From IWOC - Subaru unveil at Geneva - Boxer Sports Car Architecture. Front boxer engine, rear wheel drive!

Subaru unveiled the Subaru "Boxer Sports Car Architecture" today at the 81st
Geneva International Motor Show.

Behind the new level of driving excitement that the "Rear-Wheel drive (RWD)
Sports Car", which is currently under joint development with Toyota Motor
Corporation, delivers is Subaru's new platform technology concept: the
"Boxer Sports Car Architecture". Built around Subaru's core technology - the
Horizontally-Opposed Boxer engine, a new platform was developed in order to
extract the maximum performance potential required of the RWD Sports Car.

The RWD Sports Car is a new generation sports car being developed with an
ambition of Subaru and Toyota to provide driving pleasure to a wider range
of customers. Thanks to its "front-engine, rear-wheel drive layout", further
lowered centre of gravity, compact and lightweight body, it delivers a new
level of driving excitement with very unique crisp handling. The car will be
the only front-engine, rear-wheel drive mass-produced sports car powered by
a horizontally-opposed engine in the world, by making full use of an
engineering masterpiece fusing Subaru's sports car expertise with Boxer
engine performance and Toyota's experiences with rear-wheel drive sports
cars. The Subaru Rear-Wheel Drive Sports Car, as Subaru's first
mass-produced front-engine, rear-wheel drive model, is expected to be
produced first in spring 2012.

Features of "Boxer Sports Car Architecture"

- Subaru Boxer engine -

At the heart of this Technology Exhibit is Subaru Boxer engine. It is its
lightweight, compact and low centre of gravity that lends itself to the
level of driving excitement that Subaru is aiming for, and is without a
doubt the most suitable engine for the RWD Sports Car. The Subaru Boxer
engine can be constructed of aluminium owing to its compact and rigid engine
design, making for a much lighter power unit. Its low centre of gravity
provides a high level of driving stability and remarkable handling. Since
the piston's opposing movements inherently counteract each other, no balance
shaft is needed. This cancels out excess vibrations and gives the engine a
sprightly, sporty feel at virtually any engine speed.

In the BOXER Sports Car Architecture, Subaru's Boxer engine, which
originally features a low centre of gravity, is even lowered and set back
further towards the centre of the chassis. This feature also offers a
low-profile sports car silhouette with its lowered engine hood design,
resulting in a lowered driving position. All these elements deliver
excellent drivability, stability as well as pure handling delight.

Optimised Chassis Layout for the RWD Sports Car

Another important factor that enables the RWD Sports Car to deliver driving
performance befitting of a Subaru is its chassis. Rather than simply
developing a frame and body that focuses purely on speed, development has
been conducted to produce a chassis that delivers Subaru's authentic driving
characteristics: a sporty driving experience, an overall enjoyable ride, and
stable drivability with driver confidence. The Boxer Sports Car Architecture
does not depend solely on engine power output - instead it maximises the
potential of this newly developed chassis to achieve the fundamental
characteristics of a rear-wheel drive sports car by delivering sporty
performance as driver and vehicle work in unison, as well as providing agile
response afforded by its short wheel base.

When compared to other Subaru AWD models, the engine now sits even lower and
further back in the engine bay. A lower centre of gravity, now located
further toward the middle of the chassis itself, delivers a remarkable,
natural feel when cornering. A short front overhang, matched with a shorter
rear overhang reduces any yaw moment of inertia generated, and provides a
higher level of stability and control, and handling performance of a pure
sports car.

The RWD Sports Car's platform technology adds a completely new package to
complement Subaru's existing AWD platform. This package will open Subaru's
renowned on-road performance to a broader range of customers. At the heart
of this drivability lies Subaru's engineering philosophy that constantly
provides enjoyment and peace of mind.

The "Boxer Sports Car Architecture" is a technical masterpiece that has been
designed so that drivers can fully enjoy Subaru's new approach to driving
pleasure, with the full knowledge that they are constantly supported with
the sense of confidence that only a Subaru can provide.

Major Specifications of "BOXER Sports Car Architecture

Body size (Overall: Length x Width x Height): 4,200 x 1,770 x 1,270 mm

Wheelbase: 2,570 mm

Engine: 2.0-liter naturally-aspirated four cylinder Horizontally-Opposed
Boxer engine

Tire size: 215/45R17

-ends-

Cool, 2nd car?? hehe

Looks space frame there....