Subaru will use the 2023 Tokyo auto show on later this month to present the Sport Mobility Concept, an electric sports car with styling cues that crib from the SVX of the 1990s.
A teaser photo released by the company on Tuesday shows a sports car with what appears to be a similar side window design to the SVX. Also borrowed from Subaru's sports car of the '90s is a wide C-pillar and slim headlights with a horizontal shape that stretch to the grille. The concept also appears to have square-shaped wheel arches, something that was used by the SVX but only for its rear wheel arches.
All Subaru has said about the concept is that it “evokes the evolution” of the company's sports values.
The SVX was sold from 1991 to 1997. It was Subaru's first major attempt to enter the luxury performance segment, but its styling failed to excite the market and the performance from its 3.3-liter flat-6 was nothing special either. Sales topped a little more than 25,000 units worldwide before the model was pulled.
Subaru SVX
While rumors of a modern SVX have circulated for years, Subaru remains quiet on the matter. However, the automaker has acknowledged that it is looking at electric powertrains for performance applications.
Last year Subaru rolled out the STI E-RA sports car concept as a testbed for high-performance EV technology. The concept featured four electric motors generating a combined 1,072 hp and capable of delivering fast and precise torque vectoring via independent control of each motor.
The Tokyo auto show opens its doors to media on Oct. 25. Subaru will also use the show to present a high-riding version of its Levorg compact wagon sold in Japan. The new version is called the Levorg Layback.
