Photo: Cars & Bids
Subaru became a worldwide sensation thanks to numerous exploits in the World Rally Championships. 47 wins, three constructors’ and three drivers’ championships, Colin McRae, and the State Express 555 livery come to mind, but the Japanese automaker left the competition in 2008 following the economic downturn attributed to the mortgage crisis.
Subaru doesn’t have a proper candidate for the World Rally Championship in this day and age, but that may change in the fall of 2022 for the 2023 model year. According to Best Car Web, the Japanese brand is allegedly developing a hot hatchback under the “Super AWD” codename.
Toyota is understood to help the Ebisu-based company in this regard, but the cited publication doesn’t go into the finer details of this collaboration. Similar in size to the Impreza five-door hatchback, the go-anywhere corner carver is mooted with a four-cylinder turbo boxer and a different all-wheel-drive system from the GR-FOUR AWD of the GR Yaris.
Best Car Web makes a case for the 2.4-liter engine of the Ascent three-row crossover as the prime candidate for suck-squeeze-bang-blow, and I can’t imagine Subaru picking a different powerplant for this application. The FA24 develops up to 260 horsepower and 277 pound-feet (376 Nm) of torque, which is very close to the ratings of the WRX sedan.
Understood to be position below the WRX twins, the yet-to-be-named hatchback will also be less potent than the next-generation WRX if we take Best Car’s report at face value. The question is, why would Subaru spend money on a brand-new car with the intent of returning to rallying without making the said car a halo? That’s pretty iffy if you ask me.
Another question that baffles me concerns Toyota’s interest in this project. More to the point, how will the bigger and more profitable of the two automakers benefit from this partnership? Toyota is already developing the GR Corolla, and the upcoming model features the TNGA-C vehicle architecture rather than the Subaru Global Platform of the outgoing Impreza.
Last but certainly not least, WRC technical regulations will change in 2022 with the introduction of hybrid powertrains. Best Car Web doesn't mention a single thing about hybridization, which is why I won't keep my hopes up.
Toyota is understood to help the Ebisu-based company in this regard, but the cited publication doesn’t go into the finer details of this collaboration. Similar in size to the Impreza five-door hatchback, the go-anywhere corner carver is mooted with a four-cylinder turbo boxer and a different all-wheel-drive system from the GR-FOUR AWD of the GR Yaris.
Best Car Web makes a case for the 2.4-liter engine of the Ascent three-row crossover as the prime candidate for suck-squeeze-bang-blow, and I can’t imagine Subaru picking a different powerplant for this application. The FA24 develops up to 260 horsepower and 277 pound-feet (376 Nm) of torque, which is very close to the ratings of the WRX sedan.
Understood to be position below the WRX twins, the yet-to-be-named hatchback will also be less potent than the next-generation WRX if we take Best Car’s report at face value. The question is, why would Subaru spend money on a brand-new car with the intent of returning to rallying without making the said car a halo? That’s pretty iffy if you ask me.
Another question that baffles me concerns Toyota’s interest in this project. More to the point, how will the bigger and more profitable of the two automakers benefit from this partnership? Toyota is already developing the GR Corolla, and the upcoming model features the TNGA-C vehicle architecture rather than the Subaru Global Platform of the outgoing Impreza.
Last but certainly not least, WRC technical regulations will change in 2022 with the introduction of hybrid powertrains. Best Car Web doesn't mention a single thing about hybridization, which is why I won't keep my hopes up.
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