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Subaru Hybrid Concept for Tokyo

October 1st, 2009
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Subaru will unveil a hybrid tourer concept car at next month’s Tokyo Motor Show.

Combining environmentally friendly technology and safety, the hybrid tourer maintains Subaru’s Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive and horizontally opposed boxer engine credentials in a sporty gull wing-door design.

Subaru will also exhibit its latest safety technologies including “EyeSight”, an advanced driving assist system with pre-collision control using stereo camera technology.

The hybrid concept is a grand touring car that features a luxurious cabin and an eye-catching sculpted aerodynamic body.

Among the concept features:

The next generation power unit incorporates a 2.0 litre horizontally opposed direct injection turbocharged petrol engine with Lineartronic Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) and a hybrid system.

The direct injection system enhances fuel efficiency, reduces emissions and improves torque and overall engine response.

The Lineartronic CVT draws on technology recently introduced in new generation Liberty and Outback, offering stepless gearing and contributes to optimum fuel efficiency.

The two motor hybrid system features a power/drive motor in the front and a drive motor in the rear.

At start-up and extremely low speeds, such as entering a garage, when fuel efficiency is low, the rear motor is used primarily to allow driving without petrol engine power.

During normal driving, the petrol engine is primarily used, with the direct fuel-injection turbo offering a new level of responsiveness linked to symmetrical AWD.

During acceleration, the rear motor assists the petrol engine to achieve optimum performance.

When accelerating uphill, the front motor, which is normally used as a power generator, also assists in driving the front axle, for improved performance.

A non-idling function stops the engine when the car comes to a halt, reducing fuel consumption.

The use of a high-performance lithium-ion battery is based on experience and knowledge achieved with the Subaru Plug-in STELLA electric vehicle, recently launched in Japan and previewed in Australia earlier this year.

This includes the use of a precise energy management system and regenerative brake controls, for improved fuel efficiency.

Major specifications

Length x Width x Height:  4630 x 1890 x 1420 mm
Engine type: 2.0-litre horizontally opposed direct fuel-injection turbo petrol engine
Max output of hybrid motor: 10 kW (front) / 20 kW (rear)
Transmission type: Lineartronic CVT
Drive train: Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive with two motor assist
Battery type: Lithium-ion battery

Subaru will also preview its new EyeSight + (plus) safety system at Tokyo Motor Show.

EyeSight is integrated with vehicle-to-vehicle and road-to-vehicle communication technology. It includes an “assist collision prevention” support system that uses stereo camera technology to recognise a wide range of driving environments.

This next-generation driver assistance system provides improved safety and peace-of-mind and represents a major evolution in collision detection performance.

The advanced recognition performance of EyeSight, using a stereo camera and a specialised 3D image-processing engine, excels at pre-collision safety, recognising both pedestrians and cyclists.

Wide-ranging driving conditions that cannot be covered by a stereo camera alone are acquired through vehicle-to-vehicle and road-to-vehicle communication technology, which is then synchronized with EyeSight, offering another level of preventative safety.

This system continuously detects vehicles that move into and out of blind spots and advises the driver on appropriate driving manoeuvres.

A press conference by the President of Fuji Heavy Industries, Mr Ikuo Mori, is scheduled for 12.10pm Tokyo time on Wednesday, October 21, at Subaru’s Tokyo Motor Show stand.


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