Subaru Impreza Coupe sets sights on BMW

It's the most stylish Subaru ever! And this striking Impreza coupé will go into production in 2010.

Joining the recently launched hatch-back model, it will allow the Japanese company to tackle the BMW 3-Series Coupé and Nissan 350Z head-on, as well as reach out to new customers.

The car has been developed as part of a joint venture with Subaru owner Toyota – the project will also spawn a long-awaited successor to the Nineties Celica. The Impreza coupé takes styling cues from the five-door model, but gets a rakish rear end. That gives it a chunky yet athletic appearance which stands out from the crowd.

Power will come from a choice of two engines, both employing the flat-four boxer layout for which Subaru is famous. There’s a normally aspirated 2.0-litre unit giving around 180bhp, or a high-performance 2.5-litre turbo powerplant borrowed from the range-topping five-door STi. The latter will deliver in the region of 300bhp.

For the entry-level machine, the Impreza’s four-wheel-drive system will be dropped in favour of a more lightweight and less expensive rear-drive set-up. That will put the emphasis on maximum driving thrills. But the more powerful car will send power to four tyres to harness all that punch.

The newcomer will go on sale first in Japan and the US, and could arrive here in the UK in 2011. In entry-level guise, it’s set to cost around £20,000, with the flagship priced at £25,000.

In a related story, Nissan is working on an affordable rear-wheel-drive coupé to sit below the 350Z. The Silvia replacement will go on sale in 2010.