Wednesday, November 17, 2010

2010 LA Auto Show: Subaru Impreza Concept aims at Audi


[Update: High-res picture added] Subaru appears to finally be getting on the stylish compact sedan bandwagon with its sleek, new LA Show-bound Impreza concept. Spearheading the brand's "Confidence in Motion" design language, the low and wide concept wears a more stylish interpretation of the Legacy's nose while losing the awkward lines found on previous Imprezas.

Aerodynamics are emphasized by a flowing roof line, rear diffuser, and air splitters, while the squat stance is intended to exude confidence. With all-wheel drive underneath and a possible turbo up front, this is looking to be an Impreza that will appeal to both current fans looking for a sporty all-weather handler as well as people in harsher climates who don't necessarily feel the need to pay luxury money for an all-wheel driver that makes them look fifteen years old.

Expect the interior to feature the wraparound treatment of the current Impreza's dashboard, but updated and evolved with an integrated navigation screen and the rest of the standard fair. A new addition is an EyeSight camera mounted at the front of the roof (likely above the rear-view mirror) in order to help analyze the car's surroundings and prevent collisions.

Power and drive will be sourced from a 2.0-liter boxer mated to Subaru's Lineartronic transmission. We'll have more official info and pics for you as soon as Subaru lets it out of the bag.

By Phil Alex

Source: Autoweek