displacement in the latter vehicle. Yet when you think about it, if the two were to race, it would be very close to call. The horizontally-opposed, or 'boxer', 2.0-litre, 4-cylinder engine has had the twin-turbos bolted on, as well as an intercooler. Together with double-overhead cams and a neat sodium-filled exhaust system (allowing better transfer of heat), the Liberty B4 pushes out a whopping 190kW @ 6,400rpm. That's 26kW more than the WRX. Peak torque is 320Nm @ 4,800 - more than enough to get you around in a hurry. There is even a 206kW Liberty B4, but this is only for sale in Japan. Because they have access to 100 RON fuel this is possible, but here we only have a maximum of 98 RON fuel - the lower octane level means the car needed to be de-tuned to be reliable. Due to the increased power, braking and handling have been upgraded as compared to the standard Liberty. With Blistein inverted front struts and rear dampers, the B4 has been set up for high rigidity, but a smooth ride, too. The braking package comprises discs all round and an anti-lock braking system. Up front, mated to two-piston calipers, are whopping 16-inch vented discs. At the rear 15-inch discs have been fitted with single-piston calipers with the end result a nice, predictable feel with plenty of stopping power. Inside the new Subaru you get a funky leather Momo steering wheel and even a seven-speaker McIntosh audio system, replete with rear-mounted 60W sub-woofer! The black leather trim looks excellent with the blue leather inserts and the driver's seat comes with a six-way electrical adjuster, ensuring perfect lumbar support no matter what your body size. From the outside, the Liberty B4 doesn't look too racy, but the subtle bonnet scoop is a dead give away as to the car's turbocharged nature. The revised headlight cluster looks very nice, particularly the new indicator design. New fog lights and a larger front apron also lend an air of 'go-faster' to the car. As far as footwear goes, the Subaru comes with 17-inch BBS alloys, only just containing the disc brakes hidden beneath. These after-market mags help reduce the overall weight of the car, which comes to 1495kg with a full tank of fuel (64-litres). Low side skirts and a rear-spoiler round out the package and offer slightly better aerodynamics. On the whole, the Liberty B4 isn't drastically different from its precursor, but this the subtle changes made definitely improve the overall image. A B4 RS model was equipped with a less powerful, normally aspirated 2.0 L DOHC engine, but shared many of the body and suspension components of the more powerful RSK.

In 2001, a B4 RS25 model was introduced with a normally aspirated 2.5 L DOHC engine.

In 2002, the B4 RS30 was introduced with a normally aspirated 3.0 L EZ30 DOHC flat-six engine.

The GT-B is a tuned version of the Legacy Wagon, the "B" in the name referring to the Bilstein struts that the car was equipped with. The E-Tune II was introduced in 2001 as a 2002 model. Vehicles with the Bilstein shocks had a small Bilstein badge attached to the rear of the vehicle, below the "GT" badge.

The fourth revision of the third-generation Legacy made several important but subtle changes to the front of the car. The fenders, grille, and headlights were altered slightly, making interchangeability with Rev1-c impossible. The headlights in the Japanese market were of the HID variety, and were slightly smaller, while the grille also shrank slightly. The HID headlights had a dashboard mounted adjustment switch that allowed the driver to re-aim the headlights to reduce glare to approaching traffic.

The Blitzen model was the result of a collaboration with Porsche, and featured many unique parts and paint schemes. The wheels, body kit, and interior were all designed by Porsche. It also featured an implementation of the Porsche Tiptronic automatic gearbox, the first use of sequential-shifting on a production Subaru model.

A wagon version was made available in 2001 with the EZ30 engine.

The model was refreshed in 2002 with an updated design.

Named after an area in Southern France, this wagon was shown at the 35th Tokyo Motor Show in 2001. It was a cobalt blue color and featured a normally aspirated 2.5 L engine. It was outfitted with a unique body kit, wheels and interior accents, such as clay-colored seats and a light-colored dashboard.^[6]

Subaru introduced a specially modified Legacy B4, with the name STi S400, signifying only 400 would be built for the year 2000, and the vehicles were sold only in Japan. The vehicle came equipped with the twin turbo introduced during the Second Generation production run.

For MY 2003, Subaru sold a limited edition, twin sequential turbo Legacy, modified by its STi division, and, again, only produced 400 sedan examples.^[7],^[8]

Fourth generation
Overview
Production	2003-
Body and chassis
Body style	"B" pillar Hardtop and Wagon
Layout	All-wheel drive
Related	Subaru Outback Subaru Tribeca Subaru Baja Subaru Exiga
Powertrain
Engine	2.0i DOHC 165 hp (123 kW) H4 (JP, ROW except NA) 2.0t DOHC Dual AVCS 280 hp (210 kW) H4 (JP, RHD export until 2006) 2.0td 148 hp (110 kW) H4 (EU) 2.5i SOHC 175 hp (130 kW) H4 (ROW except JP) 2.5t DOHC AVCS 250 hp (190 kW) H4 (US, CA, RHD export) 3.0i DOHC AVCS 250 hp (190 kW) H6 (Worldwide)
Transmission	4-speed automatic 5-speed automatic 5-speed manual 6-speed manual
Dimensions
Wheelbase	105.1 in (2,670 mm)
Length	186.2 in (sedan) 188.7 in (wagon) 188.8 in (2008-present wagon)
Width	68.1 in (1,730 mm)
Height	58.1 in (1,480 mm) (wagon) 56.1 in (1,420 mm) (sedan) 56.5 in (1,440 mm) (Spec B Sedan)
Curb weight	3,500 lb (1,600 kg) max

• Chassis code
  • BL - Sedan
  • BP - Wagon

On May 23, 2003, Fuji Heavy Industries debuted the redesigned Legacy, known as the BL for sedan models and BP for wagons. It was released worldwide in 2004, with Subaru of America commencing production in January 2004 for the United States and Canadian markets. The large red plastic rear trim piece that first appeared in 1989, on both the sedan and wagon, with the word "Subaru" or "Legacy" (depending on the market) has been removed. The Subaru star logo reappears on the back of sedans and wagons, which was removed in MY 1992, with a blue background.

Lance Armstrong was used as an spokesman for both the sedan and wagon, and Sheryl Crow sang her 1996 hit "Everyday Is a Winding Road" in USA market commercials.

The chassis was redesigned and made stiffer, and it marked the return of a turbocharged engine to North American Legacies, featuring a 2.5 liter unit derived from that of the North American Impreza WRX STI. Due to advancements in turbocharger technology and tightening emission standards, the twin-turbo setup was dropped from the lineup. Turbocharged models and the H6 offered Subaru's first 5-speed automatic transmission, featuring SportShift technology licensed from Prodrive, Ltd.

Normally aspirated models received the gauge cluster from the earlier turbocharged BL Legacy, and turbocharged models were updated with the SI-Drive adaptive throttle system, and updated gauges, showing realtime fuel consumption. SI-Drive is a system that alters the shift profile, and has three settings: Intelligent, where the shifting of the automatic transmission happens much sooner in the torque band. Sport: The shifting happens much later, giving the vehicle a sporting nature. Sport# (sharp): This profile raises the shift point a touch more, for very sporty shifting.

On October 19, 2004 the Japanese-spec sedan and wagon were available as the B4 3.0R Spec B with a 6 speed manual transmission.

During MY 2005, Subaru introduced Active Valve Control System, or AVCS on both the 2.5 Flat-4 and 3.0 Flat-6 engines as standard equipment.

European models have not featured a turbocharged gasoline engine due to emission standards, while RHD export markets initially received 2.0 liter engines derived from Japanese Domestic Market models, later updated to the 2.5 liter engine found on USDM Legacies.

The BL/BP Legacy was refreshed in 2006, with an all new grille, bumper and taillights.

As of the 2008 model year, the Legacy wagon and Outback sedan were discontinued in the United States, leaving the Legacy sedan and Outback wagon. The Legacy wagon was not discontinued in Canada. 2008 also brought the 3.0 L Flat-6 engine to the North American Legacy sedan. The Flat-6 has been available in the Outback sedan wagon since 2000.

USA Trim level designations have been updated and are listed in order of least expensive:

2.5i, 2.5i Limited, 2.5 GT Limited., 3.0R, 2.5GT Spec.b

In 2006, the trim level 2.5 SE was slotted between the 2.5i and the 2.5i Limited and the GT spec B was added.

In 2007, the 3.0R was added with the 6 cylinder engine for the USA market.

For 2008, the 2.5i USA model has been certified PZEV emissions, and a badge has been attached to the rear of the vehicle on the bottom right hand side of the tailgate or trunklid. All other models are certified LEV2.

Newly standard on select 2009 Legacy models, the 9-speaker Harman Kardon audio system is custom-optimized for the dimensions of each vehicle's interior.

European Legacy have three trim levels: the 2.0R, the 2,5 and the 3.0R spec B. In Japan, the Legacy comes in three variations: Legacy Touring Wagon, Legacy B4 sedan and Legacy Outback. The JDM Outback engine choices are either the 3.0 or 2.5 DOHC.

On May 10, 2008, the Japanese-spec Legacy can be fitted with a new safety feature, called EyeSight. It consists of twin cameras, one on each side of the rear view mirror, that use human like stereoscopic vision to judge distances and generally keep tabs on the driver. The system can can help you keep your distance on the highway, a lane departure warning system, a wake up call should everyone pull away from the lights but you, and even keeps an eye out for pedestrians. ^{[9] [10]}SI-Cruise has been integrated into the EyeSight feature as a driver safety aid.

Subaru released a limited edition Legacy STI S402 (402 is the number of vehicles that were built) for the Japanese market only in May 2008. The engine is the 2.5 liter boxer turbo good for 285 hp (213 kW) and 292 lb·ft. of torque. Past generations of the STi S-series were sedan only, but the S402 includes the wagon as well. ^[11][12]The S402 received BBS wheels, found on the Impreza type RA-R and Brembo brake calipers. Improvements are made to the suspension and engine management computer. A special serial number plate is added to the center console and engine bay VIN plate.

Subaru released a special version of the Liberty sedan and wagon, tuned by STi. Modifications have been made to such items as the brakes, suspension, engine, and interior, with only 250 examples being sold in Australia.^[13]

The flat-4 diesel engine is offered in both the Legacy and Outback sedans and wagons, identified as the Subaru Legacy 2.0D the vehicle was released in the EU starting March 2008. The vehicle is offered with a 5 speed manual transmission only.

The official introduction of the Legacy and Outback diesel was at the Geneva AutoShow in March, 2008. ^[14][15][16]

According to the Subaru Insiders on-line newsletter dated March 2008, Subaru is "currently making modifications to the diesel so it meets the more stringent U.S. standards. Subaru diesel models should be domestically available in two to three years."

• 
  2005-2007 Subaru Legacy 2.5i Limited wagon (US)
• 
  2009 Subaru Legacy 2.5i SE PZEV sedan with optional spoiler (US)
• 
  2006 Liberty Blitzen at the Melbourne International Motor Show
• 
  European Legacy Police wagon
• 
  Japanese Legacy Police Car (Ibaraki Prefecture)

The 2009 model Legacy has two important upgrades from the 2008 model. One of the upgrades is the built in 385 watt, nine speaker and amplifier by Harman Kardon. This new sound system is engineered to replicate home theater quality sound. Another part of the upgrade to the sound system is the Aux input located in the center council for IPOD use.^[17]

For the first time in the Legacy line, the VDC (Vehicle Dynamics Control) is available on all models of the 2009 Legacy. This used to only be available on limited modeled Legacy's, until 2009. This system helps monitor the vehicle to help detect unwanted deviations in your trajectory.^[18]

Subaru also introduced two new colors the the Legacy line for 2009.

^[19]

^[20]

Template:Future automobile The Legacy/Outback will likely be redesigned for the 2010 model year, in keeping with the 5-year life cycle. Multiple speculations off possible designs can be found on the Internet.^[21]

In 1990, the Legacy was declared the number one selling 4-wheel drive car in the USA by R.L. Polk & Company, based on registration statistics for CYE 1989. According to AutoFacts Inc. AutoGuide, dated June 28,1990, the Legacy was the least expensive Sedan or Wagon offering both 4-wheel drive and ABS. The Automotive Journalists Association of Canada (AJAC) voted the Legacy "1990's Best New Sedan".

In Australia, it was Wheels magazine's Car of the Year for 1994 and again for 1998. Upon the Turbo's introduction to the Australian market it was claimed to be the fastest accelerating car for under $100,000 on the Australian car market. The BL/BP chassis Legacy was the Car of the Year Japan for 2003-04. It was also joint Top Gear car of the year for 2007 with the Ford Mondeo.

The EZ series of flat-6 cylinder engines, used in current Legacy products, replaced the EG series found in the Subaru SVX. Subaru has produced high performance versions of the Legacy with a Bilstein suspension and tuned turbocharged engines equivalent to the homologized rally version WRX STI (generating 205 kW (275 hp) on manufacturer's figures for the 2.0 L equivalent engine with manual transmission). Recent 3.0 L engines move close to the 2.0 L turbo output and share the Bilstein suspension. 2.0 L-engined turbocharged models with the Bilstein suspension were named either the GT-B (for wagons), or Spec B, or RSK-B4 (for sedans). The new 2003 model moved many models to simply B4 or even GT in some countries. The Spec B badge still exists in the UK, where the 3.0R stands as the premier MY06 model. In Australia, the 2.5GT (SatNav) marks the top of the pile for the Legacy/Liberty range.

In North America, early sporty models were known simply as the Sport Sedan and Touring Wagon. Later models were given the GT and GT Limited nomenclature. The 2006 Legacy model brought forth a limited run of 500 Spec B models. For 2007 the Spec B became a regular production model (albeit a somewhat limited run). The Spec B model features a 6-speed manual transmission, an improved suspension system by Bilstein, navigation system (making the Spec. B the sole MT Legacy to get one), exclusive (to the Spec B) interior, 18" wheels, and additional aesthetic modifications.

The Legacy was campaigned by the Subaru World Rally Team in the World Rally Championship and British Rally Championship, with the help of Prodrive, beginning in 1990. It wasn't considered a truly competitive model at first, but showed promise under the command of Markku Alen, who in 1991 managed a third-place finish at the Swedish Rally. 1992 debuted the combination of experienced Group B, Pikes Peak International Hillclimb, and WRC driver Ari Vatanen, paired with the up-and-coming Scottish driver Colin McRae for Subaru's WRC effort. Two second place finishes, one by each driver, strengthened the commitment of Subaru to the World Rally Championship, the Legacy, and their drivers. The Legacy's primary competitor, with a turbocharged engine and AWD, was the Mitsubishi Galant VR-4.

1993 became a breakout year for Subaru as Colin McRae and Ari Vatanen pushed the Legacy to a third place finish at the Swedish Rally and a one-two placing after the first leg of the Acropolis Rally. Prodrive boss David Garraway was eager to prove the potential of the new Impreza WRC car, but was charged with gaining a victory in the Legacy before the Impreza could debut. At Round 8 held in New Zealand, Subaru finally struck gold when McRae managed to hold back Francois Delecour in his Ford Escort WRC for the win. This would be the last WRC event for the Legacy, as the Impreza debuted at the following event, where it placed second in the hands of Vatanen.

Richard Burns was successful in numerous events with the car during 1992 before joining the World Rally team to drive the Impreza in 1993. Alister McRae, Per Eklund, Possum Bourne and Hannu Mikkola also competed in the Legacy during its WRC participation.

The Legacy remains an ever-present competitor in rallies around the world. SCCA ProRally and Rally America participation from many teams has been impressive. The Legacy and the Impreza have many interchangeable parts which makes for a very competent and reliable entry.

The Legacy, and its Outback stablemate, has won the Alcan Winter Rally several times; the first win was in 1990 followed by another win in 1992, 2002 and 2006.

A 1990 Legacy was the first Group N car to ever finish the WRC Safari Rally. This rally is considered the world's most gruelling rally under the World Rally Championship. In 1990 the 38th Safari Rally had 59 competitors total, only 10 of which were able to reach the finish. The Legacy was the only Group N car able to reach the finish and was in 8th place overall.

On April 23, 1998, a Generation III Subaru Legacy set a new world speed record for mass-produced turbocharged station wagons (1600 cc-2000 cc class), clocking 270.532 km/h (168.101 mph) over one kilometer on Highway 10 in La Junta, Colorado. [1] This record was previously set by a Generation II Subaru Legacy in 1993 at 249.981 km/h (155.331 mph).

The original Legacy speed record was set between January 2 and January 21, 1989, with three Japanese-spec turbocharged RS sedans at the Arizona Test Center outside of Phoenix, Arizona. It broke the 100,000 km FIA World Land Endurance Record by maintaining an average speed of 138.780 mph (223.345 km/h) for 447 hours, 44 minutes and 9.887 seconds, or 18½ days. Pit stops were made every two hours with a driver change and refueling, while tire changes were made at 96 hour intervals, or every 13,400 miles (21,600 km) driven.

• Information listed for the first generation Legacy above was sourced from Subaru sales brochures for the noted model years from the USA, UK, Germany, the Netherlands, Japan and Australia. Information obtained from Japanese Legacy brochures was translated into English from the original Japanese printing.