Subaru Hybrid. Yay or Nay?

Rumours coming from Down Under implies that Subaru will soon join the ranks of electric car manufacturers, in a bid to increase performance and efficiency when it revamps its WRX STI flagship. The next generation WRX STI will be built on the Subaru Global Platform (SPG), the Japanese automaker’s modular architecture, which is also used on the four- and five-door version of the Impreza, amongst others.

The sports sedan could find itself being powered by a hybrid drivetrain that is composed of a turbocharged 2.0-liter flat-four engine and an electric motor. However, Subaru hasn’t decide on the degree of “hybridity” – power from the electric motor could be used to spin all four wheels or just the rear wheels. Nonetheless, the drivetrain will incorporate a six-speed dual-clutch transmission, and will generate about 321hp, which is about 20hp more than the existing model. Whether a manual transmission will be available is uncertain for now. 

The WRX STI has never been one for the modest motorist, and neither is the new model. It will be distinct from the regular Impreza with its racing styling, including an oversized wing on its boot lid and huge air diffuser.

The next-generation Impreza will debut in North America early next year and should be available in showrooms as a 2017 model in the summer. So, we can expect the WRX STI to make its appearance after that, and then go on sale as a 2018 model.