Subaru says it believes there will still be a place for fast small entertaining two-door coupes in its electric future as it pulled drapes off the Subaru Sport Mobility Concept at the 2023 Japan Mobility Show.
Paying tribute to the early nineties Subaru SVX – designed by legendary Italian stylist, Giorgetto Giugiaro – the new Subaru Sport Mobility Concept (SMC) cleverly evolves the Japanese brand’s design language while still referencing the current BRZ and its twin, the Toyota GR 86.
Blending curves and sharp-squared-off elements, at the front there’s a large central air dam and pair of cut-out driving lamps within the front bumper and bonnet.
Above, designers have created the effect of a jet-fighter’s cockpit, while the aerodynamic wheels, huge side sills, front splitter and rear bumper look like they’re all made of the same forged carbon-fibre Lamborghini uses.
Other than confirm the SMC is powered by an undisclosed all-electric powertrain, Subaru has not revealed how much power the new concept has, nor if it adopts rear-wheel drive and follows in the tyre tracks of the current BRZ and Toyota GR 86.
Instead, it has said the driver will be positioned on the (turning) axis of the vehicle; a large hint that the SMC will love to drift.
“This concept model expresses the enjoyment that Subaru offers in the age of electrification, embodying the pleasure of going anywhere, anytime, and driving at will in everyday to extraordinary environments,” said Subaru.
“This is a battery electric vehicle concept that evokes the evolution of the SUBARU SPORT values.
“While offering a low seating position, the car is designed to ensure excellent visibility and perceptibility for the driver, providing a package that allows for enjoyable driving with peace of mind.”
Subaru about to go big on EVs
Subaru has been caught lagging in the battery car arms race, but as part of a multi-billion investment over the next five years will launch three new EVs by 2026 and build a dedicated EV assembly plant in 2027.
It suggests it will sell more than 400,000 EVs annually by 2028, and that from 2030, 40 per cent of all its sales will be hybrids or EVs. Come the beginning of the next decade, every car it sells will be electrified or have an all-electric version.
This year at the Tokyo motor show reboot the car-maker unveiled the Subaru Air Mobility Concept: a five-rotor oversized passenger drone that it is developing with its aerospace division.
No timetable has been given to when a production version might arrive but at the show Subaru said it was working towards flight demonstrations.
Also sharing the stand was an updated Subaru Solterra – the battery-electric SUV that’s closely related to the Toyota bZ4X. It gets upgraded Subaru Safety Sense driver assist tech, a radical new steering wheel, plus a battery pre-conditioning system.
The new preconditioning system is said to reduce DC fast-charging times by around 30 percent when topping up the batteries at 90kW in -10 degrees Celsius.
It’s not yet known if Australians will be offered the new upgraded 2024 Solterra, which is due to arrive here late this year.
