An honest example of the rarely seen 1990’s Subaru range topping GT
One of only around 30 examples thought to be registered in the UK today
A highly specified car with a 3.3L flat six engine, four speed automatic and all-wheel drive
The Appeal
The Subaru Alcyone SVX (pronounced "al-sigh-uh-nee") was the name given to the 90’s range topping GT that was introduced for the 1992 model year. The car was originally designed as a concept car by Giorgetto Giugiaro of ItalDesign. Unusually the concept was quite faithfully interpreted when the car started production, with even its unusual "aircraft-inspired glass-to-glass canopy" making the cut.
This example offers its next owner a high degree of originality and exclusivity in spades. The car comes with a long MOT and is complete with plenty of paperwork documenting recent valuable maintenance and repairs. For the JDM enthusiast looking for something rare and exotic, this Subaru ticks all the boxes.
The History and Paperwork
This SVX was produced in 1992 in Subaru’s Ota North plant
The Alcyone was destined for the Japanese Domestic Market
The car remained in Japan until 2002 when it was imported to the UK
The Subaru was first registered in the UK in December 2002
The first UK owner retained the car for a full ten years
The second UK owner acquired the car in October 2012
At that point the car had covered around 64,000 miles
The current owner acquired the car in March 2023 to become the fifth
The Alcyone SVX is complete with a good level of paperwork
This includes the current V5 in the name of the owner
The current MOT is valid until April 2024
A lever arch file full of invoices and documents is present
Highlights include a full gearbox rebuild in 2018
A 2017 invoice details a £2,000 plus expenditure on maintenance
This included timing belts replacement
The original owner’s handbook and workshop manual are on hand
The Interior
The key to this car’s interior seems to be its level of originality
The front seats are finished in a combination of stitched leather and Alcantara
These seats are heavily bolstered and incorporate generous headrests
The condition appears good overall
Some pilling is noted to the Alcantara of the driver’s seat
In the rear there is a deeply sculpted bench identically trimmed
The sculpting marks out two individual seats and is in a great condition
The lower section of the dashboard is Alcantara trimmed
The upper section is vinyl timed with a hooded binnacle ahead of the driver
A full set of white on black gauges and warning lights are situated here
These are placed ahead of the four spoke, multifunction steering wheel
The front footwells feature a pair of original 90’s Alcyone SVX carpet mats
The well-shaped boot is finished in its original hard wearing grey carpet
A filler is located here for the rear wash / wipe system
The Exterior
The Subaru boasts a sleek and interesting design with plenty to draw the eye
This example is finished in its original Bordeaux Pearl livery
Overall, the condition of the paint and bodywork appears good
In detail, there is quite a bit of imperfection to the finish noted
This includes chips, scratches and cracked paintwork
The finish on the bonnet has crazed and become matt in places
Some loss of lacquer is noted on the wing mirrors
All the quirky SVX details are present and correct
These include the aircraft inspired sectionalised windows
The wrap around rear light lenses and rear reflector panel are very 1990’s JDM
The SVX rides on its original 16-inch turbine style alloy wheels
These are finished in silver with Subaru centre caps
Two of these exhibit some noticeable surface corrosion
As such, the wheels would benefit from a refurbishment
A mixed set of tyres in a 225/50 configuration are currently fitted
The Mechanics
As the range topper, Subaru fitted the SVX with its then biggest power plant
In the sleek nose of the SVX sits the EG33 model 3.3L horizontally opposed flat-six boxer
This is a naturally aspirated unit was originally rated at 230bhp at 5,400 rpm
A healthy 228Ib-ft of torque peaked at 4,400 rpm
Power is fed to all four wheels via a four speed 4EAT automatic transmission
The all-wheel drive system enabled a variable distribution of power
This varied from 90%/10% front to rear up to a 50%/50% split depending on conditions
It is clear that some important maintenance has been undertaken recently
This includes a full gearbox rebuilt in 2018
In 2017, at 77,253 miles, over £2,000 was spent
This included replacement of both cam belts and the water pump
The rear disks and pads were also replaced at this point
The previously leaking radiator was also re-cored
This work, together with a long MOT, should provide a good level of reassurance
The engine bay looks clean and highly original
All the expected data plates appear present and correct
The underside of the car looks to be commensurate with its age and mileage
Summary
The Subaru Alcyone SVX was an advanced car for its day and specified and equipped appropriately for Subaru’s range topping model. Its powerful flat six engine was sufficient to endow the car with a 140mph plus top speed and a 0-60mph time of under 8 seconds.
This was competitive for its time and made the SVX a consummate continent crosser. Very few made it to the UK either originally or as later personal imports. That makes the SVX the perfect car in which to participate in the many UK based JDM shows and events.
This example is an honest car with a sensible original mileage for its age and a good record of recent maintenance. The originality is excellent overall, too, right down to the funky 1990’s Alcyone SVX carpet mats. This example is sure to prove a real find for enthusiasts and JDM connoisseurs alike. Bid today.
BEFORE YOU BUY
This sale is subject to the Car & Classic Terms and Conditions. By bidding and/or making an offer, you also agree to the following:
✓ If the seller is registered as a private seller, consumer rights stemming from EU consumer protection law do not apply. Car & Classic’s return policy applies.
✓ A non-refundable deposit will be payable if you are the winning bidder at auction or if your offer is accepted, refer to FAQs and T&Cs for details.
✓ This vehicle is “Sold As Seen”, on an “As Is, Where Is’ basis and without warranty. A full inspection of the vehicle prior to purchase and bidding is highly recommended. Photos and descriptions are for guidance purposes only.
✓ VAT is included in the buyer's deposit. VAT may or may not be included in the final bid or offer price, as specified in the listing.
✓ UK-registered cars and motorbikes on Car & Classic are run through an online HPI check, to verify that they show no insurance database markers for damage or theft, and have no finance owing.
✓ Buyers are responsible for vehicle collection or delivery.
Please see our FAQs
here
and our Terms & Conditions
here
Car & Classic's secure payment system protects buyers and sellers. At the end of the auction, the winning bidder transfers payment into a third-party escrow account. Once the transfer of the vehicle is complete, both parties confirm they are happy with the sale and the money is released to the seller.
More about buying with us
1992 Subaru Alcyone SVX
About Max Bids
The max bid process allows you to bid without any hassle.
Enter your maximum bid and we will then bid on your behalf to ensure you're the highest bidder - just enough to keep you in the lead and only up until your maximum.
Anti-sniping
Car & Classic prevent auction snipers from bidding in the last seconds to win an auction.
Auctions are extended by 3 minutes if anyone bids within the last 2 minutes to allow other bidders to react and counter-bid.
Auto-bidding increments
If your maximum bid is equal to or below the reserve price, your maximum bid will be applied in full if you are the highest bidder.
If you are the highest bidder and place a maximum bid above the reserve, we will automatically put in the reserve as your first bid.
Once the reserve has been met, Car & Classic will make sure you are the highest bidder using only the bidding increments stated below.
We will keep you in the lead up until your maximum bid OR the increment closest to your maximum bid, providing your maximum bid is enough to cover the increment value.
Bid Amount
Increment
£0 to £9,999
£100.00
£10,000 to £49,999
£250.00
£50,000 to £99,999
£500.00
£100,000 +
£1,000.00
Automatically outbid immediately
When you place a max bid and are outbid immediately that means that another bidder has placed a max bid limit which is higher than yours.
You can bid again and we will use our automatic bid system to try and get you as the highest bidder.
Matching max bids
When there are two max bids of the same value, the one placed first remains the lead bidder.
What are pre-bids?
A pre-bid means you\'re able to place a bid before the official start of the auction.
You will be notified whether or not you are the highest bidder when the auction starts.
Problem with your bid
Bids are contractually binding. To help protect you, we have some rules in place if we think it's been mistyped. Please check and amend what you have entered.
