Taking the Competition to School

Putting their best foot forward is the best way to describe how automakers approach the motoring press. Rare is the occasion

I was delighted to learn that this week's tester, the 2005 Subaru Legacy, was the loaded-to-the-turbo-teeth GT Limited edition model. (Photo: Subaru Canada)

that I get a bare bones, base model test vehicle. Rather, the cars and trucks that come my way are loaded to the teeth with all the 21st Century bells and whistles, and more often than not the vehicle is the top-of-the-line trim model. Sometimes it would be nice, I'll lament as I sit at the birds-eye maple steering wheel of still another $60,000 sport sedan breathing in that intoxicating mix of 'new car smell' and newly stretched leather, if I could drive a simple car, an everyday-man car. Do they even build cars with hand crank windows anymore? Manual side mirrors?

That said, I was delighted to learn that this week's tester, the 2005 Subaru

Subaru's foray into World Rally Championship racing has turned a rather staid brand into one of the sexier sport sedan manufacturers. (Photo: Subaru Canada)

Legacy, was the loaded-to-the-turbo-teeth GT Limited edition model, a vehicle I have been waiting to drive. A decade ago it would be difficult to get too excited about a new Subaru, but the Japanese automaker's foray into World Rally Championship racing has turned a rather staid brand into one of the sexier sport sedan manufacturers. And the new Legacy GT is the embodiment of that notion.