Spy Shots: Toyota/Subaru coupe caught in the wild
by Damon Lavrinc on Jun 4th 2008 at 9:50PM 
AutoExpress may have provided us with a rendering of what the new RWD Subaru coupe might look like, but Winding Road's hired spies have provided the real deal. Shot outside a test center in the UK (amidst white-out conditions), the camo-clad mule is sporting some body panels pilfered from the current Legacy, but with a Toyota emblem in front, a pair of Recaro buckets inside and a shrunken trunk, there's little doubt that this prototype is more than just your standard sedan.There's still no confirmation about what kind of output the 2.0-liter flat-four will be producing, as estimates have ranged from 180- to 220-hp, but grunt is expected to be shoveled to the rear wheels through a six-speed manual gearbox and pricing should start a few pennies shy of $20,000.
[Source: Winding Road]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
Torrent 9:55PM (6/04/2008)
How can I say this nicely....
OMG THAT SHAPE LOOKS LIKE A REGURGITATED EGGPLANT.
*Panting*
Now that that's off my chest, I just saved myself a day of yelling for no reason.
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Tim 10:00PM (6/04/2008)
I got all excited about this wonderful new car... then saw these pics and quickly lost interest...
RG 10:04PM (6/04/2008)
You're joking right? You are ready to abandon the possibility of a cheap, lightweight, RWD Subaru coupe because of the aesthetics a pre-production mule made out of cobbled together parts?
Wow.
ASEVENSEE4 10:03PM (6/04/2008)
I forgot to add, this is just a mule too.
Torrent 10:17PM (6/04/2008)
Well... I never said I was going to abandon it. I know it's a mule. I just said I hate the shape and the overall design scheme, so I would never ever consider it....Ever.....Like ever.... Like not at all.... Actually yeah abandon seems like the right word.
I'll pick right up on it when I see the production version.
*Snaps fingers and points then walks out the room.....*
Jason 10:46PM (6/04/2008)
I wouldn't mind if they styled it like the Legacy. That is the only Subaru that has any kind of styling right now.
And those that are freaking out over a test mule, need to be patient and wait for the real thing. You can NOT judge this car by how it looks now. Besides, this may just be a drivetrain mule, under a body that doesn't mean squat.
ASEVENSEE4 10:02PM (6/04/2008)
Well, everyone shouldn't get happy about unofficial photoshops and expect it to be the real thing.
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vwboyaf1 10:03PM (6/04/2008)
Like I said in the other thread, this car is going to much more clean than that rendering. It reminds me a lot of the mid 90's levins and truenos that had the blacktop 4age's. This is exactly what I expected from Toyota and Subaru, and I'm sorta glad they didn't make it an obvious boy racer car.
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Maestro1 11:08PM (6/04/2008)
Agreed.
That rendering looks very nice but it is quite aggressive and I don't think it would cater to a really wide audience. This also reminds me of the AE86 series and looks like its coming along pretty well.
Hike15 10:03PM (6/04/2008)
we can however still have some hope because this is only an early test mule with Subaru Legacy body panels so it won't look much like this
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mk 10:09PM (6/04/2008)
Are you guys on CRACK???
This is a drivetrain mule built out of a hacked-down 2008+ Legacy GT Tuned By STI. (the wheels are BBS, which are OE on that Legacy model, probably to fit over brakes of the same spec.)
This has ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to do with the style of the final car.
Not only that, but it doesn't exactly give away all that many technical details, either.
IF it uses the standard Subaru front chassis (shared between all models), then it should be no problem using a subaru transaxle and front suspension bits, and have AWD.
Upper level Subies, if not ALL subies will have AWD, anyway.
Now I'll have reason to re-badge the final product as a Legacy Coupe. :lol:
But it is sad to see even a chopped up Legacy wearing a Toyota badge.
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mk 10:11PM (6/04/2008)
correction, after looking CLOSER at the pictures, I see no toyota badge. The subaru grille is covered but looks like it still has an oval...
Ken 1:03AM (6/05/2008)
Thank you!
Craig 1:15AM (6/05/2008)
Looks like a mule for the next model Legacy/Liberty to me. It is due out towards the end of next year.
The wheels seem to fit too nicely in the flared guards...
GeoTracker 3:12AM (6/05/2008)
I don't think those wheels aren't covering Brembos, the calipers aren't big enough and the rotors don't have the scalloping that STi specs for the Impreza and Legacy. But I could be wrong.
BTW why is the background hacked out on these pics?
Phred 3:50AM (6/05/2008)
Check the top, driver's side of the windshield in picture 1 for the Toyota logo.
tweezy 8:27AM (6/05/2008)
@Phred: That's passenger side...JDM, yo!
mk 9:50AM (6/05/2008)
@Craig,
I can see why you think it is a Legacy mule, but the length of the car has been shortened. The next Legacy will probably be a sedan based on Exiga, and the Outback a 5-passenger, tall-ride-height variant of Exiga, as well.
With the shortened wheelbase, and shortened trunk and rear overhang, confidence is hight that this is a powertrain mule for the upcoming coupe.
It is possible it also has the newer 5-link suspension, but Legacy/Outback is the only Subaru right now that doesn't have that general rear suspension design. Tribeca, Impreza, and now Forester have all been refreshed, and have gotten variants of that new rear suspension since the 04/05 Legacy debuted.
Chances are this is chopped up for drivetrain testing. Suspension and chassis mules will probably be shortened Impreza mules, before we see pre-production testers with actual bodywork for the new coupe. (if we see them at all)
Richard 10:38PM (6/04/2008)
Probably a test mule for the new Legacy and nothing at all to do with the upcoming replacement for my late and lamented SVXs.
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turbo-quattro 10:43PM (6/04/2008)
ok, that toyota "badge" doesnt make any sense on its placement. it appears to be *in* the rear window. anyone care to explain that?
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