Will The Real Tobaru Please Stand Up?
It's easy to understand why folks are getting excited about the forthcoming Toyota-Subaru rear wheel-drive (RWD) coupe. But it seems that waiting is driving the autoblogosphere crazy. Take the recent revelation at Autoexpress that Subaru is working on an Impreza Coupe alongside a future Toyota Celica. Autoexpress insists that this Subaru-engineered Imprezica will sport either 180hp and RWD or an STI engine making 300hp and all wheel-drive (AWD). So they must be describing the long-rumored Toyobaru RWD sports coupe, right? The answer seems to be a resounding "maybe." Motor Authority asserts that the Impreza Coupe is "not basis of the new RWD sports car to be sold by both companies." That RWD sports car will have a 220hp base model with RWD and a 300hp AWD flagship model. So are these the same car or what? For what it's worth, Motor Authority also has spy photos of what they say is a prototype of the (non-Impreza) "RWD sports car." Take a gander for yourself, but it looks pretty Impreza-like to this blogger. Can Subaru really sell a RWD version of the eternally AWD Impreza? Will the RWD base version and AWD flagship carry different names? Can the internet be whipped into any more of a fanboy frenzy over this car? So many questions…
More by Edward Niedermeyer
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Paul, How far back can you locate a Boxer?
Subaru went AWD in the early 1970s, anyway something about this picture doesn't quite add up. Well a few things really. Firstly it has a photoshop look about it, the colours don't look quite right - bigger pic here http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/front_website/gallery.php?id=264426 Secondly it looks remarkably like an Astra Sportshatch, and thirdly the registration plate is showing H2VXL - which is similar to the J7VXL plate used to advertise the Astra - VXL = VauXhaLl? See http://www.whatcar.com/Car/Vauxhall/Astra/1625546122.jpg
i dont see any problem with subaru making a rwd car, as they have always offered fwd cars here in europe. besides, subaru is having lots of trouble because most people doesnt want or need awd, choosing toyotas and volkswagens instead