A Mid-Engine Subaru Sports Car Won’t Happen, Says Report

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Posted by Zach Doell 

 

                               

                                            

The past few days have held big headlines for Subaru fans across the country, what with the debut of the all-new 2017 Subaru Impreza sedan and hatchback at the New York auto show. But with one hand giveth, the other taketh away. 

 

In a new report, Subaru of America president Tom Doll told Australia’s caradvice that a new mid-engine Subaru sports car was indeed not in the company’s product pipeline, contradicting a mouthwatering insider account cited by Car and Driver just one week prior.

“I have not heard that, I don’t know what that is,” Doll told the outlet. “I don’t know where they’re getting their information from. I would like to know their source, I really would.”

According to the original report, the source detailed a 300-horsepower hybrid sports coupe with two electric motors powering the front wheels and Subaru’s signature boxer engine powering the rear. In effect, it’s a recipe not far flung from the 2014 Subaru Vision GT concept, minus its conceptual 591 horsepower and electric motor arrangement (pictured above).

That may come as a sting to the Subaru faithful, however it’s not all bad news. The outlet also had a few words with Yasuyuki Yoshinaga, the CEO of Fuji Heavy Industries (Subaru’s parent company), who confirmed that talks are in order with Toyota to produce a second-generation Subaru BRZ coupe, of which Toyota splits the bill and spawns its own Toyota GT 86 variant.

“We are discussing with Toyota to produce a new model change for BRZ,” Yoshinaga told the outlet. “We have not decided any details yet but we will make an agreement. We want to continue BRZ.”

This confirmation comes despite a somewhat tepid market for the acclaimed sports car and its Toyota/Scion twin. Whether a fan-approved turbocharged model reaches production remains to be seen, however a Subaru BRZ STI has at least been previously slated for US shores.