Subaru SVX – 1992 PPG Pace Car
This Subaru SVX has a cult following among SVX owners.
History
I couldn’t find any track history of this car. The SVX Pace Car appeared publicly at a SVX owner’s meet in 2009. Hundreds of SVX enthusiasts saw the car in person and took photographs. One owner uploaded a walk around video on youtube.
Specifications
Roush prepped the SVX for track use. FHI provided struts and springs for a tighter and lower handling package. The brakes, wheels, 3.3L EG33 flat six 240 HP engine, and transmission received no modifications, aside from a muffler. While it didn’t have any extensive body work like many of the earlier Pace Cars, it was sprayed in an unforgettable silver-to-purple gradient and has a matching interior.
Current Status
According to Wikipedia, the SVX is currently owned by Subaru and stored in the “Subaru Performance Attic” in Cherry Hill, New Jersey near Subaru of America’s new headquarters in Camden, New Jersey.
The following photos are not the official PPG Pace Car, but a clone created by a fan:
From the 1992-1993 edition of The Men & Machines of Indy Car Racing:
A new addition to the pace car fleet is a unique all-wheel drive Subaru sporting a 260hp turbocharged overhead cam V-6 engine.
Thanks for this info- I’ve added it to this page!
Factually that is incorrect. Vehicle had a 3.3L EG33 Flat Six Made by Subaru just for this vehicle. Never offered as a turbo. Made around 240 N/A
Thank you for clearing this up! I have updated the page.
It’s in subaru’s museum. They take it out sometimes for events like the 48hrs of tristate.
It currently resides in Subaru of America’s “Performance Attic” in Cherry Hill, NJ.
It appeared in Gymkhana 2022
Many of the photos above are not of the actual pace car, but of a reproduction kind by Randy Johnson of Owensboro, Kentucky. You can tell because the gradient isn’t as gradual and it’s missing the light bar on the roof. It also has the original SVX suspension and interior.
Another thing – the SVX PPG pace car is SVX chassis number 00002, making it the second SVX ever made. It originally left the factory in paint code 267 (White Pearl). While it’s a chassis with an actual vin number, it is a pre-production car. This can be determined by the fact that it has white gauge needles, and there are little nubs on the front door window frames to align the glass when it rolls up. The full production cars have red needles, and the window design was reengineered to eliminate the need for the alignment nubs.
Thanks for sharing all the info on this car! I never noticed that there was a clone, but now that you mention it, I can totally see it.
One more post. Sorry lol. I checked my records. The chassis/vin number of the SVX PPG Pace Car is JF1CX3534NH100002. I also have a number of very detailed photos that I took of the car at its first public appearance once Subaru fixed it up for performance attic in 2009. I’d be happy to share them if provided with a place to post or send them.
Hi Mike, Thanks for all your info on this car. I never noticed there was a clone until I read your comments. Now I can definitely see the difference. If you would like to send any photos of the car, my email is admin@ppgpacecars.com
Thanks!!