The Next Subaru WRX May Not Have A Boxer Engine
As time goes on, we’re getting a better idea of how the next Subaru WRX will shape up. We know it’ll take styling inspiration from the muscular Viziv concept (above), and it’s looking likely that hybrid power will be involved. Most importantly, the quirky turbo boxer-four configuration may be for the chop.
Recently, Subaru Europe’s sales and marketing manager, David Dello Stritto, said that the turbocharged boxer four-pot “can simply not exist in the future,”, and now we’ve a further sign the Japanese company is looking to drop one of the WRX’s defining features.
Speaking to Autocar, Subaru’s design boss Mamoru Ishii suggested that to satisfy customer expectations, the next WRX has to come with symmetrical all-wheel drive. But a flat-four? It seems that’s considered optional.
“Four-wheel drive is critical to the power and performance levels our customers expect, but on the engine we have more freedom,” he said. So while the death of the boxer in the WRX isn’t definite yet, it seems Subaru is keen to investigate other engine arrangements.
While the left-field flat-four is one of our favourite things the car, we do get why it might have to go in the current climate. A particularly shocking thirst for unleaded and high emissions has made the current car look unattractive compared to conventional rivals like the VW Golf R, leading to low sales in the UK. As a consequence, Subaru UK announced it was to stop selling the current car here altogether.
Whatever Subaru decides, make no mistake - for better or worse, the next WRX is going to be the most radically changed version of the car we’ve ever seen.
Growing up on a diet of World Rally Championship highlights and lengthy Gran Turismo 2 sessions, a life in cars was as good as inevitable for Matt.
Comments
WHAT!?!?
This is exactly what I have been talking about in the last article about that car. There are good reasons as to why the current WRX sells terribly. It drinks too much, it’s too slow, it’s too impractical, the interior materials are too cheap, the list goes on. Most of its flaws (and arguably the most imporant ones) can be traced back to the stone age engine that’s under the bonnet. Sure, you can blame the environmentalists or the non-car guys or whatnot for it, OR you could just accept the reality.
Subaru can either continue with the boxer engine or they can build a car that actually can match the competiton and, more importantly, its heritage. I’d hate to see the Subaru WRX sink into obscurity. Like I said, Subaru cannot milk the “Look we won the WRC a hundred years ago” cow forever.
Precisely. Most of their boxer-fours have been around for 20 years with insignificant changes. They need a completely redesigned unit with direct injection to even HOPE that it can compete with rivals. The Golf R may be “boring”, but it’s slaughtering the new WRX in every way. WRX’s used to be super practical because they were small wagons. Then it turned into a hatchback, and now into a sedan. A wagon, even if it has the same cargo volume as a sedan, will always be more practical.
And what about price? If you want an STI, it’ll cost you 40 grand, for what is essentially an econobox with an ancient engine and a good AWD system. Sure, it’s fairly quick, but we’re talking about Audi S3 money here. Tell me, which would you rather have. A cheap sedan with a powerful, yet thirsty engine, or a fairly luxurious hatchback that’s faster, more efficient and most definitely a better car in every discernible way?
I know this is old news and all but i kinda still want to express my pain. I view this as ls swapping a RX-7..yes, it makes it more practical and reliable and economic, on and on and on. but as with this here is where the crowd splits, there’s the bunch with torches and forks, and there is the bunch who think its fine. I think it kinda kills the whole point, i come from bikes, 2 stroke and 4 stroke, everyone knows the logical thing is to buy a 4 stroke but something about that sound, smoke and powerband makes people love 2 smokes, it’s the same with this, its the sound the characteristics…may i say the soul. Soo all in all, it is the logical decision an kinda the right thing to do but….is it really still a subaru ?
Enter your comment…
Why not a flat four hybrid? Why can’t it be hybrid and boxer?
Come on Subaru, just upgrade the current engines. Surely modifying the current boxer engines to make more power and get better fuel efficiency would be cheaper than developing an all-new inline 4?
Who gives a damn about emissions anyway?! WRX is purposely built to be a sports car then ofc it will have sorta bad economy. According to that, I can complain about Ferraris or Lambos for not being “eco friendly”. Ffs.
“We’re all gonna die..”
noooooooooo y tho
I guess I’ll have to take care of my proper* Subaru so it’ll last at least as long as I do.
*proper - frame-less windows, boxer engine, symmetrical AWD