TOKYO MOTOR SHOW: Subaru Advanced Tourer Concept

Subaru is probably not the first car-maker to come to mind when you start thinking of universally appealing style.

But, fitting the aspirations of any motor show special, the ATC Advanced Tourer Concept unveiled at the Tokyo show this week is one Subaru worthy of aesthetic admiration.

The Tokyo car not only rates as arguably one of the best-looking Subaru styling exercises ever, but also brings simplified hybrid technology while retaining the company's signature design features – constant four-wheel drive and horizontally opposed boxer engine design.

While the show car features a dramatic combination of gullwing front and suicide rear doors and uses monster, arch-filling alloy wheels to dramatic effect, the rest of the Subaru ATC looks ready for an easy segue into mass production.

The knife-edged body features the narrow side windows, prominent grille and air-gulping bumper ducts familiar in just about any current design, while the feeling of cabin space is augmented by a large glass roof. Although the ATC is assumed to be an in-house effort, none of the design language is identifiably Subaru.

Although the ATC's footprint is similar to the current Impreza, it sits noticeably lower and is a full 100mm wider. Subaru has provided basic measurements showing the car to be 4580mm long, 1840mm wide and 1430mm tall.

A single electric motor is fed by a lithium-ion battery pack that drives all wheels at start-up (and low speeds) while a direct-injected turbo 1.6-litre boxer engine steps in via Lineartronic CVT transmission to take charge most of the time.

The concept wagon, according to Subaru, showcases technology that will "guide the brand's future engine strategy."

The Subaru ATC follows the larger and more complex Hybrid Tourer Concept that appeared at the 2009 Tokyo motor show featuring two electric motors and a 2.0-litre boxer turbo petrol engine.