Subaru Alcyone SVX
| Subaru Alcyone SVX | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Overview | |
| Manufacturer | Subaru (Fuji Heavy Industries) |
| Also called | Subaru SVX |
| Production | 1991 – December 1996 |
| Assembly | Yajima Plant, Ota, Gunma, Japan |
| Designer | Giorgetto Giugiaro |
| Body and chassis | |
| Class | Grand tourer |
| Body style | 2-door coupé |
| Layout |
Front-engine, four-wheel drive Front-engine, front-wheel drive |
| Powertrain | |
| Engine | 3.3 L EG33 H6 |
| Transmission | 4-speed 4EAT automatic |
| Dimensions | |
| Wheelbase | 2,610 mm (102.8 in) |
| Length | 4,625 mm (182.1 in) |
| Width | 1,770 mm (69.7 in) |
| Height | 1,310 mm (51.6 in) |
| Curb weight | 1,590 kg (3,510 lb) |
| Chronology | |
| Predecessor |
Subaru Alcyone XT Subaru Leone RX |
| Successor |
Subaru Impreza Coupe Subaru BRZ |
The Subaru Alcyone SVX, also known outside of its home market Japan as the Subaru SVX, is a two-door grand tourer coupé that was sold by Subaru, the automobile manufacturing division of Japanese transportation conglomerate Fuji Heavy Industries (FHI). Produced from 1991 to December 1996, it was FHI's first attempt to enter the luxury/performance car market. Its intention was to combine two seemingly contradictory elements—comfort and performance. The name "Alcyone" (pronounced "el-SIGH-uh-nee") refers to the brightest star in the Pleiades star cluster, on which the Subaru logo is based.
The Subaru Alcyone SVX made its debut, as a concept car, at the 1989 Tokyo Auto Show. Italian automobile designer Giorgetto Giugiaro of ItalDesign designed the slippery, sleek bodywork, incorporating design themes from his other concepts, such as the Ford Maya and the Oldsmobile Inca. Subaru decided to put the concept vehicle into production and retain its most distinguishing design element, the unconventional window-within-a-window. Subaru called this an "aircraft-inspired glass-to-glass canopy," which was adapted from the previous model Subaru Alcyone with an additional extension of glass covering the A-pillar. The decision to release this car for production gave the public the first opportunity to buy a "concept car" as conceived. The suffix "SVX" is an acronym for "Subaru Vehicle X".
In contrast to the boxy, angular XT, the SVX had curvy lines designed by Giugiaro and the unusual two-piece power side windows. The windows are split about two-thirds of the way from the bottom, with the division being parallel to the upper curve of the door frame. These half-windows are generally seen on exotic vehicles with "scissor", "gull-wing", or "butterfly" doors, such as the Lamborghini Countach, De Lorean DMC-12 (another Giugiaro design), and the McLaren F1. The SVX's aerodynamic shape allowed it to maintain the low drag coefficient of Cd=0.29, previously established by the XT coupe it replaced. European market cars had a slightly lower wind resistance of Cd=0.285, thanks to a larger undertray.
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