Subaru WRX Concept First Look

Subaru WRX Concept First Look SHOW FLOOR UPDATE: Wow, this is one good-looking WRX! Subaru dropped the curtains surrounding the WRX Concept and the car was immediately swarmed by journalists from the world over. The WRX looks even better in person than in pictures -- it's plain weird for an actual honest-to-goodness good-looking WRX to exist. Normally with the WRX, you have to make excuses for its sometimes questionable lines. Not so with this WRX Concept. It's got a broad and powerful nose, attractive "hawk eye" headlights, and a new evolution of the signature WR Blue that just pops. Unlike most Subaru concepts, this one actually looks like it was designed with the complexities of production in mind. That said, I could see things like its mirrors, and door handles changed. I tried to sneak a peek into the WRX's interior but unfortunately this car doesn't have one. - Christian Seabaugh   The next Subaru WRX will hold true to a few constants: It'll be rally-ready and turbocharged, have all-wheel drive, and look absolutely nothing like the

Subaru WRX Concept First Look

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 Subaru WRX Concept First Look

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Subaru WRX Concept First Look

last model. The Subaru WRX Concept that just made its debut at the 2013 New York auto show is no different. Though officially just a design study and lacking an interior, the Subaru WRX Concept looks about ready to hit the streets. No longer a part of the Impreza line, the WRX goes its own way with edgier styling influenced by the Nissan GT-R. Lower, longer, sleeker, and wider, the WRX Concept sports a hexagonal Jaguar-like recessed grille, and functional air intakes in the valence. Subaru's now-signature hawkeye headlights make an appearance here, as does the WRX's iconic hood scoop. The wild wide wheel arches that flare into the rear diffuser and the quad-tipped exhaust we know and love return, but otherwise Subaru's concept car goes its own way.   The four-door WRX Concept has a new coupe-like profile and a trapezoidal rear end that mimics the shapes up front. The arched roof is made from carbon fiber in an effort to keep the center of gravity low. Wearing a new color called WR Blue Pearl III, the WRX is accented with fluorescent yellow brake calipers and WRX badging. Not surprisingly, the WRX Concept is riding on BBS wheels. If we had to guess, we'd say the WRX Concept was more production-ready than not, though we wouldn't be surprised to see the rear end significantly reworked with a less-aggressive diffuser and tamer taillights.

Subaru's playing coy on the WRX Concept's technical specs other than mentioning that it's turbocharged and all-wheel drive (shocking, right?). The automaker has said in the past that it'd be powered by a turbocharged version of the BRZ's 2.0-liter F-4. That engine makes up to 280 hp in some Japanese-market vehicles. We're confident that the WRX Concept will make more power than the current WRX's 265 hp and 244 lb-ft of torque, and we could even see it being as powerful as the outgoing 305-hp WRX STI. The engine isn't the only thing the WRX Concept borrows from the BRZ; also apparently borrowed from Subaru's lightweight two-door sports car is a renewed focus on handling. Subaru promises sharp steering, sharp handling, and better body and chassis control than the outgoing Impreza WRX.

Speaking of the outgoing model, the WRX Concept is both smaller and larger than the current WRX. The WRX Concept is 2.3 inches shorter, 3.7 inches wider, and 3.4 inches lower. The WRX's wheelbase has grown from 103.3 inches to 108.7 inches, likely making for a less frantic and more stable ride. Though Subaru's new WRX Concept checks off many of the WRX constants, such as turbocharged-power and all-wheel drive, one staple that likely won't return is a hatchback and variants. Expect to see the next-gen WRX sedan hit the streets as early as next year. Scott Evans contributed to this story.