Mid-Engined Subaru?

A source close to Subaru recently told Car and Driver that they are working on a turbocharged mid-engined car! The source mentions that the boxer engine would be driving the rear wheels while electric motors would be driving the fronts. The net all wheel drive effect would be similar to a lot of hot hybrid supercars out there like the Acura NSX or the BMW i8. Car and Driver has gone as far as creating a concept sketch of what the all-wheel drive mid-mounted boxer engine car would look like

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Another source mentions that Subaru is testing out the new engine configuration in a highly modified BRZ. Car and Driver’s source stated:

Whether the end result will be a two-door sports coupe or some kind of sports crossover/CUV is still in the evaluation stage…A coupe seems more likely, though.

The size of the engine is theorized to be the new 1.6 liter turbo used for the Japanese market. C&D continues:

We’re told the drivetrain actually will incorporate the reverse of Subaru’s Viziv Future Concept, which debuted at last year’s Tokyo auto show. The Viziv was fitted with a gasoline-electric hybrid powertrain with one front-mounted electric motor and two rear-mounted motors. What we’d see on the new mid-engine coupe would be an about-face: A 1.6-liter turbo engine plus motor would sit behind the driver propelling the rear wheels, and two electric motors would drive the front wheels. A torque-vectoring mechanism would manage torque distribution between the two front motors, kind of like the system in the new Acura NSX. It’s still early days, but we could expect total output for the new sports car somewhere north of 330 horsepower, putting it in Porsche Cayman territory.

We are totally excited to see this all new all wheel drive by Subaru as this would be their first attempt at a mid-engined platform. Perhaps an STi version would also be eventually produced, and I wonder how much insanity that would produce.

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Source: Car and Driver