LA MOTOR SHOW: Subaru unveils Impreza sedan concept
But Subaru's next generation of small car is still two years away from launch in AustraliaSubaru's new generation of Impreza small car is now revealed in full – in concept form at least. But as we reported just over a week ago, the production versions won't reach Australia until the second half of 2017 - about two years from now.
In Los Angeles overnight, the manufacturer lifted the wraps off the sedan version of the hatch that premiered in Tokyo last month. According to the company, both concept cars preview the production models that are under development in line with the 'Prominence 2020' plan announced in May of last year.
What that indicates is the production Impreza will be the first Subaru product to be based on the company's new common platform. It's planned in due course for this platform to be the base for all Subaru's products from Impreza through to Outback – and possibly too the recently announced seven-seat successor to the Tribeca. There are rumours that the new Impreza will offer a hybrid-drive variant. Subaru is yet to deny this rumour.
The five-seat sedan concept in LA is finished in Ruby Red Metallic and measures 4555mm in length, 1880mm in width and 1453mm in height. The wheelbase is 2670mm long and the tyres fitted to the concept measure 235/40 R19.
In conversation with motoring.com.au's Todd Hallenbeck, the designer of the concept, Mamoru Ishii, candidly admitted that Subaru has lost the plot in some of its previous styling ventures. Hopefully the concept cars – which have been designed in Japan – will make it to production without major change.
Ishii-san explained that the C-shaped headlight signature is a graphic representation of the car's boxer engine and symmetrical layout, and the concept car is only marginally larger than the current Impreza.
The US market production models will be identical to the Japanese (and Australian-spec) vehicles, other than the left-hand drive configuration. Subaru in America will build the left-hook models for that market in a joint-venture factory that previously built Toyota's Camry as well. The American market is expected to yield 500,000 Subaru sales in 2016.
Tags
Please see our Editorial Guidelines & Code of Ethics (including for more information about sponsored content and paid events). The information published on this website is of a general nature only and doesn’t consider your particular circumstances or needs.
