A Unique Collaboration Between Porsche and Subaru

When you hear Porsche, most people picture the German luxury sports car brand.

However, did you know there was a high-performance sedan born from a collaboration with the Japanese automaker Subaru? It’s called the “Legacy B4 Blitzen.” Sold exclusively in Japan from 2000 to 2003, this special model featured exterior and interior designs crafted by Porsche Design.

Porsche Design is a design company founded in 1972 by Professor Ferdinand Alexander Porsche, known as the designer of the 911.

They design a wide range of products including luxury watches, pens, and kitchenware, earning worldwide acclaim for their sophisticated aesthetics. The fact that Porsche Design was involved in styling a Subaru sedan is a fascinating story for car enthusiasts.

Features of the Legacy B4 Blitzen

The Legacy B4 Blitzen was a special edition based on the Subaru Legacy of the time. The name “Blitzen” means “lightning” in German, perfectly reflecting its high-performance nature. Its tagline was “God dwells in the details.”

The exterior design was extensively revised by Porsche Design. The front bumper featured two large air intakes, and the side skirts and rear bumper were uniquely designed. The standout feature was the double-bubble shaped wing mounted at the rear. These aero parts gave the car a luxurious and aggressive styling that set it apart from the standard Legacy.

The interior was also thoroughly upgraded, using premium leather and high-quality materials throughout. The cabin balanced sportiness and luxury with a MOMO steering wheel and shift knob, plus a boost gauge mounted on the steering column.

280 Horsepower Twin-Turbo Engine

At the heart of the Legacy B4 Blitzen was Subaru’s renowned boxer engine. A 2.0-liter horizontally opposed four-cylinder paired with sequential twin turbos produced 280 horsepower—the self-imposed limit for Japanese cars at the time. Torque was an impressive 343 Nm, and the 0-100 km/h sprint took just over 5 seconds.

This engine used a sequential turbo system where one turbo operates at low to mid RPMs and the second turbo kicks in at mid to high RPMs, delivering smooth acceleration across the entire rev range.

Transmission options included a 5-speed manual and a 4-speed automatic. The manual version also featured a limited-slip differential exclusive to this model. Additionally, a strut tower bar was added to the front to improve body rigidity.

Later, a 3.0-liter naturally aspirated six-cylinder “Blitzen 6” was introduced, producing 220 ps at 6000 rpm and 29.5 kg·m of torque at 4400 rpm.

The Future of This Legendary High-Performance Sedan

Although production of the Legacy B4 Blitzen lasted only three years, it remains a beloved icon among fans. At the 2015 Tokyo Auto Salon, a concept car based on the sixth-generation Legacy called the new Blitzen attracted attention.

Unfortunately, this concept never made it to production. Moreover, from 2024 onward, the Legacy nameplate itself is set to disappear. The end of the long-loved Legacy is surely a sad moment for many enthusiasts.

Perhaps if Subaru had once again enlisted Porsche Design’s expertise to develop a high-performance sedan suited for a new era, the Legacy’s fate might have been different. There are many possibilities, such as a new model that refines WRX performance into a sophisticated package.

The Legacy B4 Blitzen was a one-of-a-kind car born from the unique partnership between Porsche and Subaru. Its existence reminds us of the importance of bold challenges by automakers.

Many car fans surely hope to see such innovative collaborations come to life again in the future.