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Why is the Subaru Legacy the longest lasting sedan on the road?

In January 1989, the first-generation Subaru Legacy took on the 100,000 km FIA World Land Endurance Record. What record did the Subaru set?
2015 Subaru Legacy

The new-generation 2015 Subaru Legacy is setting records and had the best December ever. The first generation Legacy sedan also set records and in January 1989, Legacy took on the 100,000 km FIA World Land Endurance Record outside of Phoenix, Arizona. What record did the Subaru set?

The high-performance Legacy broke the world record by maintaining an average speed of 223.345 km/h (thus completing 100,000 km in 447 hours, 44 minutes, and 9.887 seconds). The record took 18.5 days to complete and the record held until the end of April 2005.

CHECK OUT: Why Subaru has the longest-lasting midsize sedan on the road

The original Legacy speed record was set between January 2 and January 21, 1989, with three Japanese-spec turbocharged RS sedans at the Arizona Test Center outside of Phoenix, Arizona. Pit stops were made every two hours with a driver change and refueling, while tire changes were made at 96‑hour intervals, or every 13,400 miles (21,600 km) driven.

Legacy has a storied history

The first-generation Legacy was released in Japan in 1989 and the 2015 Legacy sedan has its roots in Rally racing. In 1993, Legacy participated in the World Rally Championship and finished in first place at the New Zealand Rally. Rally fans think of the Subaru WRX having Rally roots, but the Legacy was the original Subaru Rally car.

In 1993 Subaru set another world speed record for station wagons with an average speed of 249.981 km/h over 1 km with the Legacy wagon at the U.S. Salt Lake Challenge. In 1998 The Legacy wagon set another new world speed record with an average speed of 270.532 km/h over 1 km.

The new sixth generation 2015 Subaru Legacy sedan is still setting records and it started with the first-generation 1989 Legacy sedan.

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Comments

ScoobySubiedoo (not verified)    January 18, 2015 - 8:15PM

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Now that's what I call a LEGACY. Too bad so few customers know about this legacy of durability. If they did, sales would reflect this--families value dependability and reliability over every other factor, yet Legacy is not one of the best-selling family sedans. Subaru only sells about 5,000 per month, while Toyota sells about 40,000 Camry's, and Ford sells about 25,000 Fusions, per month. Subaru better get the word out. It'd be great to a Subaru commercial with a flashback to the Legacy setting that Land Endurance record. By the way, the Legacy is one of the top 5 longest-lasting mid-size sedans according to Polk.

Michal (not verified)    May 9, 2015 - 3:03PM

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Drove Subaru Legacy 1992 2.0 L 116 HP for 3350km in one shot, stopping for food...etc had a coo-driver we were swapping wheel from time to time....it took us 39 hrs