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Fancy something technically fascinating and really, really rare? Alan Anderson has found the perfect car for you
Arare sight even when new, there are reportedly only four remaining Subaru XTs in the UK, and C570 CME must be the most original. As a Capri alternative – but with far more sophistication – it verges on cheap, especially when sixfigure sums have been offered for new, unregistered XTs, still sitting in an Isuzu dealership in Malta. Don’t let the lack of service history put you off too much – this one appears to be sound.
From the day it was personally imported, this XT became a daily driver, and has since amassed nearly 200,000 miles. Not that you’d know it from the way C570 CME drives. It performs faultlessly – although we didn’t have chance to fully check the all-wheel drive system (unsafe to use in anything other than loose-surface conditions), nor the height adjustment of the pneumatic rear suspension. Even though it’s fitted with an admittedly super-smooth automatic gearbox, the XT delivers a spirited drive and handles well. The tyres are a hotchpotch of ages so it would be wise to replace them, but at least they still have plenty of tread remaining.
The Subaru’s silver bodywork appears to have remained in a remarkably good state, considering Japanese vehicles don’t like the UK climate. This pampered XT seems to display no rust on the bodywork or underneath, with only very minor parking blemishes on the wings. The black bumpers are in fine shape, as are the powered headlamp pods. Judging by the panel fit and paint finish, which is uniform and not too shiny, it all appears original. The factory-fit alloy wheels are dull and slightly pitted, but not kerbed and they don’t appear to have been refurbished in the past.
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