Subaru Hybrid Tourer Concept

[90ft]

SUBARU HYBRID TOURER CONCEPT (Concept car)
Japan 2009

1. Concept
Subaru has condensed its DNA, developed over many years around the Subaru’s core technology of “Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive (AWD)” and “Horizontally-Opposed Boxer Engine”, into the integration of a luxurious and high-quality cabin atmosphere and an eye-catching sculpted body. The concept car features Subaru’s latest evolutions in handling agility, riding comfort and superior safety performance. It proposes Subaru’s vision of a future grand touring car that excels in environmental friendliness thanks to Subaru’s unique hybrid system.
2. Design and packaging
(1) Exterior
Subaru imagined wings with a feeling of freedom and confidence for driving far and wide in any environment. A luxurious and comfortable cabin, and advanced driving performance are contained within a sculpted aerodynamic form. The design features a combination of bright, open glass areas with a solid, reliable body.
(2) Interior
The original point of the ideal grand touring car is its interior design, featuring four independent and comfortably positioned seats. Passengers are enclosed within an atmosphere that provides a surpassing feeling of openness and stress-free reassurance, through the further pursuit of a human-centered philosophy, the essence of Subaru car design, and the incorporation of functions that are friendly to passengers.
・ The top of the dashboard is movable up and down to provide an optimal driving environment for the driver according to driving conditions.
・ A flat floor in the rear seat was achieved even with the implementation of AWD, for improved use and movement inside the cabin.
・ Specialized shielding is incorporated in the windshield to reduce eyestrain on the driver.
・ New leather covering developed with superior breathability and a ventilation function is used in the seats for improved comfort and texture.
3. Mechanisms
In addition to refinements to Subaru’s core technology such as Symmetrical AWD and Horizontally-Opposed Boxer Engine, further enhancements were made for improved environmental friendliness, driving performance and high safety performance by offering a next-generation power unit system and advanced safety technologies.
(1) Next-generation power unit system
2.0-liter Horizontally-Opposed direct fuel-injection turbo gasoline engine
・ The Horizontally-Opposed turbo gasoline engine, with a reputation for powerful acceleration, is
2/5
3/5
combined with a direct fuel-injection system for improvements in fuel efficiency and reduced emissions, and improved torque and response in practical range. This evolution in Subaru turbo technology excels in both environmental friendliness and engine performance.
Lineartronic (CVT)
・ Lineartronic, Subaru’s new generation automatic transmission, achieves further improvements in both fuel efficiency and driving performance by reinforcing parts for use with the high-power output of a turbo engine.
Hybrid system
・ To further enhance the appeal of the Symmetrical AWD system, this unique hybrid two-motor system features a power/drive motor in the front and a drive motor in the rear.
・ At start-up and extremely low speeds when fuel efficiency is low, such as when driving the car into a garage, the rear motor is used primarily to allow driving without utilizing the power of the engine.
・ During normal driving, the front engine is primarily used. The direct fuel-injection turbo gasoline mated with the Symmetrical AWD offers a whole new, Subaru driving experience.
・ During acceleration, the rear motor assists the driving power of the engine to achieve advanced driving performance.
・ Further, when accelerating uphill, the front motor, which is normally used as a power generator, assists to drive the front axle for improved performance.
・ The implementation of a non-idling function that stops the engine when the car comes to a halt reduces unnecessary fuel consumption.
・ The use of a high-performance lithium battery is based on experience and know-how achieved with the Subaru Plug-in STELLA electric vehicle, launched this summer. This includes the use of a precise energy management system and regenerative brake controls, for improvements in excellent fuel efficiency.

Major specifications
Length x Width x Height: 4,630 x 1,890 x 1,420mm
Engine type: 2.0-liter Horizontally-Opposed direct fuel-injection turbo
gasoline engine
Max output of Motor: 10kW (Front) / 20kW (Rear)
Transmission type: Lineartronic
Drive train: Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive with 2 motors assist
Battery type: Lithium-ion battery

(2) EyeSight + (plus)
Subaru has integrated its unique driving assist system, EyeSight, with vehicle-to-vehicle and road-to-vehicle communication technology. EyeSight includes an assist collision prevention support system that uses its unique stereo camera technology to recognize a wide range of driving environments. This next-generation driver assistance system provides improved safety and peace-of-mind for passengers, and represents a major
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evolution in collision detection performance.
・ The advanced environment recognition performance of EyeSight, using a stereo camera and a specialized 3D image processing engine, excels at pre-collision safety through the recognition of both pedestrians and cyclists as well.
・ Wide-ranging driving conditions that cannot be covered by a stereo camera alone are acquired through vehicle-to-vehicle and road-to-vehicle communication technology, which is then synchronized with EyeSight for a further evolution in preventative safety. Specifically, this system continuously detects vehicles that move into and out of blind spots, and advises the driver on appropriate driving maneuvers.

[Roentgen]

Subarus are getting uglier and uglier. Starting with their Imprezza... then the Legacy got infected. Then that Tribeca and all those... well, crap. They used to be awesome cars, but now, only old/blind people will buy them.

[Ferrer]

I think this, doors aside, isn't bad looking at all.

[whiteballz]

Epic. I'd hit it.

And your going crazy Roentgen.. Subaru's have never been pretty. That is their design ethos. It appeals to those that dont care what it looks like, going like stink is all that matters..

[NicFromLA]

Any Subaru that doesn't have gold rims, a large wing on the back and isn't one or two steps away from being a WRC is a waste of my time.

[pimento]

Originally Posted by NicFromLA

Any Subaru that doesn't have gold rims, a large wing on the back and isn't one or two steps away from being a WRC is a waste of my time.

Oh no you di'n't.. Legacy is great. And gold rims suck.

[clutch-monkey]

Originally Posted by whiteballz

Subaru's have never been pretty. That is their design ethos.

ain't that the truth, looks like they've been taking it a bit too far lately

OT: this is pretty striking. looks better than current WRX by a loooong margin

[IBrake4Rainbows]

This futuristic, daring and downright attractive compared to anything Subaru have designed in the past.....6 years, at least.

Piss the Silly doors right off and yes plz.

[Ferrer]

Originally Posted by pimento

Oh no you di'n't.. Legacy is great. And gold rims suck.

And it's officially, UCP's favourite family car.

[IBrake4Rainbows]

The current one looks like it's been given a rough time by customs though....

Still, I suppose thats the style.....

[Ferrer]

Originally Posted by IBrake4Rainbows

The current one looks like it's been given a rough time by customs though....

Still, I suppose thats the style.....

It defenitely looks too bland, the old one was a much more handsome and different vehicle. Still, hard to beat the allroundness of an estate GT.

[IBrake4Rainbows]

I actually think there is a real subtlety to the old Legacy thats really been lost. They've almost completely abandoned the model design cues, and it's hugely to the vehicles detriment.

Case in point - the d-pillar on the wagon. in EVERY Legacy model it's been blacked out. in this one, it's not. For no reason at all other than a slight kick up of the window line that does nothing for the vehicle.

Subaru aren't know for design prowess, certainly. But they're at least usually thoughtful touches. These are just...Change is one thing, but only change if it's not for it's own sake.

[Ferrer]

Originally Posted by IBrake4Rainbows

I actually think there is a real subtlety to the old Legacy thats really been lost. They've almost completely abandoned the model design cues, and it's hugely to the vehicles detriment.

Case in point - the d-pillar on the wagon. in EVERY Legacy model it's been blacked out. in this one, it's not. For no reason at all other than a slight kick up of the window line that does nothing for the vehicle.

Subaru aren't know for design prowess, certainly. But they're at least usually thoughtful touches. These are just...Change is one thing, but only change if it's not for it's own sake.

Frameless doors was a neat detail that has been lost as well. Fortunately the superb engineering remains.

[NicFromLA]

Originally Posted by pimento

Oh no you di'n't.. Legacy is great. And gold rims suck.

Gold rims, blue paint, big wing, WRX STi spec'ed out to Prodrive standards or BUST!

[NSXType-R]

Yeah, for some odd reason Subaru sorta backed out of their exterior designing. But yeah, I'm glad the engineering is still there.

And like others have said, other than the funky doors, it looks pretty good.