What is it?
The Subaru Hybrid Tourer Concept tells you everything you need to know with its name. Basically, a hybrid drivetrain - the world's first featuring a boxer engine, no less - powers a concept car that points towards the next-generation Impreza's styling. It has gullwing doors too, which will make even the ugliest car look ace.
Why's it here?
A maker without a hybrid is a maker out of tune with reality, primarily. Subaru's hybrid drivetrain isn't groundbreaking, but it's cleverly configured nonetheless because it features an electric motor on each axle, the 13bhp rear one having about half the power of the front. Under normal driving conditions at low speeds, the front motor powers the car, but the petrol engine kicks in when more urge is needed or at higher speeds. The rear motor, which usually acts as a generator to juice up the battery, can drive the rear axle in low traction situations.
Show stopper or floor filler?
It looks lovely in a Japanese
Alfa Brera sort of way, and just in case you think Subaru is going all soft, there's an Impreza WRX STI Carbon there too, just to negate the hybrid's environmental benefit. The Carbon has a carbon fibre roof to lighten the car and lower its centre of gravity, thus presumably improving handling and performance. And to further bolster Subaru's performance credentials, there's a Legacy GT300 racer on the
Tokyo stand too. Lovely.
Mark Nichol - 22 Oct 2009