Ever since Toyota and Subaru announced they would be building a rear-drive sports coupe together, one question has torn the Subaru faithful apart, casting their forums and message boards into an dark age of strife and conflict. That question: will the Subaru version retain the brand’s signature all-wheel-drive? Since the car’s running gear is Subaru Legacy based (or, it was to start with), it should have been obvious from the get-go that the Subaru version would rotate all four wheels. But, as these images from the Autoguide‘s coverage of the Geneva Auto Show reveal, Subaru seems to have deliberately played up the confusion. While calling its display a “concept model of Subaru’s rear-wheel-drive sports car now under development,” the display even says “its new platform incorporates Subaru’s signature Symmetrical AWD.” Confused yet?
Maybe they mean that the system will be tuned to send more torque to the rear wheels for more sportiness?
This is probably close to the truth–current Subarus (at least mine) split power something like 90/10 front/rear in normal cruising, and the closest they come to an even split between front and rear wheels is about 55/45 (based on my memory of something I read somewhere, maybe in the Subaru owner quarterly swag corporate magazine, so don’t quote me on that). So perhaps this version of AWD will reverse the usual setup and send much more power to the rear.
the 90/10 split has been the standard for automatic Subarus for years; manuals are 50/50, though I don’t know if that’s changed since 2006. And of course that’s omitting the STI.
My 2007 Outback is 50/50 split. New MT models are the same as well.
Subaru varies torque split by transmission type:
* MT torque split is a nominal 50/50 which can go 100/0 to 0/100.
* AT torque split for USDM is a nominal 90/10 which can go to 50/50.
And then there’s the DCCD in the STi…
I believe the JDM AT can start 10/90 and go to 50/50 (reverse starting split vs USDM).
See, I said not to quote me on my Subaru specs, and for good reason. :D
Subaru has spent tens of millions of dollars in marketing to get two messages into consumer brains:
1) Subaru = AWD
2) AWD = safe
If they try to market a product completely off message to their two core pillars they have a very difficult road ahead of them. The Toyaru FT-86 being AWD for Subbie makes sense given the investment they’ve made in their brand.
in addition…
3) AWD = go where the road ends
4) AWD = more fun in any condition
At least that’s how it’s been marketed for the past decade.
Confused yet?
Not really, that plaque seems pretty clear…
I’ve been through all the pictures and do not see the front half-shafts that would be expected from a SAWD car.
That said, the styling model has the engine far enough forward of the axle line that AWD would be easily possible.
RWD/AWD is fundamentally different from FWD/AWD. I’m not at all confused. The difference between a Ford Fusion and Cadillac CTS… or a BMW and an Audi. Different architecture.
This car will not do that awful torquesteer stuff that the WRX does. There was probably a clearer way to say it, but it’s not at all confusing.
Look at the picture, do you see front driveshafts? I do not.
It’s rear wheel drive AND front wheel drive.
The way I understand that plaque is that the RWD sports coupe is RWD, but the platform is also going to support AWD, which means that this RWD coupe is not going to be the only model based on this newly-developed chassis platform.
I recently read that Toyota will also be basing the next Lexus IS on a stretched version of this platform.
Also, @ cfclark, the old Subaru 4-speed automatics were 90/10 – my 1998 Legacy had 90/10 split – but that 90/10 split was only the default, when all wheels are rotating at the same speed. When the front wheels slip, I believe it could transfer as much as 100% to the rear through the multi-plate clutch in the center diff. There was also a fuse that could be removed to prevent the engagement of that center-diff clutch, making it basically FWD (temporarily).
My ’05 Legacy 5-speed manual is a 50/50 split, and my ’07 Tribeca 5-speed auto is 45/55 f/r split. I believe the newer 4-speed autos (in the Impreza, Legacy 2.5i, Forester) are something like 57/43 f/r.
I count the ancient 4EAT with the center clutch as a nominal 50/50 in lockup mode.
I don’t see the problem or the confusion. Subaru is trying to build the best light sports car they can and if that means RWD then so be it. If the AWD technology is not suited for this application then the best thing to do is leave it out. Subaru still make FWD cars in markets other than the US so its not like a Subaru non-AWD vehicle is unheard of.
I think the possible confusion lies in trying to interpret Subaru’s claim that this is a “rear-wheel drive sports car” that also “incorporates Subaru’s signature Symmetrical AWD system.” Some of the suggestions above seem plausible, but Subaru hasn’t made it particularly clear what they mean by this.
I find it confusing as well, so I get it. What I dont get is why so many people care so much?? Subaru has sold FWD cars in the US before, and as @carguy pointed out, they still do in other markets. Honestly I never understood why they didnt offer both FWD and AWD in America as well… its basically just a marketing ploy. Not everyone needs or wants AWD. Thier cars get consisently worse gas mileage because of it. If they offered a choice, and a lower price point, they might get more buyers.
I would like them to offer AWD on this car, yes. But if they dont, at least its still RWD. I would much rather they keep it in the target low price range regardless of the drive wheels.
I am less concerned about which wheels are driven, and more about the clear body panels. I don’t want everyone I pass to know what color pants I have on, or who is in the car with me, or what’s in the trunk. It feels like a real invasion of privacy to me.
If it’s RWD I’ll seriously consider buying one.
AWD, no thanks.
AWD on cars/trucks that see nothing but dry roads 90% of the year = DUM.
I thought it was made pretty clear early on that the Toyota (or scion, whatever) version would be RWD, while the Subaru version would be AWD. so each brand would market a version that was in keeping with their brand identity. The Toyota version could be slightly cheaper without the additional AWD componentry. or maybe not. maybe the Subaru version will be available in non-turbo and turbo versions. maybe not. and all that aside, whoever approved the copy for the display maybe can’t read good.