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Subaru might be working on a mid-engined sports coupe

A source close to Subaru has let slip to Car and Driver that the company has been testing a prototype mid-engined hybrid powertrain underneath a BRZ at its proving grounds in Japan, which might eventually end up in a hybrid sports coupe that could give Subaru a high-performance halo model in the coming years.”Whether the end result will be a two-door sports coupe or some kind of sports crossover/CUV is still in the evaluation stage,” the anonymous source told Car and Driver. “A coupe seems more likely, though.”

Allegedly, the vehicle uses a mid-mounted 1.6L turbocharged boxer engine with hybrid assist to spin the rear wheels, while two electric motors drive the front wheels individually. The resulting all-wheel drive powertrain would have 246kW (330hp) or more, and could be based on the upcoming Subaru Global Platform.

Rumours about Subaru’s increased development of hybrids offer some support for this alleged sports coupe. The company reportedly might use electrification to boost the next-gen STI. In 2014, a story also suggested the automaker could revive the SVX as a performance-oriented hybrid shooting brake. More recently, even its Viziv GT Vision Gran Turismo concept combined a turbocharged boxer with three electric motors.

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