[Hachiroku]

Just shown at the Tokyo Auto Show.

Subaru soft debuted a world premier car here in Tokyo, and the rollout was so quiet we had to corner execs to find the scoop. Turns out, it's what's probably the coolest, damn-near-ready for production car of the entire event. It's a thinly disguised BRZ wagon, called the Cross Sport Concept, and ignore the silly name for a second. Underneath the slick wagon bodywork, this concept is all-BRZ everything. That means, most likely, rear-wheel drive and the familiar 2-liter flat-four engine.

Yoshio Hirakawa, corporate Senior Vice President, explained that the concept is a mere two inches longer than the stock BRZ, with for more usable rear legroom. But the real story is the excellent hatchback layout, an obvious Subaru strength. In concept form, a double liftgate/tailgate provides excellent utility (think of track days, when you could either chill on the tailgate or use it as a tool bench), and a completely fold-flat rear seat and front passenger seat that collapses totally flat as well, would ease the big-box store run.

The concept looks fully baked, even if we likely won't get the gorgeous suede interior and wood clad hatch area/liftgate. Other show-only goodies, we'd guess, are STi brakes and chromed stereoscope forward collision safety cameras (they look like missile launchers here, but in production they're sure to get toned down).

Production? There wasn't a single peep from Hirakawa-san about future plans, but it's an absolutely obvious line extension for Subaru, since a BRZ coupe/hatch would fulfill not only a practical niche, but an enthusiast dream as well.

Via: http://www.roadandtrack.com/car-show...#ixzz2l9VzlDty