Subaru Showcases its Upcoming RWD Coupe's Platform Enwrapped in a See-Through Plastic Body

If you were waiting to see a concept of the Subaru flavored version of the rear-wheel drive Toyota FT-86 at the 2011 Geneva Motor Show, tough luck because the Japanese automaker simply displayed the car's chassis in a clear plastic body. Subaru didn't comment on exterior wrap, though there's a good chance that the shape may hint at the styling of the production coupe.

As for the "Boxer Sports Car Architecture" as Subaru has named the rear-wheel drive platform, there's not much to say other than that compared to the firm's production AWD models, the boxer engine in the coupe is positioned lower and further back.

"The RWD Sports Car’s platform technology adds a completely new package to complement Subaru’s existing AWD platform," the company said in a statement. "This package will open Subaru’s renowned on-road performance to a broader range of customers. At the heart of this drivability lies Subaru’s engineering philosophy that constantly provides enjoyment and peace of mind.".

We'll remind you that Subaru and Toyota have combined forces to develop the boxer-powered and rear-wheel drive sports car architecture, with each company set to introduce its own version within the next year or so.

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First Official Photos of Subaru's Rear-Wheel Drive Coupe Concept

Subaru has released the first-ever teaser picture of its eagerly anticipated rear-wheel drive sports car concept ahead of its debut at the 2011 Geneva motor show on March 1. Even though Subaru's original ghost sketch of the car shows only a darkened outline of the front end, we managed to significantly brighten up the photo through some photoshop trickery and reveal the coupe's shape in full detail. At least from this picture, the Subaru study appears to differ in styling from its Toyota FT-86 sibling sporting a more curvy and less angular design.

The Subaru variant will keep the same front-engine, rear-wheel drive layout as the FT-86, which will also be revealed in a more production ready form at the Geneva Salon. Power of course will be provided by Subaru's horizontally opposed boxer engine, but we'll have to wait until the Geneva Salon for more specific details.

On a side note, a couple of weeks ago the car was initially referred to as “Subaru Rear-Wheel Drive Sports Car Technology Concept”, but now, the Japanese automaker says it has changed the name to "BOXER Sports Car Architecture”.

The coupe concept will be joined in Geneva by the Impreza study that was first shown in LA last November and the Trezio, which is a re-badged version of the Toyota Verso-S mini MPV and will be offered in Europe with a 1.3-liter gasoline and 1.4-liter turbo diesel engine.

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Sydney Show Subaru Forester S-Edition Study Hints at Sportier Production Model

At the 2010 Australian International Motor Show in Sydney, Subaru unveiled the Forester S-Edition, a concept study that points to a new Forester variant for 2011. Built on the existing turbocharged Forester XT, the S-Edition produces an additional 32 hp and 20 lb ft (24 kw and 27 Nm) over the Australian market XT's 227 hp and 236 lb ft (169 kw and 320 Nm) lifting the 2.5-liter boxer engine's output to 259-horsepower.

A flappy-paddle 5sp automatic gearbox, revised sports suspension and Variable Torque Distribution (VTD) all-wheel drive round out the mechanical package, whilst new styling and comfort features including STI sourced 17-inch alloys, Alcantara interior trim and drilled alloy pedals help further differentiate the S-Edition from the XT.

Subaru Australia's Managing Director is quite pleased with the Forester S-Edition concept: "We're delighted and honoured that Fuji Heavy Industries (FHI) have chosen Sydney for the worldwide unveil of this Forester concept. It points towards an exciting development in our Forester range early next year." he said.

At the time of writing, the Forester is Australia's best selling compact sports utility vehicle, with its major rival - Toyota's RAV4 - trailing close behind. Carscoop will have more information on the possible production model variant of the S-Edition study as we get it.

By Tristan Hankins

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