While we know Subaru as quite a sporty brand in 2022, that wasn’t always the case. Subaru wasn’t exactly a brand that you would associate with fast, exotic sports cars in the 1980s. This was a time when its rivals were producing cars such as the Toyota MR2 and the Nissan GT-R. But soon, that would change. Subaru wanted to take a leap into the supercar and sports car world. And because of that, they came up with something that is pretty special, yet very underrated and almost forgotten entirely by a lot of people.
That car of course is the Subaru XT Coupe. It's an unusual looking wedge-shape car, but there was a lot of method to Subaru’s madness. Firstly, that wedge-shape is very aerodynamic. Secondly, the car had one of the most radical interiors of the time, and it still is quite a cool place to be. It's weird that the XT Coupe seems to somehow get forgotten, as it was an influential car in the history of Subaru. It launched them into the performance car world. But here is why it's so good, and equally why it should get a lot more attention.
Details Behind The XT Coupe
The Subaru XT Coupe first came into being in 1985 as a production car. Early in 1985, Subaru had unveiled a concept car at the Tokyo Auto Show. This was the Subaru ACX-II, a radical wedge shape car that certainly got peoples attention. Not least for its greenhouse style looking canopy. Pleasingly for a concept, this car did become the Subaru XT Coupe itself, something that rarely happens for a concept car. The interior was improved from concept to production, as it gained that epic fighter jet looking design we know and love today.
Under the hood of the XT is a 1.8-liter flat-four engine, that produced about 97 hp. This is perhaps the one thing that did let the XT Coupe down. That isn’t really enough horsepower for something envisioned as a lightweight sports car. The advent of the 145 hp flat-six, ER27 2.7-liter engine did in fact help the car out a bit, but the reality was that it never felt like there was enough power for the car. Nevertheless, this is what was on offer with the XT Coupe and those that owned the car were able to make the most of it. Plus, the advent of a turbo version and the optional four-wheel drive package helped to increase the appeal of the XT Coupe.
Some Incredible Wedge Shape Styling
The styling of the XT Coupe is certainly its talking point. The greenhouse looking canopy was a bit of a controversial point on the car, but the angular wedge and the sleek lines of the car are very eye catching. That incredible looking car also had an incredibly low drag coefficient too. The Subaru XT Coupe has a drag coefficient of just 0.29. This is exceptionally low, and it's something that most modern cars can only dream of having. Very rarely is a car this well built-in terms of aerodynamic performance.
There were air deflectors at the wheels, and an air dam at the front helped to make the XT Coupe the most aerodynamic car in the world at the time of its launch. One of the other novel features on the car was the single windshield wiper that was neatly tucked away under the hood. This helped to prevent any disturbance of the airflow across the car. And the doors had weird yet also cool retractable door handles, something that could have arguably inspired those we see on Tesla’s and more and more modern cars to this day. Again, this all helped with the car's aerodynamic performance.
A Fighter Jet Style Interior
It was the interior that really made the XT Coupe so special, though. Subaru went to town on the interior, and the fighter jet styling in the cabin is incredible. Firstly, there are the very cool bucket seats. Then there is the telescoping steering wheel and control stalk. The wheel and the controls for the wiper, heater and various other things can come closer to the driver for ease of access. The offset steering wheel and the way the lighting is pod-mounted inside are also very cool features, as is the fact that the pneumatic adjustable suspension option is operable, on the move, on a button near the steering wheel.
A Car That Deserves More Recognition
It is perhaps the fact the XT Coupe had, sadly, quite a feeble engine, that meant many people forgot the car even existed. Which is a shame. Because while it wasn’t the best engine, the car had many fantastic qualities. The fighter jet interior is one of the best things to ever be on any car, and the low drag coefficient is also an incredible feature. Not only that, but the car ultimately spawned the Subaru SVX, the brand's first true supercar and another brilliant machine. We have a lot to thank the XT Coupe for, and it deserves to be both remembered and have a lot more attention bestowed upon it.
Sources: Secret Classics, DNA Collectibles, Car and Classic, Driving Line, Pinterest, Classic Cars Wiki