The 1988 IAD Royale: The Forgotten Subaru Luxury Concept

"Boxer_4" (Boxer_4)
09/02/2014 at 08:45 • Filed to: None

In 1988, a British design firm known as International Automotive Design (IAD) created a luxury sedan concept around a Subaru. IAD wanted to demonstrate to Subaru what a luxury Subaru could be, and why IAD was the group for the task (as opposed to Italdesign). The chosen starting point for this project was an XT-6.

The XT-6 may seem like a terrible place to start for a luxury sedan, but IAD managed to utilize their skill and work their magic to create this luxury sedan from a sport coupe.

The process involved significantly stretching the XT-6's platform; 31.5 inches in length and 13.8 inches in width. As a result, the replacing all of the body panels was required. Both the ER27 horizontally opposed 6 cylinder and the Subaru AWD system were kept, as was the air suspension. The transmission chosen was the 3EAT automatic.

The interior was also quite unique, utilizing a rotary keypad layout engineered by Phillips (who also engineered the headlights). The controls were redundant front and back, and included controls for the CD Player and CARIN Navigation System. The rotary keypad could be rotated up to 90 degrees for optimal operation at any given time for any function.

Here, a closer view of the rotary keypad can be seen. You can also see the gear selector, left over from the XT-6. However, it's now leather covered and stitched.

Opinions of the Royale at the time were mixed. Most complaints revolved around the interior dimensions of the car. CAR STYLING magazine (vol.65 1988/07) felt that the interior dimensions were significantly smaller than they should be for a car of that size citing the low roof line as the primary culprit. There were also concerns about the Royale being underpowered with the 148 hp 2.7l flat 6 as the chosen engine. CAR STYLING magazine went as far as suggesting a better engine choice. A 3.5l horizontally opposed 12 cylinder, which was rumored to be under development. This engine would turn out to be the Motori Moderni designed flat 12 for the ill-fated 1990 Coloni Formula One car. This engine has been covered !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! before. This engine, which made over 600 hp, never did make it into the Royale.

!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!

Subaru did not pick up the Royale, or any IAD designs. They instead continued to work with Italdesign, which resulted in the development and production of the replacement to the XT-6, the somewhat successful Alcyone SVX. IAD would go on to work with Mazda to develop the exterior and interior designs for the !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! , as well as build several Miata prototypes. IAD was eventually sold to Daewoo in the early 1990s.

DISCUSSION (54)

Kat Callahan > Boxer_4
09/02/2014 at 09:00

I would rock this in Japan, hardcore. It screams 80s-Thinks-This-Is-What-Cars-In-2020-Look-Like.

twochevrons > Kat Callahan
09/02/2014 at 09:02

80s-Thinks-This-Is-What-Cars-In-2020-Look-Like is the best automotive design philosophy. WE COME FROM THE FUTURE.

Kat Callahan > twochevrons
09/02/2014 at 09:02

FUCK YES IT IS.

Zipppy, Mazdurp builder, Probeski owner and former ricerboy > Kat Callahan
09/02/2014 at 09:09

Exactly what I love about 80's styling. Rock a car like this in 2020, and it should blend right in.

Riiiight?

Aya, Almost Has A Cosmo With Toyota Engine Owned by a BMW. > Kat Callahan
09/02/2014 at 09:48

I think the closest car you can get to that experience is a Eunos Cosmo. Just look at this demo tour:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oS0_w_…

Kat Callahan > Aya, Almost Has A Cosmo With Toyota Engine Owned by a BMW.
09/02/2014 at 09:55

I like almost everything except that weirdass steering wheel. Give me a three spoke, please.

Aya, Almost Has A Cosmo With Toyota Engine Owned by a BMW. > Kat Callahan
09/02/2014 at 10:01

Yeah, me too. You can swap it any time tough.

I really want one of those but seems the one with CCS has gone missing..

twochevrons > Kat Callahan
09/02/2014 at 10:05

Weirdass steering wheels ARE the future. But single-spoke is where it's at:

Kinja'd!!!

Kat Callahan > twochevrons
09/02/2014 at 10:12

ERROR DETECTED, CORRECTED:

Kinja'd!!!

twochevrons > Kat Callahan
09/02/2014 at 10:25

After three years in the US, I still sometimes get into the wrong side of the car :(

Money Hustard > Boxer_4
09/02/2014 at 13:36

This is super-hot! It's a little bit like an Acura Legend Lagonda.

inefficient > Boxer_4
09/02/2014 at 13:39

Kinja'd!!!

Now I know what my dad feels when he sees an XBOX controller. Damn.

Gamblour > Boxer_4
09/02/2014 at 13:40

In America, it would've been the IAD Quarter Pounder.

DarthDuster > Kat Callahan
09/02/2014 at 13:42

Pre-facelift Citroen XM. Now you're just talking dirty to me. :P

StevenG > Kat Callahan
09/02/2014 at 13:44

Your car seems to be redlining the engine and going very fast. Considering no one is driving that can't be good.

Thomasaurus > Kat Callahan
09/02/2014 at 13:46

Too bad they don't/won't. I like their future better.

heeltoehero > Boxer_4
09/02/2014 at 13:48

Did this designer eventually make his way to Detroit to design all of the LH cars?

Kinja'd!!!

heeltoehero > Gamblour
09/02/2014 at 13:50

What do they call a Big Mac?

spanfucker retire bitch > Boxer_4
09/02/2014 at 13:57

Kinja'd!!!

I think it's a got a tumor growing on its ass.

boxrocket > Boxer_4
09/02/2014 at 13:57

Switched at birth with the Mazda 929?

Kinja'd!!!

Rust-y > Boxer_4
09/02/2014 at 13:58

It completely fails the Jalopnik hate-test. Front end looks Accord, back end looks Stratus, has Camry fake back quarter-windows, an Alfa 75 trunk, and a fake air vent.

Those mirrors on a Japanese car of the time should be on the fenders and radio controlled.

For a mid-late 80s design, it actually looks quarter-decent.

Keith O'Toole > Boxer_4
09/02/2014 at 13:59

Such 929. Many Eunos. Wow.

milanst666 > Boxer_4
09/02/2014 at 14:05

Looks like a hardtop Cadilac Allante!?

Kinja'd!!!

Sweet Trav > Kat Callahan
09/02/2014 at 14:08

These are the Japanese cars that everyone misses. The Starion, The XT, Even the Nissan Pulsar or NX of the era.

These cars were about better driving through technology. The 80's were Japan's look at me decade (well that and slap a giant turbo badge on everything). It seems they tried harder to innovate, but in the end just as the domestic car manufacturers have done, we all fall back into a milquetoast beigemobile destroyed by focus groups.

I miss the 80's.

shop-teacher > Boxer_4
09/02/2014 at 14:08

The front looks kind of like a 90's Lincoln to me. Not in a good way either. I actually kind of like the back end, though.

Boxer_4 > heeltoehero
09/02/2014 at 14:09

It would appear that way at first, but I believe that is just a coincidence.

The LH cars have their own unique history. The original design was penned by Kevin Verduyn in 1986, and was to be previewed by the Chrysler Navajo concept. The design was shelved until 1987, when Chrysler purchased Lamborghini. The Navajo was resurrected, and with some minor tweaks, became the Lamborghini Portofino Concept.

Kinja'd!!!

Chrysler sold Lamborghini by 1994, and the Portofino never made it into production. However, the Portofino influenced the design of the LH cars and Chrysler's general design direction for many years afterwards.

Boxer_4 > boxrocket
09/02/2014 at 14:20

IAD did some design work for Mazda, the best know project being the NA Miata prototype V705. It's not uncommon for design studios to give their rejected designs to other manufacturers. It wouldn't surprise me if the 929 borrowed some styling cues from the Royale concept.

Jim is one of KFCs secret ingredients > Boxer_4
09/02/2014 at 14:22

the high end model should be called the Royale with Cheese

Frosted > Boxer_4
09/02/2014 at 14:22

Kinja'd!!!

There's something here I just dont like, the trunk seems really long and out of proportion.

RedWhine > Frosted
09/02/2014 at 14:32

My thoughts exactly. I like the whole car right up to that point. SO close.

Shour, Aloof and Obnoxious > boxrocket
09/02/2014 at 14:37

Exactly what I thought when I saw the first photo. Then reading that IAD did work for Mazda made it all the more obvious.

Earl Snake Hips Tucker > Boxer_4
09/02/2014 at 14:37

Kinja'd!!!

Want to touch the buttons!

Maxaxle > Boxer_4
09/02/2014 at 14:44

Kinja'd!!!

This is so confusing.

RazoE > Boxer_4
09/02/2014 at 15:16

Kinja'd!!!

You guys couldn't put this on the door? Really?

Mau_Ferrusca > Boxer_4
09/02/2014 at 15:33

Kinja'd!!!

There were several of these books in my faculty. They were absolutely awesome. The asymmetrical mockups, the working mules, the various wheel designs. Ah, the memories. Anyone knows what the series was called?

sm70- why not Duesenberg? > Boxer_4
09/02/2014 at 15:41

Kinja'd!!!

I like it. Reminds me of a Mazda 929.

Built BMW Tough > Boxer_4
09/02/2014 at 15:42

Those rocker panels look like someone high-centered the shit out of that car.

kerry83 > Boxer_4
09/02/2014 at 16:32

Start working at home with Google! It's by-far the best job I've had. Last Wednesday I got a brand new BMW since getting a check for $6474 this - 4 weeks past. I began this 8-months ago and immediately was bringing home at least $77 per hour. I work through this link, go to tech tab for work detail

www.jobs7000.com

Boxer_4 > Mau_Ferrusca
09/02/2014 at 16:38

The excerpt in the article was from CAR STYLING magazine. I can't seem to find much information on it.

AMC/Renauledge > Boxer_4
09/02/2014 at 16:47

Kinja'd!!!

An interesting side note: Subaru dumped IAD and went with ItalDesign for the SVX.

Kinja'd!!!

Daewoo bought IAD, but went with ItalDesign for their Leganza sedan, which was a mildly redeveloped Jaguar Kensington concept.

Seems like IAD succeeded in losing 2 clients to Ital. It's that kind of industrial success that marked Britain's auto industry at the time.

Boxer_4 > AMC/Renauledge
09/02/2014 at 17:29

It wasn't all bad for IAD. They did play a decently large role in the development of the original Miata. However, that role was building prototypes, and not really for designing the car.

Satoshi "Zipang" Katsura > Kat Callahan
09/02/2014 at 18:06

You don't want this piece of shit (XT6 running gear GOD NO). Trust me.

ranwhenparked > Boxer_4
09/02/2014 at 18:31

With Subaru going mainstream and gaining sales and share by the day, maybe its time to dust off the idea. I don't mean this exact car, but maybe do something bigger than the Legacy to go after the Maxima/Avalon/Azera/Genesis/Cadenza/K900/Impala/Taurus/Charger market.

Longrush > Boxer_4
09/02/2014 at 20:03

Ah the IAD Royale. Worked on this when I was just starting in the business.Phillips Corp put in half the cost of the prototype I seem to remember. Pictures were taken in front of the Grand Hotel in Brighton ,UK . Made famous by the IRA trying to blow up Maggie Thatcher.

IRS4 > Boxer_4
09/02/2014 at 21:54

The 1988 IAD Royale. They were going to call it the Quarter Pounder with Cheese in America, right?

boxrocket > Maxaxle
09/02/2014 at 22:15

Reminds me of the bubble/turtle Taurus/Sable models.

Kinja'd!!!

Maxaxle > boxrocket
09/02/2014 at 23:06

That's just weird. Supposedly it's somehow better (ergonomically) but I don't see it.

Ben C > Boxer_4
09/03/2014 at 03:10

That is so awesome.

Leon711 > Boxer_4
09/03/2014 at 04:08

I live a few miles from the old IAD facility in Worthing, West Sussex. after the Daewoo take over they gave us such 'wonderful' cars as the Daewoo Matiz. at some point in the early 00's they closed down as did Daewoo in the UK/Europe to be replaced by Chevy. The same Chevy that is closing down European operations this year.