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Subaru 'WRX wagon' getting warmer
Australian fate of WRX-based Levorg sports wagon could be known in two monthsSubaru Australia has made no secret of its desire to slot the all-new Levorg sports wagon into its range between the new WRX sports sedan and the new Liberty mid-sizer, which goes on sale here early next year.
Indeed, production capacity now appears to be the only issue standing between Australians and the WRX-based load-lugger, the local future of which could be known within months, following the Levorg's release in Japan next month.
"We're still very hopeful," said Subaru Australia Managing Director Nick Senior at the launch of the new WRX this week.
"There's no timetable, but we're working on a business case and I have a meeting in Japan in May... There is a window of opportunity – it's a question of production capacity."
First revealed at the Tokyo motor show in November, the Levorg becomes available to order in Japan in April, before production of the right-hand drive model commences there in May.
So far the Levorg is a Japan-only model, but the assistant manager of Subaru's Pacific Sales and Marketing Department, Tsuyoshi Egashira, said that may change following strong interest from Australia.
"We received very strong requests from Subaru Australia for Levorg, so we're now considering it," he told motoring.com.au.
"Production volume needs to ramp up... We have limited production facility."
Senior told motoring.com.au in Tokyo the Levorg had "huge appeal" for Subaru in Australia, where it would be positioned as an all-new model between the Impreza and Liberty.
"Discussions have started about if and when... The appeal for me in it is this is a new genre," he said at the time.
"Subaru has historically been good at recognising new niches. It's a sports tourer with high performance and versatility, similar in size to the old Liberty GT.
"For what it delivers in terms of performance and economy we're pretty interested in it."
In the absence of a hatchback version of the new sub-$40,000 WRX sedan, a sub-$50,000 turbocharged Liberty wagon or a turbo-petrol Outback, the Levorg would occupy a niche not currently filled by Subaru in Australia.
In fact, Subaru is yet to reveal any wagon derivative of next year's sixth-generation Liberty, and will soon discontinue the Tribeca, leaving the Exiga as the brand's only seven-seat wagon model.
Senior said the axing of the slow-selling Tribeca large SUV could help pave the way for the Levorg here, where Subaru's core models are the mid-size Forester SUV and the small Impreza and medium Liberty passenger models (excluding the BRZ sports coupe; the XV crossover and WRX/STI sports sedans are effectively Impreza derivatives, while the Outback and Exiga are Liberty spin-offs).
"A company our size is good at doing four models," he said. "Five is too many but Tribeca is going so that gives us an opportunity."
The Levorg is based on the front half of the latest Impreza platform and combines sleek styling with all-wheel drive and two efficient yet powerful new direct-injection turbocharged petrol engines.
It will be offered in Japan with both 1.6- and 2.0-litre direct-injection turbocharged four-cylinder boxer engines, delivering a respective 125kW/250Nm and a WRX-beating 221kW/400Nm.
Both engines are matched to Subaru's Lineartronic SI-Drive CVT transmissions, with the 1.6-litre getting a two-mode version of the transmission and the 2.0-litre featuring a Sport version with selectable eight-speed shift mode.
Fuel consumption is stated at 5.8L/100km for the idle/stop-equipped 1.6-litre and 7.6L/100km for the 2.0-litre.
However, Subaru Australia has hosed down the prospects of the oddly-named Levorg being rebadged as a WRX to leverage the brand awareness of Subaru's best-known model here.
"It's very expensive to change model names," said Senior.
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Written byMarton Pettendy
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If the price does not contain the notation that it is "Drive Away", the price may not include additional costs, such as stamp duty and other government charges.
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