SALT IN THE WOUND!!!!

"BoxerFanatic, troublesome iconoclast." (boxerfanatic)
11/20/2013 at 12:53 • Filed to: Subaru, CrossSport

Subaru has yet again found a way to PISS ME OFF, after I thought I could no longer care enough to get upset. I have been wanting a Subaru AWD sport coupe with a rear hatch, and enough ground clearance not to get torn up on bad roads... for YEARS AND YEARS.

AND THEY BUILD THIS WITHOUT AWD!!!!

The front end is too directly related to BRZ to have the engine out front and an AWD transaxle driving the front wheels also.

This is VERY close to my proposal for an XV CrossSport... a 3-door version of the XV Crosstrek with ride height, scratch-resistant bottom cladding, and a WRX, or better yet, WRX STI drivetrain underneath... 6MT, DCCD, limited slip or lockable diffs, and an FA20DIT or FA25DIT with ~300hp and direct injection.

But this shows that they KNOW it. They've seen my ideas that I have suggested, and they build it like this with RWD BRZ underpinnings. DAMN!!!

DISCUSSION (4)

AutoZealot > BoxerFanatic, troublesome iconoclast.
11/20/2013 at 13:00

Buy STI hatch, weld rear doors shut, custom interior in the back - winning? :)

BoxerFanatic, troublesome iconoclast. > AutoZealot
11/20/2013 at 13:13

STI-LL too ugly on the front.

The point is a bit of sleekness... not just lack of rear doors... but also longer coupe doors, slightly lower, sleeker roof, and cleaner lines. The 08-current STI is a hunchback, and not a good looking car.

The BRZ-based Cross Sport Design concept is a shooting brake (coupe with a long roof, essentially) and looks far better than a WRX or WRX STI 5-door.

And the next-gen WRX/STI won't have a 5-door body style anymore, just a sedan.

I have long surmised that the 5-door equivalent will be based on XV Crosstrek, to shift some fleet sales of performance turbo Subarus to CAFE "Light Truck" classification, and ease risk of potential fines.

If an XV Crosstrek gains a turbocharged, robust AWD drivetrain... it should gain this shooting-brake body style, in addition to the 5-door hatchback body style, as well.

Can you imagine the above Cross Sport concept with 6.5-8" ride height, Subaru's BEST AWD hardware, 300 direct-injected horsepower, and painted WR-Blue with bronze/gold wheels?

I might be able to be enthusiastic about an actually somewhat affordable new car again, for the first time in years....

AutoZealot > BoxerFanatic, troublesome iconoclast.
11/20/2013 at 13:19

Oh, I hear you, and I love the idea. I love the shooting brake coupe concept- have a beef'd up one with a STi drivetrain, slightly higher ride height would be freaking awesome. RallyX here I come!

I have a somewhat secret desire to buy a SRT8 Magnum and chop a foot out of the middle of it to create a GT cruiser beast (that's not a Challenger)

Going with something more along current product plans, what are the odds we'll see the WRX drivetain dumped into the Crosstek?

BoxerFanatic, troublesome iconoclast. > AutoZealot
11/20/2013 at 13:30

I have theorized that since Subaru execs said that WRX won't be a 5-door.

CAFE is less strict on Subaru if they sell more XVs, Outbacks, or Foresters... or Tribecas if they had sold any tribecas... Imprezas, WRX/STI, Legacy, and BRZ are stricter-fleet-average passenger cars.

That is probably also why there are few BRZs, compared to FRS... Scion/Toyota has a larger fleet with more economical cars, and deeper pockets. FRS probably is a drop in the ocean to their fleet average... BRZ in large numbers would be a bigger change on a much smaller annual fleet sale average for Subaru's passenger cars.

Shifting demand to the taller-riding models is a logical reaction to the CAFE regulations, and an AWD company trying to avoid fleet fuel economy fines.