Subaru Shows Rendering of Upcoming B9X Sport Utility Crossover

New B9X to offer Taller SUV-Like Dimensions and 7-Passenger Seating

In 1994 Subaru brought the sport utility vehicle world to its collective knees with one vehicle, the Legacy-based 1995 Outback Wagon. Its hard not to remember the television and print ads of Australian actor Paul Hogan (Crocodile Dundee) plowing through rocky, desert-like terrain in a jacked-up, plastic-clad station wagon, out-maneuvering, out-accelerating and simply put, out-driving the competition.

With these bold 30-second televised statements, Subaru ushered in a new niche of vehicle - the crossover wagon cum sport utility. The crossover concept caught on rapidly, with inspiration spreading to vehicles such as Audis Allroad quattro station wagon and Volvos V70/XC70 at first, and a multitude of others in following years.

Continuing on with the trend it set, Subaru expanded its Outback range to include the Impreza Outback wagon and Legacy Outback sedan based variants. At the same time, the Outback lineup was the quirky Japanese manufacturers active statement that permanent all-wheel drive, decent levels of ground clearance and plenty of cargo room didnt mean that a vehicle had to be packaged in a tall sport utility bodyshell.

Nearly a decade later, Subaru is about to begin another significant stage in the companys 37-year existence North America.

This time it will be focusing on improving brand image to move the company upmarket. The first vehicle to be launched under this new theme is the B9X, a seven-seater crossover utility vehicle - Subarus first attempt at building a true sport utility vehicle.

"This is a significant milestone for Subaru," stated Kunio Ishigami, Chairman, President and CEO of Subaru of America, Inc. "The Subaru B9X combines a bold new design with the trademark Subaru Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive system, and is our first seven- passenger vehicle."

At the vehicles announcement in Miami, Florida, Subaru of Americas Executive Vice President, Fred Adcock, said, "The B9X is intended to be the next step up for current Legacy or Outback owners looking to move up in size, flexibility, feature content and refinement. It is no coincidence that we are here in Miami, a market well-known for its trend setting style, with an all-new Subaru. This vehicle represents more than just a new style of Subaru. With its fun-to-drive handling and interior flexibility, this is also a Subaru that will appeal to a larger audience."

What prompted Subaru to jump on the sport ute bandwagon? Aside from producing the type of vehicle that the sport utility-hungry North American market craves, Subaru was also provided with an incentive by General Motors to aid in the production of its struggling Swedish arms second sport utility vehicle. The B9X and the upcoming Saab 9-6X will be built at Subarus U.S. facilities in Lafayette, Indiana, though they are said to feature unique interior and exterior design language. The yet-to-be-seen Saab will be the third platform-shared vehicle, following the Impreza-based 9-2x sports wagon and the Trailblazer/Envoy-based 9-7X.

Subaru is stressing three particular design points in the styling of the new B9X. Perhaps the most important of the three is the new corporate nose which made its debut on the B11S concept car, spreading to the B9SC sports car concept and the R1e minicar concept. The striking new nose was designed by Subarus young head stylist, Andreas Zapatinas. Officially, the Asian-only R2 minicar was the first to receive the eye-catching front end, but the B9X will be the first vehicle on the global market to receive this treatment. The front end is centered around a central, triangular-shaped grille, which is flanked on both sides by wing-shaped intakes, a nod to Subarus past as an aircraft manufacturer. Thin, high-mounted headlights complete the ensemble. As a model which inherited the newfound styling traits of the concept cars, it also adapted an all-new alphanumeric naming scheme.

Other outstanding areas of the B9Xs exterior design include an unusually curvy roofline which is said to express a sense of dynamic motion. In addition, sculpted fenders and wheel arches add to the SUVs sporty shape and convey a message of power and agility. The end product, as seen in the preliminary sketches, is not at all like a traditional, upright sport utility vehicle, but rather is much more car-like. This design theme is quite similar to that of Nissans Murano and Infinitis FX-series vehicles, incorporating a sleeker body to reduce wind noise, and a lower center of gravity to improve handling.

With a target market consisting of the Chrysler Pacifica, Ford Freestyle, Mitsubishi Endeavor, Nissan Murano, and to some extent the expectedly higher priced Volvo XC90, Mercedes-Benz M-Class, entry-level BMW X5 models and upcoming Audi Q7, many are wondering what will end up under the hood of the B9X. According to sources, Subaru is considering equipping the new SUV with a naturally aspirated 3.0-litre boxer six-cylinder engine. Borrowed from the redesigned Outback 3.0R, the powerplant is capable of delivering 250 horsepower and 219 lb-ft of torque, plenty of juice for the midsize sport utility. Insiders suggest that Subaru may also be planning an entry into the performance SUV market by adding a twin-turbocharged variant of the motor. In this state, the engine is said to be good for well over 300 horsepower.

Aside from the fact that the B9X will use Subarus trademark symmetrical all-wheel drive system, little else can be confirmed about the drivetrain. The road-biased sport utility is predicted to incorporate a monocoque chassis, which will ride on an independent multi-link suspension derived from the midsize Legacy in order to deliver best-in-class road-holding and handling. It is also thought that Subaru is planning to build a flagship sedan based on this chassis architecture to challenge upmarket vehicles such as the Acura RL, Audi A6 and Lexus GS.

The introduction of a true sport utility vehicle is a sign that Subaru is taking its international markets seriously, expanding its borders beyond cult and niche vehicles. Currently, product development of the B9X is nearing completion and the American factory is being primed for production, awaiting the vehicles world debut at the Detroit Auto Show in early January 2005. It is expected as time draws closer to the official unveiling, that information about the B9Xs powertrain and actual photos will be released.