AIMS: Subaru set to Impreza Melbourne

SUBARU will present at least three Australian debuts in Melbourne on July 1, when it whips the covers off its redesigned Impreza small car, the all-new XV crossover concept and its ultimate Liberty – the B4 GT300 racer.

While the appearance of a right-hand drive version of Subaru’s fourth-generation Impreza – which made its worldwide premiere at the New York show in April – will technically constitute a world debut, Subaru will also showcase its third-generation EyeSight safety system.

Subaru says Australia will be the first market outside Japan to have access to the clever safety technology, which will be appear in an Outback at Melbourne.

Similar to Volvo's City Safety system, EyeSight incorporates minute stereo cameras in a single compact unit near the rear-view mirror to recognise and alert drivers to a variety of potential road hazards.

Subaru says EyeSight highlights its long-term safety commitment, which includes an independent five-star ANCAP crash ratings across its entire range.

“We’ll have an Eyesight-equipped Outback on display at the show and a video that shows its amazing capabilities," said Subaru Australia managing director Nick Senior.

“We believe Subaru is the first Japanese brand to offer such a comprehensive camera system and there are some aspects of the technology that have previously only been available in premium cars that are around four times more expensive.”

Subaru Australia will not exhibit the transparent-bodied teaser concept that previews the ‘Subarota’ rear-drive boxer coupe it co-developed with Toyota, and which will enter production in the second quarter of 2012.

Instead, the Mk4 Impreza-based XV soft-roader will make its local debut direct from its first global appearance at the Shanghai show in April.

Left: Subaru Liberty B4 GT300. Below: Subaru EyeSight technology.

Though it is still officially a concept, the lime-green XV– which will replace the existing Impreza XV – is due to enter Japanese production by the end of this year and should make it into local Subaru showrooms in the first half of 2012.

Subaru’s next-generation Impreza sedan and hatch range may also not arrive here until early next year, due to potential production delays resulting from Japan’s catastrophic March 11 earthquake and tsunami.

Continuing the high-tech show theme, Subaru will also display the next-generation horizontally opposed boxer engine that debuted here in the Forester this year, matched with the continuously variable transmission (CVT) first seen here in the latest Liberty and Outback in 2009.

Adding some motorsport spice to Subaru’s 2011 Australian International Motor Show exhibit will be a a wild Liberty B4 racer developed by R&D Sport in Atsugi city for Japan’s GT300 series, which will join a WRX STI racing simulator in ‘performance corner’ of Subaru’s stand.