Subaru Cross Sport Design Concept is a BRZ with a backpack

Wed, 20 Nov 2013

Sports cars are a notoriously tough sell over the long-term. Like convertibles, sales of even the best sports cars tend to be front-loaded in the first couple of years, at which point they drop off like a stone. That may serve to explain this mysterious two-door wagonback concept from Subaru, dubbed Cross Sport Design Concept.

While details aren't exactly thick on the ground, at first blush, this appears to be a higher-riding BRZ with a more utilitarian backpack. Reports suggest the rear-wheel-drive sports coupe's chassis is riding underneath, despite the fact that the Cross Sport is 2.6 inches longer overall. Assuming the chassis itself is basically unmodified and the 2.0-liter, flat, four-cylinder engine is untouched, this could be a very effective way for Subaru to increase its return on investment in the BRZ's underpinnings while generating a very cool (if niche) shooting brake model.

With the exception of a few bits of concept car frosting (wood-lined cargo bay floor, overly-detailed steroscopic camera mounts, slivered side mirrors, etc.), this thing looks production ready, and that's just ducky with us.

SUBARU CROSS SPORT DESIGN CONCEPT is a combination of 'sport' and 'utility' – both aspects which have been refined by Subaru over the years.

This model has a compact body with overall length of 4,300mm that allows brisk driving and yet makes available features such as easy seat access, comfortable interior, and abundant luggage space. SUBARU CROSS SPORT DESIGN CONCEPT is what Subaru perceives to be the next trend in urban SUVs.

By Chris Paukert