Subaru is dedicating a team to making its cars more fun, with three new manual performance cars coming soon in Japan. The company announced these cars in June, as part of its new Sports Vehicle Planning Office, which aims to revitalize Subaru’s performance lineup in its home market. This move is a strategic effort to re-establish Subaru’s reputation as a manufacturer of high-performance vehicles, a segment where the company has been less active in recent years.
The new team is built under Subaru’s Product Innovation Division and will handle cars with big turbochargers, sharp suspensions, and manual transmissions. This is a welcome change for a company that has been moving away from its best driver’s cars. By focusing on these key performance aspects, Subaru aims to create vehicles that will appeal to driving enthusiasts and rekindle the passion for the brand’s performance heritage.
CTO Tetsuro Fujinuki says hybrids and EVs have helped Subaru change its approach. In an interview, Fujinuki said the company couldn’t pursue power with its current 2.4L engine due to fleet average fuel economy concerns. The introduction of hybrid and electric vehicles has eased these concerns, allowing Subaru to explore higher-performance options without compromising its overall fleet fuel economy.
Surging sales of hybrids and rising popularity of EVs have eased these concerns, allowing Subaru to re-introduce high-performance options in Japan and potentially beyond. The tooling for the manual transmission used in the last STi is still available and can be used for new cars. This existing infrastructure will enable Subaru to develop new performance models more efficiently, as the company can leverage its existing expertise and resources.
This gearbox can handle over 440 ft-lbs of torque and should accept more horsepower than the existing CVT in the WRX. Fujinuki also mentioned the 350 hp output of the FA24 engine used in Super Taikyu racing, which could be a hint at the power the SVPO team is targeting. The FA24 engine’s performance capabilities demonstrate the potential for Subaru’s future high-performance models, and the company’s involvement in racing provides valuable experience and insights for developing production vehicles.
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The new models are not yet confirmed for America, but given that the U.S. has kept a manual WRX through even this lull in Subaru performance, the market seems like a natural fit for any fast new Subaru coming down the pipeline. Via Autoblog.
Subaru’s decision to dedicate a team to making its cars more fun is a significant shift. As the company looks to the future, it’s clear that performance will play a key role. With the SVPO team leading the charge, Subaru fans can expect exciting new cars with big turbochargers, sharp suspensions, and manual transmissions. The Sports Vehicle Planning Office will be responsible for developing vehicles that embody the spirit of Subaru’s performance heritage, and the company’s commitment to this segment is a positive sign for enthusiasts.
For now, details are limited, but the announcement has generated buzz among enthusiasts. As more information becomes available, it will be interesting to see how Subaru’s new performance cars are received in Japan and potentially other markets, including the US.
Subaru has a loyal following, and this new focus on performance could help attract even more fans. With its rich history of building driver-focused cars, Subaru is well-positioned to make a splash in the performance market once again. The company’s legacy models, such as the STi, have a strong reputation among enthusiasts, and the new performance cars will be expected to live up to this heritage.
The establishment of the Sports Vehicle Planning Office demonstrates Subaru’s commitment to its performance roots and its desire to re-establish itself as a major player in the high-performance vehicle market. By leveraging its existing expertise and resources, Subaru aims to create a new generation of performance vehicles that will appeal to driving enthusiasts and help the company regain its position as a leader in this segment.
