Photo: screenshot from Youtube
Our spy photographers stationed in Southern Europe have just captured the first glimpses of a very strange Subaru Impreza test mule. The hatchback model had been stuffed with heavy sensors and computers, with some cables coming out the rear windows and connecting to the exhaust.
Not that we needed to mention this to you, but a huge section of the exhaust is sticking out the back of the car, likely meaning that chassis they are developing will be a lot longer than what we're seeing here.
Our spies told us that the extra equipment put a huge strain on the rear suspension of the car and that the pilots were driving very slowly, despite the perfect road conditions. Since this is an engine testing mule, we have to talk about the downsizing trend.
Even in Japan, the Impreza has to fight off against a rising tide of compacts from Europe, most of which come with small turbocharged engines. The company may soon have to move to a force-induced version of the EJ16 and consider smaller diesels as well.
For now, all we do know for sure is that Subaru wants to use direct injection on all models and offer hybrids, potentially based on Toyota tech.
To do this while keeping an eye on profitability, the company will rely on the new Subaru Global Platform. That's a simple name for a complex modular tool kit that will eventually underpin every production model they build after 2016. Care to guess which is going to be their first? That's right, the Impreza is due for a makeover, the current generation having been launched in 2011. The XV (Crosstrek) should follow quickly follow in 2017.
Our spies told us that the extra equipment put a huge strain on the rear suspension of the car and that the pilots were driving very slowly, despite the perfect road conditions. Since this is an engine testing mule, we have to talk about the downsizing trend.
Even in Japan, the Impreza has to fight off against a rising tide of compacts from Europe, most of which come with small turbocharged engines. The company may soon have to move to a force-induced version of the EJ16 and consider smaller diesels as well.
For now, all we do know for sure is that Subaru wants to use direct injection on all models and offer hybrids, potentially based on Toyota tech.
New singular platform
Fuji Heavy Industries has publicly announced it wants to increase North American sales from around 480,000 now to 600,000 by 2020.To do this while keeping an eye on profitability, the company will rely on the new Subaru Global Platform. That's a simple name for a complex modular tool kit that will eventually underpin every production model they build after 2016. Care to guess which is going to be their first? That's right, the Impreza is due for a makeover, the current generation having been launched in 2011. The XV (Crosstrek) should follow quickly follow in 2017.
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