Subaru is worried that its upcoming “AE86 spiritual successor” rear-wheel drive coupe that it will share with Toyota may erode its image as a niche all-wheel drive specialist, according to Subaru’s overseas marketing chief Masatsugu Nagato.
Its marketing team also has to figure out how to differentiate its own version of the car from the Toyota product, as it is very likely that there will be many major markets where both cars will be sold side by side as there will not be Toyota-only or Subaru-only designated markets.
Then again, we can look at Audi, a car manufacturer that is much older than Subaru. Audi is now rather famous for its quattro all-wheel drive system despite having many front-wheel drive models in its line-up. Is rear-wheel drive for the new small Subaru really a cause for worry? At least it still uses a horizontally-opposed engine! As long as it is a fantastic drive, they should do fine. After all, the rear wheel drive boxer engine specialist image already has another car to “taint” it – the new Subaru Justy.
According to Autocar UK, the Subaru boxer engine in question will be a normally aspirated 2.0 litre inline-4 boxer putting out 175 horsepower for the base model, with a turbocharged 2.5 litre model to come later, possibly with all-wheel drive. Autocar says they have viewed top-secret sketches of the car and have produced the artist impression shown in the thumbnail above based on those sketches. You can click the thumbnail to view the full image. It looks rather like a Scion tC crossed with a Hyundai Coupe.
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After dabbling for years in the IT industry, Paul Tan initially began this site as a general blog covering various topics of personal interest. With an increasing number of readers paying rapt attention to the motoring stories, one thing led to another and the rest, as they say, is history. An avid electronic gadget aficionado as well as big-time coffee lover, he's also the executive producer of the Driven motoring TV programme.
First
And i think Takumi won’t worry to much bout this.
Is Subaru being paranoid or just reinstating its own 4wd is better? Even though it makes good impreza, it still does not look as good as evo’s. Only other problem I see is that Toyota taking this brand for themselves and don’t give credit to subaru
don make 1 if theres so much worries
Maybe Subaru should design a selection of all wheel drive & rear wheel drive just a push of a swicth!
hee! hee! just kidding…
Whats with this “I’m First” business,LHQ.Really childish.
Actually for me,I don;t think such a change in the layout will dilute the brand so long they can design a car that can live up to its name as a successor.
Boxer engine rocks
I doubt Subaru would have such a problem to differentiate it from the AE86 as Subaru has its own niche market.
nice car, and hope can be a legend as well i the next 2o years
takumi will buy the toyota. the dad will buy the subaru
yes a subaru. fantastic engine and reliability.
2 litre putting out 175 horses. even my 1999 a6 2.4 only puts out 170.
amazing what technology can do. or the type.
maybe design a all wheel drive version for subaru and rear wheel drive for toyota?
or special track version with all wheel drive.
Paul Tan: normally track version would be rear wheel drive, just like the porsche 911 gt3 versus the 911 turbo’s all-wheel drive
Subaru don’t brag yourself with only making AWD, the only car you make which does’nt understeers is the Spec C, so there’s nothing wrong with this rear driver ok, besides, toyota is pushing your buttons now i believe
Hmm…I beg to differ on that scoop news. Maybe the marketing guys have a cause of concern as it would be harder to project Subaru’s brand – which has always been synonymous with boxer engines and AWD.
However I believe there is no question that the engineers and management of Subaru will be ditching its AWD on all models philosophy. Such a mentality is out of touch with the reality of rising fuel cost and increasing customer’s preference for small fuel efficient cars especially in Europe and USA where this car will be targetted.
In fact I remember reading that Subaru Australia’s boss has mentioned something about its concern on the viability of Subaru’s AWD philosophy against USD 120 crude oil prices.
BTW Paul, you might interested to know a diesel boxer for Subaru is in the plan as well.
if the new car is not boring as the current hatchback Impreza, then AWD or RWD makes no difference……
oh well. theres alot of things that can be adjusted to thier respective final products. just sharing the underpinnings only. just make it look good and drive good as good as u can and as cheap as u can and let the buyers think of which one to buy.
The advantage of the Subie engine is that it's REALLY light which lessens the sting of the compromises of AWD (front-engine, extra weight). If the engine were pushed back, over the front axle, the car would be wickedly light and have plenty of front-wheel traction. I don't think Americans have difficulty differentiating between the advantages of the different systems or understanding why RWD makes sense from a handling perspective (except the ones posting over and over that it is fundamental to Subaru's brand image). I hope they make it a pure front-mid-engine, rwd car. Subaru could contribute further by developing a cool active diff. Next-Gen handling should be the basis of their image (try searching for ProDrive). The Evo has one and it's currently making the STI look silly in the slalom. I think the real concern is this car outperforming the WRX (which is currently missing the rear LSD!?!?!?!) and being as cheap as a base impreza. Frankly I'd REALLY like to see Subaru put that compact little engine under the rear seat of a mid-engine super-hatch and let passengers sit on TOP of it. They don't have a transverse tranny but Toyota could solve that. You'd solve the market overlap problem and it would be a total monster