Porsche helped design the Subaru Legacy B4 Blitzen
When you hear the words “Porsche Designed,” you probably have images of German sports cars and a watch or two flashing through your mind. We highly doubt you’d picture a Japanese sedan, but what if we were to tell you that you should? Once upon a time, the Porsche Design subsidiary actually helped design a sports sedan based on the Subaru Legacy in between creating high-end pens, watches, and kitchen appliances.
Porsche has long been synonymous with precision, luxury, and timeless style; things you don’t immediately equate with the Subaru brand, but that didn’t stop the two sides from joining forces on a special model called the B4 Blitzen based on the Subaru Legacy. No, the model didn’t come with a bag of presents and jolly Saint Nick in the back seat, but it was capable of dashing through the snow in style thanks to exquisite new looks and nearly 300 horsepower on tap. The Blitzen remains a hidden gem in automotive history, a car that encapsulated the ambition of two brands to create something truly unique.
What Is the Subaru Legacy B4 Blitzen?
The Subaru Legacy B4 Blitzen was a special edition of the third generation of Subaru’s midsize Legacy, available as either a sedan or wagon, sold only in Japan from 2000-2003. The company named the car “Blitzen,” a nod to the German word for “lightning,” to signify the car going as quickly as lightning, as this was no typical Legacy, but a premium sports sedan that featured styling by one of the best design houses in the world: Porsche Design.
While Subaru handled the engineering, retaining its hallmark boxer engines and symmetrical all-wheel-drive system, Porsche Design improved the car’s style and interior appeal. This partnership resulted in a vehicle that didn’t just look different but felt like a genuine step up from the typical Subaru quality and appeal, and to understand how they accomplished this, you need to understand what Porsche Design is all about.
A Fusion of Two Iconic Brands
The collaboration between Subaru and Porsche Design was a bold move propelled by Subaru’s desire to push the Legacy nameplate into new territory. Porsche Design, founded in 1972 by 911 designer Professor Ferdinand Alexander Porsche, had already earned a reputation for creating exquisitely designed products that balanced performance and beauty. While it wasn’t directly affiliated with Porsche, the automaker as it is today, Porsche Design’s DNA was deeply rooted in the same goals as the automaker.
For the B4 Blitzen, Porsche Design’s role was to massage and elevate the looks of the original sedan. The car featured a bespoke body kit with a sleek front bumper with two wide openings, simple side skirts, a large rear bumper with more vents, and finally, a unique double-bubble wing (rear liftgate garnish was added to the wagon variants). Rounding out the exterior were 17-inch wheels that are reminiscent of the Alfa Romeo Teledial, and when the exterior design was viewed as a whole, you had a Legacy that was more regal and less aggressive than the Legacy STi S401 of the time.
Inside, Porsche Design’s influence was obvious. The cabin was adorned with premium leather, soft touchpoints, and special trim that elevated its feel. A MOMO steering wheel and gear lever were added, as well as a boost gauge on the steering column. Various interior and exterior trim options were offered depending on the year, like different sound systems, leather colors, emblem options, and roof trim, especially after the 2003 facelift.
What Makes the Blitzen Roar?
While Porsche handled the looks, Subaru ensured that the B4 Blitzen delivered on performance. Beneath its stylish exterior, the Blitzen had all the hallmarks of a high-performance Subaru at the time, starting with its famed Boxer engine that featured sequential twin turbocharging. The 16-valve, intercooled 2.0-liter flat-four had one turbo that aided in power and torque production in the low to mid-rpm range, while the second turbo kicked in to deliver more power in the mid-to-high range.
Capable of producing 276 horsepower and 253 lb-ft of torque, it was noted for its sharp acceleration and satisfying surge of power that allowed the model to hit 60 mph in a little over 5 seconds with the five-speed manual thanks to the symmetrical AWD system and Blitzen-specific limited-slip differential. In addition to the manual, there was also a four-speed sequential automatic transmission on offer.
The suspension system received some tuning and a front strut tower bar was added for increased rigidity as well, and front 16-inch opposed 4-pot ventilated disc brakes were utilized for increased stopping power (also only on manual transmission cars). When the trim was facelifted for 2003, additional performance upgrades like a quicker steering ratio and upgraded brakes for the automatic cars were added.
How Much To Get A Bitzen In The USA?
This is an extremely rare car, and at the time of writing only four were on sale in the whole of Japan. Three examples were rough, and selling in the $7,000 region. The remaining model is in relatively good condition, considering it’s a 25-year-old car. That particular specimen costs $14,000, and you’ll have to add $3,000 for shipping, plus another 37.5% in taxes. That’s a lot of money for a sports sedan that’s not particularly brisk by modern standards.
There also happen to be more interesting and rare used performance sedans in the same price bracket available locally.
Will We Ever See A Blitzen Again?
Made for only three years, from 2000 to 2003, and only in Japan, it’s a highly coveted Legacy model that we have serious doubts we’ll ever see again. It’s not unlike many other crazy creations that JDM automakers were releasing at the time, but it was unique for Subaru and has had many enthusiasts wondering what a modern interpretation would look like.
Well, Subaru was intrigued too, so for the 2015 Tokyo Auto Salon, the brand unveiled a brand-new Legacy B4 Blitzen bathed in the same eye-catching shade of Premium Red. This sixth-generation Legacy featured a very similar body kit, dominated by the large front bumper and double-bump rear wing. While the wheels weren’t as unique as the previous ones, they were 19-inch dark alloys that gave it a little more presence.
The interior was also redone to make it feel a bit more upscale, but unfortunately, the performance was left alone, with the car still barely offering 170 horsepower from its naturally aspirated 2.5-liter boxer engine. While a fun little exercise, the company never put it into production, which is understandable given how it wouldn’t have lived up to the performance of previous models like the Legacy 2.5GT.
After 2024, however, the Legacy is done for, as Subaru kills off the nameplate after decades of sale. We can’t say we’re surprised, because the vehicle has been uninspiring for years now, fading into the background despite offering confident performance. Perhaps its problem was that Subaru stopped experimenting with it.
Maybe the company should have employed the help of Porsche Design once again to give the car the flash of lighting it needed to draw in the buying public. Imagine a high-performance, electrified Subaru with Porsche-inspired design cues, or a model inspired by the WRX that employs some rally performance in a more refined package. Something could have been done, because you never enjoy seeing another historic nameplate kicked to the curb.
Sources: Subaru Japan.
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