BEIJING MOTOR SHOW: Subaru reveals high-riding Liberty variant

Subaru's stand at the Beijing auto show features a new variant in the Liberty range. The new Liberty sedan model is exclusive to Subaru's markets in Australia and China and will go on sale here in the third quarter of 2012.

Subaru Australia has yet to announce pricing and exact timing. Even the name or badge given to the new model hasn't been decided, a Subaru Australia spokesman admitted to motoring.com.au.

The new variant's function in the Liberty line-up is to offer customers a higher-riding option. The model's ride height is raised 60mm over the regular Liberty's 150mm ground clearance.

Subaru says the higher-riding Liberty is designed to accommodate "some of the unique road conditions experienced" in China and Australia. According to Nick Senior, Managing Director, Subaru Australia, around 60 per cent of local roads are unsealed.

"This new Liberty variant will be ideal for Australian roads, where we have a huge percentage of unsealed surfaces and the extra ride height adds to its capability in regional and rural areas," said Senior.

"Obviously our All-Wheel Drive Liberty is a great choice for these conditions and the new variant with its extra ground clearance makes an even stronger case.

"We see its main market to be in rural areas, but it will also be ideal for those with tricky driveways, those who travel with trailers and caravans, or just those who want a sedan where you can sit a bit higher."

The Liberty variant will be offered with a choice of two petrol engines: the 2.5-litre four-cylinder or 3.6-litre horizontal six-cylinder currently used by the rest of the Liberty range.

The new version also introduces a restyled front end including modified grille and bumper, chrome treatment and new 18-inch alloy wheels.

The interior has also had slight tweaks to the centre console, steering switch panel and the electronic park brake lever and knob to adjust Subaru's Intelligent drive (all-wheel-drive) system.

Those updates "will trickle down" through the Liberty line-up over the next 12 months, says Subaru Australia.

"This new variant gives us another opportunity to bring something different to market and judging by the success of our other recent offerings, including XV and Impreza, we can see a lot of potential."

The new XV's styling has influenced the look of the new Liberty, including slimmed-down grille and beefed-up wheelarches.

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