Subaru STI RWD Coupe rendered speculation
October 14, 2009 by George Skentzos
While Toyota’s FT-86 Concept has stolen the spotlight in the lead up to its debut at the Tokyo Motor Show, Japan’s Holiday Auto has had a go at sketching Subaru’s sibling to the AE86 successor.
The rendering shows a potential flagship STI variant which should up the power stakes by employing Subaru’s 186kW normally aspirated EJ25 2.5-litre boxer engine.
Although it seems like the most logical next step, any notion of a turbocharged boxer engine finding its way into either of the AE86 derivatives is being avoided for the sake of purity – although not entirely ruled out.
With Subaru providing the platform, much of the design and engineering elements have been borrowed from the WRX STI, including wider front and rear guards to accommodate more rubber and give the car a more aggressive stance.
Unfortunately, Subaru’s reputation for controversial design is yet to be redeemed, with spy shots of the actual car floating around the web looking suspiciously like a two-door version of the current Impreza sedan.
Hopefully its resemblance is due to donor panels from the Impreza to disguise the final design, rather than an actual pre-production prototype – because if the latter is the case, Toyota’s version is certain to be far more popular.
Insiders expect the Subaru counterpart to appear at next year’s Tokyo Motor Show, or shortly after at the 2012 Tokyo Auto Salon.
Source: Holiday Auto via 7Tune
Print it: 
Looking good!! Don’t hold back and put a turbocharger in!
I saw this on another site and its been dismissed as a “fan’s” impression rather than a prototype concept.
If anything, Subaru’s resulting vehicle with Toyota’s collaboration has something to do with the plan to bring back the “SVX” and somehow the “new Hybrid Tourer” that has been shown around.
I don’t see Subaru using or sharing the same styling cues as the Toyota FT-HS/FT86… which that sketch is pretty much.
The more I think of it, Subaru’s version will be upper class, as in to compete with cars above the Impreza STi…. maybe a coupe/ 2 door version of the STi with a Hybrid variant. I’m not sure, but what would Toyota’s contribution be? it cant be the exterior/shell styling… Toyota policy has always been to have very different looking vehicles, outside of the Hybrid technology that is..
If you guys haven’t noticed, this is basically an R35 GT-R! From bonnet to roof, its the Nissan – have a look at some pics. Front looks good and aggressive though. But I am a Subaru fanboy.
agreed…
here here
I see alot of NIssan in that pic too!
Lexus called, wants their bumper and lights back.
Oh, Nissan left a message, wants their GTR returned.
Why oh why do they insist on calling it the STI? Is it a comment on the sort of people who buy them from the people who make them? Surely they could come up with something better…
STi is Subaru’s in house tuning and motor sports division, Subaru Technica International.
I’m aware of that, but in the world outside of cars it generally stands for something very different. Google it.
if subaru’s recent offering’s are anything to go by, thats definetley not a subaru concept. hasnt got enough ugly… :p
I’ll find it interesting how Subaru, the company so keen to promote its range full of AWD models, will try to market this vehicle without losing some brand status. When they do bring in a RWD, will it sacrifice their long record of AWD marketing?
I also thought GTR straight up.
yummy love it
cant wait too see when the new Subaru GTR is released
subaru need a new front grill, theirs doesn’t look good
With Subaru’s current band of designers, there is no chance of the car acually looking as good as this. They will no doubt butcher it up and make it as ugly as possible. It will still go like sh*t though…
But I want a dirty, dirty, impure turbocharger! And six cylinders, and… oh wait I guess I want something else. This is a hairdressers car. Seriously these Toybarus are hardtop MX-5/Miata competitors at best.
Wait and see mate – this won’t be some weakling FWD, or underpowered RWD cabrio, it may end up quite good car you know.
Nah…NA boxer 6
It looks kinda nice. If only Subaru could improve it more.
Man theve scraped sending over a carbon STI WRX lol and now there thinking of scraping the thought of this car coming to Australia since it would kill their image of being AWD always. BUT common! u butcherd the god damn WRX and now ull probs butcher this too!… and yes it does look like a Nissan R35-GTR and a bit like a 350z lol…. but then gain 350 and 370z’s look like porsches a bit so hmmm looks like everyones copying everyone….Look i had a uni fund all saved up however i dont want to do one i would love to do a trade :D so all that uni money was gonna go towards a car. :D however i was thinking the Subaru RWD would of been a good investment but since there scraping it coming here omfg! THATS IT IMA BUY A HOLDEN! Since u stupid Asian and European company’s ripp Australians off in price . A brand new Audi TT is $45,000 american but here hmmm $80,000 Australian and even when were at 90+ cents per US dollar hmmm oh oh and lets not foget , give us hope on nice cars them butcher the thought! U have betrayed your loyal customers and you are losing them, you started losing them with ur butchering of the WRX now ull lose them again. As i said ima buy a holden now since they seem to be the only company not playing or screwing around with THE AUSTRALIAN PUBLIC! Look i have an original Subaru Impreza 1993 model and i love it, i truly do but ima sell it since atm I DISPISE Subaru Australia thank you for screwing around with your loyal customers goodbye i wont buy another one of your cars again.