Report about the SUBARU WRX CONCEPT: 2013 New York International Auto Show

Osamu Namba
General Manager of Design Dept, Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd.

Hello everyone, this is Namba from the Subaru Design Department.

Today I would like to talk about the WRX Concept that has been unveiled at the New York Auto Show here, and touch on its key design concepts.

I would like to start from the front of the vehicle. This concept features in detail Subaru's traditional family hexagon grille and the new hawk-eye headlights. Mounting these lower and wider helps to reinforce the power that this vehicle is capable of.

The bonnet intake and the central bumper intake are vital in representing sure-fire turbo performance that is available. The grille and headlights are now more lengthy and protracted, which reinforce the pulled-back design and implied stability.

Let's now move around to the side. The flared front and rear wheel arches that define the WRX are still visible here, complete with a revised, modern design. From the side, the 20-inch wheels take a pivotal role for hinting at how well the vehicle has been designed.

Smooth coupe-styling is bolstered with a carbon-fibre roof. The overall profile hints at the speed and agility of this concept. The side outlet vents that are characteristic of the WRX have been included again, this time with a more modern touch.

And now on to the rear. The pure speed of the concept is characterised by the sharp edge of the boot at the rear, which also gives it a sharper look. The silhouette that begins with the front hexagon grille extends cleanly through to the rear hexagon.

The wide-profile of the tail lights exudes the concept's stability and low-centre of gravity. This is further enhanced by the lower diffuser beneath the rear bumper, with its aerodynamic performance and pure functionality.

The four tail-pipes here suggest the underlying performance of the concept, while the yellow rings here match the wheel callipers and the front WRX grille badge.

The "WR Blue III" body colour that has been used with the concept is extremely vibrant to suit overall feel of the New York Auto Show, and oozes pure performance. This wraps up my outline of the WRX concept.


*From April 2017, the company name has been changed to SUBARU CORPORATION.