CompleteCar

Subaru previews new coupé

This is the best look yet at how Subaru's promising BRZ coupé will look.

Having shown us various 'arty' interpretations of the upcoming BRZ coupé, including a structural see-through rendering at the Frankfurt Motor Show, Subaru is using the LA Auto Show to show one final concept before the car's official unveiling at Tokyo.

The BRZ STI is said to show what the upcoming rear-wheel drive coupé, co-developed with Toyota, could look like should the Japanese car maker's tuning division be let loose on it. Curiously for an STI-badged car the concept does without a turbocharger, instead retaining the Subaru developed horizontally-opposed boxer engine that utilises the latest Toyota D-4S direct injection technology - and expected to produce 200hp.

The low installation of the boxer engine, aids in lowering the car's centre of gravity and is said to give the BRZ STI a "Pure Handling Delight" driving experience. This experience will no doubt benefit from the rigid body structure and lightweight brought about by parts such as the carbon-fibre roof.

The BRZ STI concept wears the same trademark paint colour as the most famous STI-badged car and aggressive styling with oversized spoiler, large diffuser, hexagonal front grille and lightweight 18-inch alloy wheels.

Unfortunately most of these cosmetic features are likely to be stripped away for the production version of the long awaited rear-wheel drive coupé. We hope that Subaru is considering a performance version of the car or at least will leave the spoiler in situ if even only as an option.

Written by
Published on November 17, 2011