At $6,900, Is This Still-Futuristic 1992 Subaru SVX An Out-Of-This-World Deal?

It's a shame that personal coupes aren't a thing anymore because we no longer get great examples like today's Nice Price or No Dice SVX. Let's see what this forward-looking coupe should reasonably cost in the here and now.

Alton Brown, the martini aficionado and venerable food TV personality, has long shown disdain for tools he dismisses as "uni-taskers." Such one-function tools, he complains, are a needless waste of space. There are exceptions, however, something that even AB has at times admitted. One of those tools is the Molinillo, a carved wooden whisk traditionally used to mix and froth Mexican hot chocolate. Yum.

In addition to Alton's culinary and cocktail interests, he is, like each of us, a gearhead. Some of you may have seen his series, "Feasting on Asphalt," in which he rode his BMW motorcycle along historic highways, sampling local food along the way. Again, yum. 

With all that in mind, we have to wonder what ol' AB might make of the 2019 GEM E4 neighborhood electric vehicle we looked at yesterday. While street-legal in many states, its limit to roads of 35 mph or less and rudimentary weather protection severely diminished its usefulness. Adding insult to injury, its $10,500 asking price, while not unreasonable for the vehicle, could buy any number of real electric cars, something pointed out by many of you in the comments. Ultimately, the GEM proved less than lustrous in its massive 83% "No Dice" loss. Alton would, no doubt, agree.

When considering Japanese cars wearing Italian designs, there's a joke to be found somewhere in the discussion about the unfortunate results of the last time such an alliance (or axis) was attempted. All kidding aside, there seems to be no better mix of style and engineering than that of the Italians and the Japanese, two cultures united by an appreciation for all things mechanical as well as noodles.

Today's 1992 Subaru SVX exemplifies this combination of complementary competencies. The mechanicals are almost all tried and true Subaru, including the company's legendarily competent AWD. That's all wrapped in jaw-dropping bodywork penned by the vaunted Italian styling house Italdesign, led by that company's founder, Giorgetto Giugiaro.

Just look at that slippery shape (drag coefficient of 0.29) and its wraparound glass with inset window openings. It's still pretty wowzers. This particular edition highlights the amazing greenhouse with a two-tone paint scheme, with a black coat wrapping the top and silver underneath. Also note that the Cuisinart-style factory alloys are directional, and appear to perhaps be mounted on the wrong sides of the car, with their blades facing backward.

When first introduced, Subaru expected to sell about 10,000 SVXs worldwide each year. An unfortunate confluence of the Japanese economy constricting and the car market's move away from compact coupes doomed the model to just around 14,000 sales in the U.S. over its 1992 to 1996 model run. This was the last two-door coupe Subaru offered until the BRZ almost two-decades later.

That makes this an appreciably rare car. That's even more the case when you consider its low miles (58,000) and overall decent condition. For some reason, few of these SVXs have survived the years without the shine worn down or at least some scrapes showing up.

This one seems to have escaped the most egregious of time's attacks and looks to be in solid shape on the exterior with paint that's holding up and no scratches on the bumpers from attempts to park by Braille.

The interior also presents well, although the seller isn't doing themselves or the car any favors by not removing the seat covers from the leather thrones for the pictures. One thing to note about this car is that the dashboard, and hence, the odometer, has been replaced. That means the odometer has been rolled back to zero, but the ad shows the verification sticker for that

When Subaru introduced the SVX, it needed a six-cylinder engine to best compete with its rivals, the 300ZX from Nissan and Toyota's Supra. That meant adding two cylinders to the company's venerable flat four, creating the EG33, a 3.3-liter DOHC four-valve flat-six. As fitted in the SVX, the naturally-aspirated engine made a healthy 237 horsepower and 228 pound-feet of torque. For reference, the same model year's Porsche 911 offered a 3.6-liter flat-six that made 247 horsepower and the exact same torque as the Subaru.

The only transmission that Subaru had on hand at the time that could handle the EG33's output was a four-speed automatic, making the SVX more of a cruiser than a bruiser. According to the ad, this car has been garage-kept and well-maintained, but the description presses interested parties to call for more info on its condition than that.

On the plus side, the car comes with a clean title, and while it's presently in New York, where rust is a thing, it seems free from obvious signs of road rot. This also appears to be one of the higher-spec'd editions, as evidenced by the moonroof and trunk lid-mounted spoiler.

As noted, the market for the SVX (or Alcyone in Japan) appears limited. The model has its fans, but it's an odd duck in the pantheon of Subaru models as most people associate the brand with AWD wagons and crossovers, not slippery as cat poop coupes.

That means that, while this car seems to have the deets, its asking price is in the realm of reason, or so it might seem.

We now need to consider this SVX, with its $6,900 asking price, in the mix. What's your take on the car and that price tag? Does that seem like a deal for an odd bit of history? Or is this a coupe that just doesn't cut it at that kind of cash?

You decide!

Nice Price or No Dice:

Hudson Valley, New York, Craigslist, or go here if the ad disappears.

H/T to Bill Rice for the hookup!

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