If we suggested that Subaru's exterior designers have been playing second fiddle to the engineering department, we probably wouldn't get many arguments. While lauded for its boxer turbo engines and standard all-wheel-drive, Subaru recently hasn't pushed the engineering envelope very much.
That's about to change. With an all-new design direction, a brand-new boxer engine range, and its controversial tie-up with Toyota, expect to see some radical changes in the Subaru camp over the next two to three years. The first evidence of this rebirth surfaced in its Impreza "Confidence-in-Motion" concept recently unveiled at the 2010 Los Angeles auto show. The sharp-looking design study might have been the base for its next Impreza, but those aggressive lines and proportions also are a harbinger of what's to come for the entire lineup. Just check out our two exclusive sketches depicted here, which reveal how one artist sees the Subaru version of the FT-86, due for 2012, as well as the Legacy Hybrid, slated to debut in 2013.
Emotional phrasing aside, we think that these two designs -- especially the new signature grille and headlight combination -- are right on the money and help transport Subaru out of the "dull and boring" basket, and into the "pay attention" category.
Those familiar with Subaru's well-known EJ-type boxer engine (which has powered nearly every model since 1989, albeit in slightly revised variants) no doubt have heard about the brand-new FB-type boxer engine, officially launched on September 23 -- Subaru's first all-new horizontally opposed powerplant in 21 years. The new 1995-cc FB20's claim to fame is its longer stroke, which means it's able to achieve maximum torque at lower revs, in addition to beefier power delivery and 10-percent better fuel consumption.
The first model to employ the new FB20 engine will be the Subaru rendition of the FT-86, co-developed with Toyota and due in 2012. Using that engine as a base, engineers will revise the head unit "by adding port injection," according to one insider, to create a Toyota-like D4-S engine with around 200 horsepower. Mated to a six-speed manual, expect a 0-60 mph sprint time around 7.5 seconds in naturally aspirated form.
The third piece of Subaru's next generation jigsaw puzzle is the addition of a hybrid to the Legacy line. After bolting on a special Subaru-tweaked Toyota THS II hybrid unit (with Atkinson Cycle technology) to a new FB25 engine, our source tells us that company engineers will then turbocharge it for better performance and fuel economy. By utilizing the most efficient characteristics of the boxer engine -- its symmetrical layout and low center of gravity -- engineers will position lithium-ion batteries on either side of the propeller shaft, thus extracting the most out of the Toyota-based hybrid system. You can also expect to see all Legacy models employing CVTs in the near future, while automatic gearboxes will be phased out.
So with some sleek new lines, a new coupe, a new engine range, and a new hybrid, Subaru is reinventing itself. And not a moment too soon.
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Originally Posted by West
How original of a guess, 2011 impreza concept (-2 doors) with GT-R features? Wow..the effort. Yeah, Subaru was stuck with a design until now, they need not look further. 
about my mild rant.
than 
and need a shot of penicillin.
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