Could this chunky battery electric vehicle concept be the next-generation BRZ? Or maybe it’s a sign of where the legendary WRX model is going. Let’s look into the details, or at least, what Subaru is drip-feeding us.
The Subaru Sports Mobility Concept might have had its world premiere at the Japan Mobility Show late last month, but the brand was very light on specs.
In the absence of any direction from Subaru—as to what this concept might actually be—some commentators suggested that this two-door might be the futuristic version of the BRZ. But given that it’s 4WD electric powertrain, and where Subaru is going with its brand identity, I tend to think this car might be hinting at a futuristic interpretation of the WRX. Also, it’s the Impreza WRX that has been used as the base vehicle for Subaru’s World Rally Championships and Nurburgring 24-hour events over the years, which hints at this coupe being a new WRX.
With its two-door design, it certainly looks like a Subaru—and more like a futuristic WRX than a BRZ. In fact, what will no doubt elevate interest levels among Subaru fans around the world is that fact that the concept’s design seems inspired by two of the brand’s most visually-striking models, the Alcyone SVX from 1991, and the Impreza 22B STi of 1998.
Looking almost ready to compete in rallies, the Sports Mobility Concept is not pretty. In fact, given its chunky, squared-off wheel arches, blue colored accents, and carbon-fiber wheels, side panels and bumpers, the fighter jet cockpit-like styling is more brutish than beautiful. The absence of side door mirrors—replaced by cameras—is yet another hint at its driver-focused aerodynamically-inspired slant. What’s not slanted is that front end, which also strengthens our argument that this coupe is not a BRZ, but a hint at the next-gen WRX.
When you speak of Subaru, what’s the most iconic model they’ve ever had. Yes, the WRX. If you’ve spent decades creating an icon, you want to lean on its fame to strengthen brand identity and awareness by keeping it alive. Right? At the recent Japan show, nearly every other Japanese carmaker brought back redefined versions of their iconic models—Mazda brought back a rotary-hybrid powered coupe hinting at a next-gen RX-9, Nissan unveiled a 1,360hp fully electric beast that suggests a next-gen GT-R, Honda revived its Prelude while Toyota showed us a sharp stylized electric version of a potentially futuristic MR2. So yes, I think Subaru want to keep the WRX alive, and to do that, it needs to switch to fully electric.
What do we know about this Subaru concept? The powers that be at Subaru did confirm that it’s a battery electric concept with a 4WD powertrain that appears to sit on a skateboard-type chassis in which the battery pack hides under the cabin. We know that Subaru has spent no less than thirty years developing its 4WD technology through multiple victories in the World Rally Championships and the grueling Nurburgring 24-hour race in Germany. So we will no doubt get an updated version of that tech in this new EV, and we can expect it to be industry-leading.
The interior styling resembles that of the Subaru Solterra—the brand’s first-ever EV—suggesting it could be underpinned by the Toyota e-TNGA platform, given that Toyota and Subaru co-developed their respective first-ever EVs. Now given that the Lexus RZ also employs this platform, then the Subaru concept could be powered by the RZ’s dual-motor electric powertrain pumping out upwards of 308hp. Inside, the concept seems close to production ready with a squared-off steering wheel and buttons like adaptive cruise control, voice control and a next-gen EyeSight driver-assist safety system.
Subaru enthusiasts will be hoping that this two-door concept also draws some inspiration from the radical STI E-RA Concept racing vehicle unveiled at the 2022 Tokyo Auto Salon. Styled like a Le Mans racer, the 1,073 hp E-RA (short for Electric—Record Attempt) was created for one purpose—to lap the Nurburgring in under 400 seconds. If Subaru designers can focus even a small percentage of this focus and dedication into creating a road-going version of the Sports Mobility Concept, then what lands in showrooms after 2026 should be rather special.
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