Subaru’s new Impreza

News Subaru Impreza Subaru to turn on style with new Impreza

■ Tokyo debut for next Impreza ■ ■ First car in overhauledFirst range

Lawrence Allan

Lawrence_Allan@dennis.co.uk @LobAllan

SUBARU is aiming to make a splash at the Tokyo Motor Show with a bold new vision of its next-generation Impreza.

The company will unveil a dramatic concept, previewed here in these design sketches. And the new car aims to firmly banish the current model’s staid image.

It’s the first part of the Japanese firm’s exciting ‘Prominence 2020’ five-year plan, announced last year, which will see an overhaul of the entire range and a number of new models hit the market, including a new Forester taking cues from the VISIV concept (right).

These sketches suggest the new Impreza will have a much more dynamic design than at present, helping it take the fight to the class-leading Vauxhall Astra.

The front end will draw inspiration from the new Levorg, with the trademark hexagonal front grille, but the sweptback headlamp design is a departure.

These drawings show a more squat, purposeful stance, with wide wheelarches and oversized wheels giving a sporty look. The coupé-like roofline and rising waistline add to this, while the angular rear end is sleeker than before. We’ve yet to see the interior, but expect a far more modern and minimalist approach than that in the dated current car.

The cabin isn’t the only thing that’s well past its best on today’s Impreza. The only engine offered here is a 112bhp naturally

“New Impreza will have much more dynamic design than at present, taking fight to class-leading Astra”

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aspirated 1.6-litre that claims 44mpg and emits a whopping 147g/km of CO2. Expect a completely fresh unit for the new car, with the possibility of a diesel option, although the company will likely persist with the Lineartronic CVT gearbox option.

This being a Subaru, four-wheel drive is likely to be an option – although frontwheel-drive variants will allow the necessary efficiency boost. We won’t see the finished production model until next year, however. STYLING

Purposeful stance and wide arches give racy look, complemented by coupé roof

Rampaging animals cost insurers £1m

HUNGRY horses, crazy cattle and daring ducks have cost the insurance industry more than £1million over the past year, according to Saga. The over-50s specialist insurer said it had dealt with more than 500 animal-related cases in 2014, with some incidents more bizarre than others.

One customer had parked up at the Dartmoor National Park in Devon before going on a hike. When he returned, he found 12 horses had taken a shine to his car and were licking off the paintwork –the subsequent repair cost £1,200.

Another case was due to a cow at a prize-winning cattle show making a run for freedom. It uprooted the post it was attached to, dragged it through the car park and inflicted £800 worth of damage. A lowflying duck caused a motorist to swerve 16 Special Issue

into a stone bridge – settled at £1,500 –while a cat under a bonnet damaged an engine, setting the insurer back £4,000.

One driver was left ruing his country drive after he slammed on the brakes to avoid a deer, only to be smashed into by another stag, landing a £2,000 bill.

Roger Ramsden, chief executive of Saga Services, commented: “It seems that just about anything can send a road trip into turmoil, and the over-50s have to have their wits about them when they’re in the driver’s seat.

“We understand that some things are out of our customers’ control, and they can’t predict when they may face lowflying ducks or wild deer darting across the road.”

Subaru Impreza News yle with new Impreza news inbrief

...And the next Forester also stars with auto driving tech

Brit sports car brand set for London show

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ALONGSIDE the new Impreza at Tokyo, we’ll see Subaru’s VISIV SUV concept. Tipped as a preview for future design direction on cars such as the next Forester, it also showcases autonomous driving tech.

The company’s existing Eyesight autobraking system has been adapted on the VISIV to another level, allowing fully autonomous driving, parking and 360-degree crash avoidance. Tokyo visitors will be able to sample a driverless concept on the show floor, too.

The car’s external design will make its way on to the forthcoming Forester, which won’t arrive for a few years. The concept is described as having a direct-injection turbodiesel and symmetrical all-wheel drive, while a petrol-electric hybrid powertrain could make production. ZENOS Cars has confirmed it will be attending next May’s London Motor Show. The Norfolk-based company will display its E10 and E10S two-seater sports cars (above), and has hinted that it may reveal a futuristic concept or two.

Situated in Battersea Park, the London expo takes over from the British Motor Show, which was axed back in 2008. Tickets cost from £13.

Clever LED street lights on the way

High-end special takes Scooby out with a bang

WHILE the all-new Impreza concept will hog the limelight, Subaru isn’t done with the existing car yet. The brand will wheel out the bizarrely named WRX S4 SporVita – essentially a luxury version of the 296bhp, four-wheel-drive hot saloon.

To give the cabin a lift, Subaru has added genuine Italian leather hide, giving a bold, two-tone look, while classier multispoke alloys also feature. The SporVita is unlikely to be sold in the UK, though. hog the limelight, Subaru isn’t done wheel out the bizarrely uxury version oon. ded d, INTELLIGENT LED street lighting that reacts to cars and pedestrians is being developed by Continental. The research programme would mean the LED lights would use two-thirds of the electricity a current streetlight does.

Brightness would be adjusted according to what sensors picked up, and lights could be switched off altogether when there’s no movement. A ‘cloud’based network would let street lights alert drivers to vacant parking spaces, too.

Tipo returns as Fiat guns for Focus

FIAT will turn back time next year, by reviving the Tipo name for its new Ford Focus-rivalling family hatchback.

The company revealed the Agea saloon (right) earlier this year, and while that car will be launched in Turkey, a spin-off hatch and estate will be sold in Europe, sharing the same styling butwearing the Tipo badge.

A source told Auto Express the five-door Tipo will arrive in the UK in September 2016, priced from around £15,000. It’ll be available in 1.4 and 1.6-litre petrol guises, as well as 1.3 and 1.6 diesels.

It’ll mark Fiat’s fresh attack on the family hatch class. The brand enjoyed success with the original Tipo in the early nineties, which continued later in the decade with the stylish Bravo/Brava. The more recent Stilo and Bravo didn’t repeat the success, though, and sales dwindled. www.autoexpress.co.uk

Self-driving Volvos set to hit the road

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VOLVO has revealed that 100 fully autonomous XC90s will begin trials in Gothenburg, Sweden in 2017 (below). The IntelliSafe Auto Pilot tech will be put to the test, then offered to the public shortly afterwards.

The brand’s also revealed the interface that’ll be used for the tech. The driver will pull a pair of paddles behind the steering wheel, and the system will decide if autonomous mode is suitable. Drivers can be prompted to take control, with the car being brought to a halt if required.