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It’s what would be called sheer bloody-mindedness if it happened in Britain. Subaru only sells 600,000 cars a year; half in Japan, most of the rest in countries where you’d barely measure the interest in a small diesel engine with a micrometer.

Yet Subaru has just developed, on its own and purely because its European retailers asked it to, the first boxer diesel ever fitted to a car. Subaru might only end up making 30,000 units a year, in most countries the engi...Read the full article

That little diesel deserves to find more homes! Can't some small sportscar maker take the initiative and borrow it?

And Porsche need to stop making excuses, and pull the finger out, and make a diesel boxer of their own! - say, a 3.6 litre! Subaru have shown the principle works!

Do you know if an auto will be available, and if so when?

My question exactly. If Subaru do make this car available with an auto box it will be a case of no more Audi's for me. I had a Legacy before when I lived in Canada and I grew very fond of it. It is a car that is far better than its statistics. Only the high fuel consumption kept me away from one when I returned to Europe.

This is typical Subaru, developing and probably over engineering something because they can.

If they fit a higher output motor to the Legacy and give it the spec B treatment, it would give that car all it needed, a great performing all rounder with decent fuel economy.

Hats off to Subaru for this.

I would expect to see a fair few more Legacies on the road fairly soon and more so when they release more powerful versions with a similar spec to the Spec B as Jon said above.

After spending a small fortune buying mine I couldn't justify swapping for the diesel on fuel economy and emissions alone though - I love my six way too much!

In 2 years time I should be a fully qualified accountant and I can't wait because the day I qualify I'll be in the Subaru showroom ordering one of these.  I would love a 3 series on the basis that it is rear wheel drive but I just can't bring myself to buy one because everyone would think I'm a photocopier salesman.  Similarly I just couldn't drive an Audi A4 because they're driven by people who misuse superlatives as a matter of habit - the word 'fantastic' must be used every other sentence.

I've always been a fan of the Legacy but never thought of actually buying one until I heard they were making a diesel.  Now that they have, and it's actually this good I can't wait.

I wish Subaru every success with this new product because just like Porsche they refuse to play along with the rules, and then end up doing it better than anyone else.

I'll be changing my XC70 for a diesel legacy if an automatic version comes out -the perfect car!

Always liked the Legacy. Seriously underrated.

Subarus have agood reputation but with only 30000 units per year it would be some while until any inherent shortcoming become apparent. It is rare for developement testing to identify the whole gamut of problems likley to arise with a new development engine especially one so novel. Honda did a good job, but also had the benefit of far larger production runs.

This is a very attractive proposition and will be a good replacement for my aging A4.

Do you know whether there will be a particulate filter and how they deal with nitrogen dioxide. My 2001 A4, like so many modern diesels, still pumps out soot over pedestrians and cyclists if you accelerate.

Very interested in it, especially the Outback version. It would be a good option to replace my 2004/5 Passat Sport TDI 4Motion Estate. Sounds like an amazing engine for a diesel. The old 1.9 TDI is so rough and unrefined too even when new.