Subaru Cross Sport Design Concept is a BRZ Station Wagon

Craig Cole
by Craig Cole
The Subaru BRZ and Scion FR-S are two of the most impressive vehicles introduced in the last five years. They offer enthusiasts affordable performance courtesy of a rear-wheel-drive chassis that’s second to none. But could Subaru be working on a more utility-focused version of the BRZ? The company’s Cross Sport Design Concept seems to indicate they’re up to something.

This vehicle marries the enthusiasm of a small coupe with the utility of a crossover, or so says the press release. That may sound like a challenging combination but this car seems to pull it off. You can think of it as a two-door wagon or maybe an elongated hatchback; hell, you might even classify it as a shooting brake.

But whatever you feel like calling this car it really doesn’t matter because it’s more awesome than Colonel Sanders getting elected president in 2016. This thing’s finger-lickin’ good!

The Cross Sport Design Concept’s overall length is fairly compact at 4.3 meters, which a little more than 14 feet. That’s about 3.5 inches longer than the BRZ on which this vehicle is supposedly based, and we really hope it is, because that’s what makes it so awesome.

Of course given its BRZ bones we expect this vehicle to feature the same engine, a 2.0-liter horizontally opposed four-banger delivering an even 200 horsepower. Rear-wheel is of course included at no extra charge as is a standard continuously variable transmission.

This concept indicates what Subaru perceives will be the next trend in urban SUVs. Rear-wheel-drive sportscar derived utilities? That’s sounds crazy… but in the best way possible.

GALLERY: Subaru Cross Sport Design Concept Live Shots

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Craig Cole
Craig Cole

Born and raised in metro Detroit, Craig was steeped in mechanics from childhood. He feels as much at home with a wrench or welding gun in his hand as he does behind the wheel or in front of a camera. Putting his Bachelor's Degree in Journalism to good use, he's always pumping out videos, reviews, and features for AutoGuide.com. When the workday is over, he can be found out driving his fully restored 1936 Ford V8 sedan. Craig has covered the automotive industry full time for more than 10 years and is a member of the Automotive Press Association (APA) and Midwest Automotive Media Association (MAMA).

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  • ROBBIE ROBBIE on Dec 18, 2013

    If it was AWD and TURBO, I'd be the fist in line to buy one ! Since it's not, I'll stay with my Outback Sedan.

  • Weird Calculator Weird Calculator on Feb 09, 2014

    This would serve an underserved market, especially if it's available as one would expect with a 6-speed manual. The only companies really offering RWD wagons these days are the Germans, and they're out of my price range. As always, I wish Subaru would offer a manual/H6 combo, but they have a long tradition of avoiding that when it makes the most sense.

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