The Subaru Legacy has reached, as they say in the business, “EOP” or End of Production. It was announced on September 18 by Subaru of Indiana Automotive (SIA), though the actual car was driven off the factory’s A-line at just after 3:00 pm on September 12. That’s almost 36 years to the day when the first first-generation Legacy rolled out of the Lafayette plant on September 11, 1989.
The last Legacy was a Limited trim model painted Magnetite Gray. Employees gathered for a photo op around the car, first at the assembly line, then in front of SIA where the Misty Dawn-colored Job 1 car was parked next to Job 1,398,994. Sadly the final Legacy won’t be around for a family photo in the future, because according to The Autopian it’s getting shipped off to a random dealer and will be sold to some unsuspecting customer.
The Legacy was the first Subaru to be built in the US, back when SIA stood for the joint-venture Subaru-Isuzu America. It was built alongside the Isuzu Rodeo, but the plant was given over to Subaru and renamed when Isuzu left the passenger car market in 2009.
As Subaru’s longest-running nameplate, the Legacy ushered in a new age for the marque. Before its 1989 debut, Subarus were known mostly for being oddball and truckish machines in which even sedans and station wagons could be equipped with all-wheel-drive. The Legacy was a conscious effort to break away from that image, a sleek and modern sedan that could go toe-to-toe with a Honda Accord. Subaru even set an FIA speed record with it, something that was unthinkable of its predecessors.
After seven generations, however, it’s time to move on. “Its discontinuation reflects market shifts from passenger cars to SUVs and crossovers,” Subaru’s press release states. Production of the Forester and Forester Hybrid will soon shift to SIA to fill the capacity left by the Legacy.
“This is a bittersweet moment for our company and our associates,” said Scott Brand, president of SIA. “While an important chapter in our history has been brought to a close, we’re already turning the page and starting a new one.”
Images courtesy of Subaru.
