The Subaru Advanced Tourer Concept will likely reappear as the next-gen Legacy wagon.
Subaru will have a busy stand during the upcoming Tokyo Motor Show, the maker not only revealing the much-anticipated BRZ sports car (Click Here for a closer look) but also pulling the wraps off the Advanced Tourer Concept seen here.
Clearly not one of the wild and wacky concept vehicles the Tokyo Motor Show is known for it seems quite obvious that the Advanced Tourer is a concept in name only, with it very likely to see production in the not-too-distant future?
But in what form? A good possibility is that it will reappear next year as the production version of the next-generation Subaru Legacy Wagon. Which would be ironic because the Tourer features a much more stylish use of sheet metal than the current, fairly utilitarian Legacy sedan. That’s a bit of a switch considering wagons traditionally adopt the more boxy and staid designs.
The Subaru Advanced Tourer Concept features a downsized turbo boxer engine mated to a hybrid drive.
In the Tokyo Motor Show’s typically floral form, Subaru says the Advanced Tourer Concept epitomizes the theme, “Confidence in Motion.” That translates into better performance and improved utility, the maker suggests.
While it’s holding off some details for the December auto show, Subaru confirms the new wagon features a downsized 1.6-liter turbocharged version of the brand’s well-known boxer engine mated with a hybrid electric drive. That would yield roughly the same power as a more conventional 2.0 or even 2.5-liter boxer, it suggests.
The B-pillarless design makes for easy entry but likely won't carry over into production.
In keeping with Subaru tradition, the Advanced Tourer Concept also features all-wheel-drive. The single electric motor system can be driven in EV, or battery-only mode, in all-wheel-drive at start-up or at low speeds.
The C-segment-sized car’s exterior sheet metal is enhanced by an all-glass roof. The interior is lavished with wood and metal accents suggesting a more upscale target than the current Legacy line.
One of the more interesting details is a large monitor built right into the steering wheel to provide quick visual access to navigation maps, internet services and even television broadcasts, Subaru says.
There’s also a stereo, or two-camera crash avoidance system, the latest version of the EyeSight concept Subaru first showed in 2010.
The Subaru Advanced Tourer Concept will share the stage with the next-generation Impreza, but the big draw is likely to be the Subaru BRZ, the 2-seat sports car that the small Japanese maker developed in a partnership with Toyota. Both makers will launch sales of their individual versions next year.