Enthusiasts may associate the Subaru Impreza with performance, all-wheel-drive, and rally prowess — but it isn’t exactly the most attractive thing on four wheels. That may soon change, however, if the new Impreza Design Concept, unveiled this afternoon at the Los Angeles Auto Show, is truly a sign of things to come.
Subaru Impreza Design Concept
Calling this a departure from the current car is a gross understatement. This is, quite frankly, a clean-sheet design, which abandons the rotund, bulging profile of today’s Impreza in favor of a tapered, sophisticated shape. Thanks to taut body lines and slender panel gaps, the concept carries a very mature appearance. Arguably, the only cues carried over from the present Impreza are the bold bumper fascias, wide stance, and flared wheel wells — all of which, Subaru says, are designed to emphasize the vehicle’s driveline.
Subaru tradition, the Impreza Design Concept sends power to all four wheels, thanks in no small part to the company’s symmetrical all-wheel-drive system. Power comes courtesy of a 2.0-liter flat-four-cylinder, which is derived from the company’s third-generation boxer engine range. Interestingly, Subaru’s fitted the show car with its continuously variable transmission — a feature new to the Impreza line, but likely essential to help the company improve fuel economy figures.
So, is this simply a showcase for Subaru’s new “Confidence in Motion” mantra, or is the Impreza Design Concept something more? Officials simply smirk when we ask, but we’d wager this is a good preview of the next-generation Impreza, much like the 2009 Legacy concept teased the then up-and-coming 2010 Legacy sedan.
Strip this show car of the camera-based rear-view mirrors, digital gauges, and expansive touch-screen interface, and you may well be looking at tomorrow’s Impreza. If so, we’re in for a real treat — it’s refreshing, frankly, to see Subaru infuse this much style into its.
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