(17 May 05)

Even in standard form, the Subaru Forester 2.5 XT is quite something. Although it looks quite innocent, it's the one car in the entire Subaru line-up that seems to have more power (in this case 208bhp) than the rest of the car can handle. Opinion is divided in this office about whether or not this is a good thing: some of us think that an overpowered Subaru doesn't count as a proper Subaru at all, while the rest just love the idea of sliding a Forester round corners.

People in the latter group are cheering, while those in the former are sighing and tutting to themselves, at the news that it will shortly become possible to make the 2.5 XT even madder than it is already, with the fitment of a Prodrive Performance Pack. This consists of a reprogrammed ECU and modified exhaust system, and it costs £1600 including VAT and fitting by your local Subaru dealer.

With the Pack fitted, the Forester's maximum power output leaps up to 252bhp, and maximum torque reaches 272lb/ft. The results of this include a 0-60mph time of 5.5 seconds, 0-100mph in 15.5 seconds, 30-50mph in 5.1 seconds and 50-70mph in 4.3 seconds. Subaru says that the Pack-equipped Forester "has not been tested for top speed", but declines to say whether this is because nobody has yet plucked up the courage to give it a go.

It seems clear that the Pack will make the 2.5 XT even more of a straight-line special than it is already; no upgrades for either brakes or suspension are included.

The Pack will go on sale in early June, and will not affect Subaru's normal three-year/60,000-mile warranty.

Subaru Road Tests

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