The car, which will be displayed at the 2009 Tokyo Motor Show, features Subaru's most recent developments in handling agility, ride comfort and safety. It is the vision of a future grand touring car that excels in environmental friendliness becuase of a unique hybrid system.

The key concept behind the ideal grand touring car is cabin design. It provides a feeling of openness and what Subaru calls "stress-free reassurance". The company says it does this through the a human-centered design philosophy and the incorporation of functions that are friendly to passengers.

The dashboard can be adjusted to provide an optimal environment for the driver. A flat floor in the back row was achieved even with the inclusion of Subaru's reknowned all-wheel drive (AWD), for a more comfortable cabin.

Subaru's horizontally-opposed, turbo petrol engine, with a reputation for powerful acceleration, is combined with a direct fuel-injection system to improveme fuel efficiency and reduce emissions. It also increases torque and range of response.

The symmetrical AWD system has a unique hybrid two-motor system that features a combination power/drive motor in the front and a drive motor in the rear.

At start-up and extremely low speeds the rear motor is used primarily to allow driving without utilizing the power of the engine. During normal driving, the front engine is primarily used.

During acceleration, the rear motor assists the driving power of the engine to boost driving performance. When accelerating uphill, the front motor, which is normally used as a power generator, drives the front axle.

The car also has a stop-and-go function that turns off the engine when the car comes to a complete halt and so reduces unnecessary fuel consumption.

The use of a high-performance lithium battery is based on experience and know-how achieved with the Subaru Plug-in STELLA electric vehicle, launched this year. This includes the use of a precise energy management system and regenerative brake controls, for improvements in fuel efficiency.

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