Standard disclaimer about obeying all posted limits, etc.

With that said, my bro and I did some serious cruising yesterday. We had driven up to a town west of Hartford, CT to pick up his new (used) '96 Saab 9000CS. We drove back southeast on Route 2 from Hartford to the Groton/New London area. My brother loves to drive fast as much as I do, and I knew he'd want to put the new car through its paces. Plus he's a cop, so I figured if I got stopped, he'd stop with me and take care of things. One thing led to another and we ended up completing the trip in probably 25min vice the normal 40min or so.

I've done a couple high speed runs before, but just briefly up to about 125, maybe 130mph (5725rpm in 5th), then back down to normal cruising speed. Well, this time I managed to hit 5800rpm in 5th (130mph or so on the Saab's speedo, 134mph ratio-ing the RPMs up from 80mph - we'll compromise and call it 132mph), and we stayed up above 110mph for miles. I was taking curves at about 115-120mph (just ease off the gas a bit), then back on it hard in the straightaways. I thought (and my brother agreed later) that we were going to have an A4 1.8T join us, but he didn't come along - bummer!! Also had a woman in a Saab 900 convertible try to hang briefly, but we lost her about 105mph.

The car's stability at speed continues to amaze me. I probably could've taken the curves pretty much flat out, but having never done it before I was obviously wary of smearing myself on a guardrail, tree, whatever. The car was very composed through the turns - gotta love good summer tires, I'm sure the RE92s woulda been WAY out of their league. Straight line stability was also excellent, it doesn't seem like you're going 130mph. I was easily able to hold the car in its lane with minor corrections on the wheel, as if I was doing a normal 80mph. I was also impressed by the car's acceleration at speed. As I accelerated out of the curves it would quickly pick up the speed it lost when I eased off entering the turn. My brother also commented that he was impressed by its acceleration.

Just thought I'd share. Any takers on top speed in a N/A Subie?

Pat Olsen
'99 Legacy 2.5GT 5 speed sedan

On a clear open road, the best I could get my 2.5 RS to go was 120 mph indicated at 5,400 rpm, on 4 different occasions. Felt rock solid each time, but I had no difficulty fantasizing the nightmare it would be rolling end over end with a blown tire at that speed.

(I am at over 5,000 feet above sea-level, so imagine with 3% power loss per 1,000 feet I only have about 140hp at the crank vs stock 165hp. Then, with my intake mods, maybe I am back up to 150-155hp.)

Glad you made it through that alive.

http://www.nwlink.com/~jwatkins/AUT_3308.JPG

That's in my 94 SVX, totally stock. I've had it faster than that, for long periods of time as well, just no pictures. Unfortunately, the stock ECU triggers a limited at ~4500rpm, so 130mph is best it'll do. So far I've not heard of any good options for a new ECU on a SVX (would a TEC-II be modifiable?). People with the older unlimited SVX report reaching ~155mph or so.

The SVX feels totally awsome at such speeds. It's one of the most solid feeling cars I've ever had the pleasure of riding in at such speed. It handles turns just fine... I find 110mph to be the 7/10th's limit on the curves of I-5 through SW Oregon and Shasta California.

I've run at these speeds for 4+ hours as well, with no aparent stress or damage to the car.

On one trip, a Grand Am tried to keep up with me... it was a lot of fun.. I'd tear away from him, then wait for him to catch up, let him pass, then rip by again. Over and over http://208.9.184.67/NonCGI/wink.gif.

I imagine the Legacy must feel somewhat similar to the SVX... it's a great feeling http://208.9.184.67/NonCGI/smile.gif.

And of course, the final disclaimer... I've only made it my practice to do this on *very* empty highway. It takes an amazing distance to slow down to 60mph from 120mph, so be $@#%$#@ careful. A bit of careless fun is not worth a life.

http://208.9.184.110/MembersList/UserPics\3\speedomaxed.jpg

this is as fast as it gets in an RS.

Wow... Well, if you were on the RE92's and going that fast around corners, you did the right thing by letting up considering their horrible understeer tendencies. If you had a grippier tire, you probably should have stayed on it in the corners so the a** of the car would be more firmly planted to the ground versus the weight transfer with letting off and transferring it up toward the front.

I haven't done any REAL high speed cornering, the best I've done is about 70-80mph, even on easy turns. It does stick though, I have got it give it that. I managed 95 down a little bumpy road today (scared the hell out of my mom who was in the car with me http://208.9.184.67/NonCGI/biggrin.gif ) and it felt solid as a rock.

That RS is going about 130mph.

I'll look for the photo of my 87 Acura Integra at 7,000 rpm and 129 mph on the way from Las Vegas to Hoover Dam. Got wasted by a Saab 9000 moments after the snap shot was taken. He threw up a rock and cracked the winshield...

PS: That photo is now my new desktop wallpaper...

[This message has been edited by larryganz (edited April 26, 2000).]

Hey i've seen 120 plus in my Subie on my way to Phoenix from Dallas. I drove all the way across New Mexico on I-10 at nothing less than 90. There is nothing between Deming and Lordsburg. So you can haul ass. This is also the area that Audi does some road test on there cars. I've seen 5-6 Audi's nose to tail across there.

I haven't got the pictures to prove it but had my Legacy GT-B (Automatic Wagon!) at an indicated 157mph (7000rpm) late at night on a very empty tretch of road here in the UK, drove like a dream, very stable - the only problem was the wistling I get from somewhere in the dashboard over 100mph

Paul

It's nice to see people giving Saabs some respect. The reaction I usually get from Joe Public is "A Saab? What would you want to drive one of those for?" Hehe. I've had my NA '87 900S 16V up to 136mph on a closed circuit, and it was solid as a rock. This was verified by radar. Of course, I had 102 octane gas in there, but still... I've heard of lightly modified turbo 900s hitting 160 on the Autobahn. http://208.9.184.67/NonCGI/wink.gif


-Porter

Currently Saab driver, waiting patiently for the US release of the Impreza Turbo.

I guess I shouldn't believe everything I read in R&T. Their road test summary towards the rear of their magazine says a 2.5rs is limited at 112. This was for a 98 model though. Any difference between model years?
I cant say I know what my car can do. Fastest I've had it to in the three months and 1700 miles I've had it is 90.

Dustin
MY'00 Coupe BRP

R&T probably pulled the #s for the regular impreza, which is limited because of the stock tires. (that is how they put limiters on these days, depending on which speed rating the tires come stock)

-mike

Hmmmmm... I'm going to have to do a speed run one of these days cause I haven't had mine over 112-113 (MY00 Coupe). Damn, I hope there isn't a limiter, I'll have to fly to Japan to shoot the engineer who did it. Then again, that might be good - I'd get the info on the new Impreza's coming out at the same time... hmmmm... http://208.9.184.67/NonCGI/wink.gif

Hello,

I think the settled top speed of the US imprezas is 130 mph. Search for similar topics and you'll see some description of something I've never done http://208.9.184.67/NonCGI/smile.gif We, I mean, err, a group of scooby folks went to Las Vegas and sustained 130 for around half an hour or so and spent at least another hour over 110.

OF course, funniest part was when, at about 120, we, uh, they came along side a new turbo volvo and started staring at the guy's GPS system (night time, could see all the lights). The volvo guy looked over, looked away, stomped on the gas, and left the scooby group so fast you'd think we were parked. YOU HEAR THAT, SUBARU? Volvo, the most conservative company out there, builds familly wagons that walk away from scoobies at over 120 mph http://208.9.184.67/NonCGI/smile.gif

JYD

Hey man.. my old 85 Volvo Turbo kicked ass! Most boxy car in the world and I could still kick it up to 113 with it running at it's absolute worst! Kept up with new GSR's off the line up to about 60-70... Personally all I think I got in the new car is a lot better handling and worse cupholders. http://208.9.184.67/NonCGI/wink.gif

But Subaru have held the record for the world's fastest Wagon for quite a few years -beats the Volvo quite easily

Paul

If you like volvos check out the new 40 series. I have a feeling they can be modified to produce much more power. Also there is a rumor that they will import the manual transmission next year.

Fusion

Robert - that's about what I saw on my dash, except I don't have the cool white gauges, any you edged me a bit on RPM. I *may* have been able to squeeze out a bit more, but I hit an upslope and lost some speed.

8Complex - don't worry, I have Yoko Nexus tires on the car, not the RE92s. Like I said, I probably could've gone flat out through the curves, but I was somewhat chicken. I did gradually increase my cornering speed, letting off a little bit less each curve I came to. As Larry Ganz pointed out, that image of "what would happen if I screwed up right now" is kinda hard to lose. Oh, and although I was easing off for the curves, I was still on the gas the whole time, and would accelerate off the apex to keep it planted. No worries about drop throttle oversteer.

It was definitely a rush. At some point (perhaps tomorrow when I'm on the same stretch of road http://208.9.184.67/NonCGI/smile.gif ) I'll try to snap a photo. We'll see how comfortable I feel trying to work the camera at that speed, might do it another time when I can have someone else in the car to operate the camera.

Pat Olsen
'99 Legacy 2.5GT 5 speed sedan

Subaru with world's fastest wagon? Please do tell...
An interesting thing is that BMW has been testing 5 series wagons in M5 trim...Autoweek had a pic maybe a month ago...now I bet that wagon tops out pretty high!

i've had my dash looking just like Richards...pretty scary/fun at the same time

Hello,

Every time Subaru comes out with some improvement, they set the land distance record in a wagon. The test involves running for one hour and getting the most miles down. Subaru has won it on and off for the last 10 years, I think. Now, they're in the 140 miles range, I think. Obviously, not a US Legacy since I doubt any US legacy could even touch 140 on a flat surface http://208.9.184.67/NonCGI/smile.gif http://208.9.184.67/NonCGI/smile.gif http://208.9.184.67/NonCGI/smile.gif

JYD

I think the scariest thing I have ever done was go over 320km/h ( ok, ok I'm canadian) on a 2000 Ninja 900cc Sport Bike. It was the most insane thing I have ever done, I would never do it again, but looking down at the speedo, buried, doing about 13,000 rpms, makes you think about some weird stuff. I only sustained that speed for about 30 seconds, but man, it puts you in your place.

My fastest drive was 158 mph in my MR2 Turbo. Stock top speed in those are 140 but with the mods I got it up there...only for a few seconds since it was very close to redline in 5th...didn't want to blow anything?! Redline in 5th gear will get you 160 in the MR2T....Anyone know what we'd get to in RS???
Tre'


[This message has been edited by RallyGuy2k (edited April 30, 2000).]

Stock car with the redline at 6250, I'd say about 140 tops-

174 MPH in a stealth on the autobahn in germany........fun to give a reality check to v12 bmw/mercedes
=)

I can't believe how many people have taken pictures of their spedos driving that fast. I don't think that I would have that much confidence.

Rick----http://members.citynet.net/richardbuckner

Sorry to jump in here late with this one. I just found this picture will checking out the UK board.
Man, I want a turbo Scooby BAD!
http://le-village.ifrance.com/NetScooby/252.JPG
http://208.9.184.67/NonCGI/eek.gif

That's pretty fast, but you're forgetting that's kph, not mph. I calculated it to about 156.25mph. I thought for a moment that it was in mph, but I know that there is only one car (in production) that can reach that speed, but it's only 230mph top end. Mclaren F1! Man I would have loved to be in the drivers seat when that pic was taken. The fastest I've ever taken my Scoob was 130mph and that was about 2months after I got. And, yes I was surprized by its rigidity too.

Mike

How did you bypass the speed limiter on the Legacy? Does the GT not have one? I know the Impreza does not have one.

GT_Racer2000

I got this info out of the "Subaru WRC Great Challenge" magazine that my parents picked up at the Vancouver Auto Show. Anywayz, it has a little blurb about STi at the end and it talks about the land speed records that Subaru has held/does hold.

"Subaru Technica Inc. (STi) was established in April 1988. Its first major project was helping Subaru attempt the world speed record for 100,000 kilometers (62,140 miles) of consecutive running. This record was broken by a Legacy RS AWD turbo in January 1989, just before the model's official release. Three Legacys maintained a continuous speed of 250 km/h (155.34 mph) for 19 days, driving around the oval track of the Arizona Test Center in the US. Including time out for refueling, tire changes, and switching drivers, Legacy attained a world record average speed of 223.45 km/h (138.85 mph)."

Could you imagine that -- driving at around 150 mph for 19 days?!?!?!?

LaterZ!
Darren!!

What I want to know is: how the F*** do you take pictures from head-on of the speedo at those speeds?!?!?! Don't you have to watch the road? My head hurts now...

GTRacer2000

The Japanese Legacy GT (and GTBs) have a speed limiter of 112mph (180kmh), when they are converted electronically to mph the speed limiter is also converted and now cuts in at 180mph http://208.9.184.67/NonCGI/biggrin.gif

Paul

That is why I could not understand how this U.S. spec Legacy GT hit 130 mph. I would still like to know if they really hit that speed and how they did it if the speed limiter had not been modified. I am not saying the car could not do it. It has the hp to but the limiter won't let it.

GT Racer2000

I'm wondering how did you guys take a picture that sharp when you are driving that fast. I drove over 180km/h, but can't take a nice and sharp pic.

GT Racer 2000,
The US spec Legacy 2.5GT doesn't have a speed limiter on it, nor does the 2.5RS as far as I know. It's not too surprising, really, since the two cars share identical drivetrains, probably identical ECUs, etc.

I know a lot of cars in the US are limited due to the cheapo tires put on at the factory. Many cars are limited to 112mph because that's the limit for S or T rated tires, pretty common factory equipment. The RS and GT both come with H rated tires (130mph limit), which pretty much matches their drag-limited top speed, so there's no real need for a speed limiter. That's my 2 cents, atleast.

Pat Olsen
'99 Legacy 2.5GT 5 speed sedan