Sleek & Stealthy - Caleb Wilson's 1994 SVX

Do you ever notice that no matter how many different vehicles a car/truck brand might produce; there is always one particular model that seems to be the “odd man out”? That was the case with Subaru’s very own SVX. Purposefully designed to compete with a luxury-performance market, the SVX had many components that defined it as its own car that was distanced from other model family members. From a flat six-cylinder motor, to split side windows that resembled those of the famous DeLorean DMC-12 and McLaren F1. This special Subaru wasn’t particularly a crowd favorite during its production years; yet in recent times the SVX has gained a following and some now consider the car a Cult Classic. There are people few & far between who own these cars and Caleb happens to be one of them.

Caleb Wilson discovered his Ebony Mica Black 1994 SVX in 100% original condition with the exception of wheels. At the time, he was not planning on even buying a second car. “I knew I wanted to eventually pick up a second car to work on, I just wasn’t sure what or when that would be.” Caleb says. Going through a phase that many car enthusiasts know, he was sifting through car sale listings when he found the SVX, and after contacting the seller and learning more about the car, it was a done deal. Once the car made it home, Caleb took care of some of the maintenance items that the car lacked. After a couple hiccups with old coolant lines blowing, plus some oil leaks here & there, the flat 6-cylinder sports car was rocking & rolling!

There were many things that made the SVX stand out from the Boxer four-cylinder crowd. Unlike most of its family members, the SVX was powered by a 3.3L flat six-cylinder engine that produced 230 horsepower – more than the Japanese-market WRX was pumping out in it’s time. With this engine choice, the car has a vast amount of torque that you could use in just about any area in the RPM range. Many high-performance styling cues of the 90’s were incorporated into the car’s design. One of the key features the SVX’s have are Giugiaro-styled half windows – originally designed to assist in lowering the aerodynamic drag. When you initially get into the car, it takes some time getting used to the window design, but after a while you can start to see the appeal they have. These differences from the traditional Subaru made the car unique, however these same items steered many away. The SVX can be described as an “acquired taste,” yet when properly modified can appeal to anyone willing to take a second look. When looking at the car in its stock form, you don’t think much about it looking good lowered with some wheels, but once you start to put more thought into it, the possibilities become endless for a truly unique build.

Slowly but surely, Caleb has been chipping away at the SVX with it’s modifications. TSP coilovers and sway bar endlinks help even out the handling a bit, and also help bring the car down to fill some of the wheel gap. Doing away with the tacky aftermarket wheels, 17×8 Enkei RPF1s and 215/45R17 tires take their place along with 25mm spacers to give the Enkeis just the right offset.

A few subtle body parts have been switched and modified; one in particular being the relocation of the rear spoiler an inch & a half back from the stock location. A subtle, yet effective touch to keep the back end clean cut.

One of my favorite features about the SVX is the modified exhaust. Caleb got in touch with Art Welding (local to the PNW) to make a fully custom cat-back exhaust with a Carven muffler and polished Flowmaster quad tips. It is unbelievable how many crackles and pops come out, but I can assure you it leaves nothing but smiles all day long as you blast through town.

As far as the interior goes, not much has changed. An NRG steering wheel & hub give you something nicer to hang on to, as well as a nice touchscreen radio so he can jam out to all his favorite music on night drives with his friends. Other visual changes include window tint, aftermarket mesh grille to replace the stock bar grille, and a nice front lip to make the car that much more aggressive driving down the road.

Like I mentioned earlier, the SVX is not the normal Subaru choice, however for Caleb, that was part of the appeal. “Even though I own one of the most popular Subaru Chassis available, the SVX is in its own class. It isn’t the most popular but it is unique and that is what makes it awesome to own.” For Caleb, it’s the car’s own personal style that makes it a thrill to own. Simply put, it doesn’t look like anything on the road from it’s time. While many dabble in Imprezas, Legacies, and other Subaru models, I hope that there are the few that will keep these interesting cars on the road for all of us to see. It isn’t the conventional Subaru, but that is what makes it so special.