North Star

Subaru Concept from Geneva show

I really like what I see here! This artistic concept of showing off what's inside the new car is pretty cool IMO. What do you guys think?

stevoe88

This car has every aspect of what I want in a car right now ...

Steponme

Is this thing related to the FT86? I'm really confused by it all. Toyota is supposed to have one, and Subaru is supposed to have another version, but co-developed by both companies? Both will have the same engine, but one will be RWD and the other AWD?

NuncoStr8

I think the Subaru version looks promising. Like the car is capable and therefore the exterior doesn't have to be flashy. The Toyota version looks like they are trying to fool me into buying a dog of a car by polishing the turd.

A RWD flat-four from Subaru is very appealing. A marketing-designed Scion is so not appealing.

rjohnstonstl

I wish they would just release this thing already. It seems like they've been teasing it forever.

Steponme

Your '03 Mustang sucks! This turd of a car would hand your Mustang's ass on a plate in most categories, esp. handling.

whiteflash

I think the hype of this car has recently seemed to oversweep the history of the project. There seems to be a lot of misconceptions on who's basing what on who.

The project started with Toyotas taking up the FT86 project. They wanted the boxer engine powerplant, so they went joint with Subaru. The Toyota layout of the car always was a FR coupe; end of story. The design of the car was always 'intended' to be NA, as they wanted the powerband linearity for drifting. That's why the chassis/weight balance was so hypercritical in the project. Of course people being people; there was a clear demand for "more" interms of H. The speculation always was that since it's essentially a modified STi variant powerplant, that Subaru would end up making a turbo variant. It doesn't make a whole lot of sense to it be nearly identical towards the STi; although their suspension quite different. Their current marketing is equa-confusing, as it referenced both RWD and AWD in the same sentence. So it will most likely be a RWD platform.... however...

It does seem awfully convenient that in the last year (or 2?) the STi looks very muddled in a sea of vehicles that all look very similar. The STi is not really that distinguishable compared to it's stablemates. If they do make an AWD option, clearly using the entire STi powerplant; is that the direction they want to take the STi? While certainly a different beast, it does look like it could live up the the nomenclature.

secondreality

Considering the STI used to be a 2-door, going back to that would be very interesting, though I really couldn't see a RWD STI. Then again this could still be 2-3 years off, in which case they might decide to make it the next version of the STI, or at the least turn STI into what BMW uses M for, and have the WRX STI and the FT-86 STI?

North Star

The STi models are variants of existing models such as the Impreza and Forester. If an STi version of this new model comes out, it won't be replacing the Impreza STi as we all know. It will be an STi version of whatever this new model will be.

Subaru is expanding their brand and adding a RWD coupe to their line up, in addition to their Impreza, Legacy, Forester, Outback, and Tribeca. The company is trying to grow and adding a sports car to their line up is a nice direction to go.

Just note though, this initial release is to be NA. A turbo version may or may not come out after the launch model.

PsychoBen

Looks promising. I like the body lines. Please keep it small and light - and RWD. Put a half-decent interior in there while you are at it.