Subaru · Legacy

Subaru Legacy 4th generation (BL/BP)

Years
2003–2009
Chassis
BL/BP
Drivetrain
4WD
Subaru Legacy 4th generation (BL/BP)

Image: Vauxford / CC BY-SA 4.0

Story

Its development theme was "a fusion of driving, function and beauty". It sought further performance from its Symmetrical AWD with a horizontally opposed engine.

Stories

01

"How About That, Minus 100 kg"

Asked what changed most in the fourth-generation Legacy compared with its predecessor, development lead Kazuyoshi Shimizu says, "Weight reduction. We took it as far as it could go." The project to lighten the body began in the second half of the year the previous model debuted, and by reviewing the materials and processing methods of the parts and the structure of the body from scratch, they found a way to make it 230 kg lighter while being more rigid than the previous model. In the production car, the wider body, improved sense of rigidity, and strengthened suspension meant the weight came down by only 100 kg. Even so, Shimizu calmly said that since other companies make a big fuss over cutting just 10 kg, it was probably fine to say, "How about that, minus 100 kg. Pretty impressive, isn't it?"

Chassis

Length 4,635-4,680 mmWB 2,670 mm1,425-1,470 mmHeightWidth 1,730 mm
Curb weight
1,330-1,540kg

Production plants

  1. Subaru of Indiana Automotive, Inc.

    Lafayette, Indiana

    Feb. 2004–2009 · North American market

US import eligibility

Earliest cars
Eligible from May 202825 years after sales began in May 2003
Last cars
Eligible during 203425 years after sales ended in 2009 (month not recorded)

Eligibility depends on each car's month of manufacture on its build plate, not on the sale dates shown here (NHTSA).

Japanese cars reaching 25 years in 2028 →

Engineers

Kazuyoshi Shimizu

Kazuyoshi Shimizuuntil 2003

Development leader (project general manager) of the fourth-generation Legacy.

Toshio Masuda

Toshio Masudafrom 2003

Subaru's development leader for the sports car developed jointly with Toyota. He was appointed to the role.

Masayuki Uchida

Masayuki Uchida

Development leader of the sixth-generation Legacy (B4 / Outback). Senior project general manager in the Subaru Product Planning Division of Fuji Heavy Industries.