Subaru Legacy

Is this the model which will finally take the Subaru Legacy into the mainstream?

Marking the 20th anniversary of the launch of the first version, the Detroit show car points the way towards the next-generation Legacy. There’s a hint of Lexus about the exterior design, with pronounced wheelarches housing 19-inch five-spoke alloys.

The roofline, meanwhile, dips dramatically towards the rear. The front grille apes the current Audi range, while the rear is dominated by a large horizontal light strip and sharp corners.

Under the skin is Subaru’s traditional boxer-layout engine mated to a symmetrical all-wheel-drive transmission. It’s a 3.6-litre six-cylinder unit, but power output is not confirmed.

Inside, the centre console features touchscreen technology. The display for the rear parking camera is close to the top of the windscreen, and there are entertainment monitors for passengers in the rear. The production version will go on sale here by the end of 2009.