The Subaru sports car being jointly developed with Toyota is now almost a definite starter in Australia.
Subaru Australia has been worried that its rear-drive layout does not fit with its all-wheel drive showroom stand, but is likely to be over-ruled from the top in Japan.
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Subaru for sale Subaru specs Subaru values More on SUBARU"I want to see this car in Australia," the global president of Subaru, Ikuo Mori, tells Carsguide.
He is speaking at the New York motor show on the future of Subaru's go-fast cars, including the WRX and STI which are soon to be split away from the family-focussed Impreza.
Mori says the sports car has enough Subaru character, including its set-back boxer engine, to justify its appearance in Australia.
"Its engine is really rearward and this is a boxer engine feature. So maybe we can appeal to the whole world with this new rear-wheel drive sports car," Mori says.
"So it's a distinctive Subaru car with special features."
He admits that Subaru has settled on a name for its car - most likely a combination of letters and numbers, not a word - but refuses to give an early hint.
"That's a secret. Please wait," Mori laughs.
The sports car has only been shown as an engineering cutaway at the Geneva Motor Show in March, even though Toyota is on to the second development of its FT-86 - called the FRS for front-engine, rear-drive, sports car in New York - and is promising to have the car at the Australian International Motor Show in Melbourne in July.
Mori will not be drawn on the on-sale date for the car in Australia, but does not expect the timing - most likely in the back end of 2012 or early in 2013 - to be affected by the recent earthquake disaster in Japan.
"Talking about the Australian market, we have the same timing in our plan. We don't say when we will introduce our car in Australia, yet."
Mori confirms plans for the standalone WRX and STI without giving much detail.
"We separate the cars. Separate the character," he says.
"We don't make a WRX on this (new Impreza) car. We have no plans. It is a separate car."
He also denies any potential for a rear-wheel drive WRX, spinning-off from the work on the sports car.
"Rear-wheel drive WRX? No. We have no plan," Mori says.
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Subaru rear-wheel drive for Australia
Good! I couldn't believe Subaru Australia's short sightedness(?) at not planning on bringing in the two door. I drive a two door from another marque as there just isn't anything suitable from Subaru (SVX is too old and sweaty)... at present. I was hoping that the JDM importers might bring it in. But if Subaru Australia import it direct, then we might see it earlier and cheaper than an importer can manage.
