AIMS: Subaru set to show special sportscar

SUBARU Australia is keeping its cards close to its chest on the star attraction at its Sydney motor show presentation this week, but has confirmed to GoAuto that it will be of particular interest to sportscar fans.

That is not likely to be the hotly anticipated convertible version of the Japanese brand’s all-new BRZ sportscar, nor a higher-performance turbocharged variant that is also understood to be in the works.

But with interest in the hot-ticket BRZ still strong and the waiting list now extending well into 2013, Subaru could be on the verge of showing its first special edition of the rear-wheel-drive boxer-engined two-door.

Of course, special editions of the WRX and STI are also in the mix, following the limited-edition (300 units) WRX Club Spec sedan released in August and featuring tangerine or black body colour, black-coated 17-inch alloy wheels and door mirrors, a black STI rear wing, leather upholstery and special numbered badges.

The new-generation WRX and STI are not far away, with the rally-bred high-performance turbo twins – now without the Impreza prefix but still based on the small-car series that entered its fourth generation earlier this year – due for release in the first half of 2013.

From top: 2013 Subaru Liberty BRZ WRX Club Spec.

And the full MY13 Liberty range is also on our doorstep, to be released in the coming weeks to sit alongside the new high-riding ‘Liberty X’ line introduced last month after making its world debut at the Beijing motor show in April.

As such, this will be the MY13 Liberty’s Australian motor show debut, along with the production version of its Impreza-based XV, which was shown in concept form at the Melbourne leg of the Australian International Motor Show last year but has been on sale since January and sparked plenty of interest among Australian consumers.

The XV and Impreza also both won a ‘Good Design Award 2012’ earlier this month from the influential Japan Industrial Design Promotion.

The Liberty X is available with either a 123kW 2.5-litre four-cylinder (2.5X) or 195kW 3.6-litre six-cylinder engine (3.6X) and sits 50mm higher off the ground than regular Liberty models to offer improved ground clearance of 200mm (13mm shy of the Outback), making it particularly suitable for driving in rural and regional areas.

Subaru is also preparing to take the small but significant step in offering its first automatic transmission diesel model variant in the form of the Outback 2.0 diesel that drives all four wheels through the company’s Lineartronic continuously variable transmission.

This important new variant is due to hit the Australian market in the first quarter of next year, around the same time as the fully redesigned Forester compact SUV – which will also pick up the auto/diesel combo in its new generation.

We can rule out Sydney hosting the global premiere of the forthcoming fourth-generation Forester, which will continue to include a high-performance turbocharged variant at the top of the tree and was leaked in brochure shots last month ahead of its official unveiling.

But stay tuned for more news as it comes to hand later this week.